Hair Transplant Consultation Questions

There is a lot to know about hair restoration surgery and one of the most vital parts is selecting a quality hair restoration physician.   Therefore, many hair loss sufferers that inquire about hair transplantation ask how to go about their initial consultation with various  hair transplant clinics.  

A list of consultation questions was provided on our  hair restoration discussion forum  by well respected forum member “Nervous Nelly” as a guide to seeking hair transplant patients.   Nervous Nelly  just recently had undergone hair transplant surgery with Dr. Ron Shapiro  of Bloomington, MN –  who is a well respected member of the  Coalition of Hair Restoration Surgeons.   This article was written before his hair transplant surgery.  

Additional questions were added by various hair restoration forum members and have been compiled below.   Additional questions have been added and edited by Bill Seemiller , the Associate Publisher and Co-Moderator of the Hair Transplant Network, Hair Loss Learning Center, and the Hair Loss Q&A Blog.

Below are a list of hair transplant consultation questions to consider.

• Do you perform ultra refined follicular unit hair transplantation?

• For follicular unit transplantation (FUT) – What type of donor closure does the hair transplant surgeon use?

• What type and size of instrumentation does the hair transplant doctor use to make recipient incisions?

• What type of blade (single, double, triple) does this hair transplant surgeon use to excise the donor strip?

• What is the length of time that this hair transplant physician has been performing hair transplant surgery?

• How many hair transplant technicians are employeed with the hair transplant clinic?

• What is the length of time each hair transplant technician has worked for the hair restoration clinic?

• What makes a good hair transplant candidate  and am I a good candidate?   Why or why not?

• What is the total number of follicular unit grafts that I have available in the donor area?   See also: How many grafts are available for hair transplant surgery?

• What is the total number of follicular unit grafts I will need in order to achieve acceptablehair coverage and hair density.   See also: How many grafts will I need to accomplish my hair restoration goals?

• What is the largest hair transplant session this hair transplant clinic has performed?  

• What is the highest hair density this hair transplant clinic can place in a single hair transplant session? See also: Are Higher Hair Densities Always Superior?

• In my case, how much hair density should I expect in my balding areas?

• What is my estimate of donor density?   (The average is approximately 80 follicular unit grafts per square centimeter)

• How is my donor laxity (scalp elasticity)?

• Approximately how many follicular unit grafts can be excised in a single hair transplant surgery in my case?

• How many hair transplant surgeries will I need to meet my hair restoration goals?

• Be sure to discuss with the hair transplant doctor your hair restoration goals (hairline, temples,  forelock, crown, hair density,  hair coverage,  etc)  

• Approximately  how many follicular units does the hair restoration physician  plan to use in each balding zone?

• Based on my hair characteristics  and available donor hair, are my hair restoration goals reasonable?

• Can I meet or talk to previous patients with similar attributes to me?

• How much does the hair transplant clinic charge per follicular unit graft?   See also: hair transplant cost

• Does the hair transplant clinic offer financing options?

• Can I get a reduced fee for cash or short notice surgery? Travel reimbursement?

• What is the hair restoration clinic’s policy for hair grafts that don’t grow?

• How much time off work will I need?   See also: When will I look normal after a hair transplant?

• Is it recommended to use Propecia  (finasteride or Rogaine  (minoxodil)?   Why or why not?

• Does this hair transplant clinic offer prescriptions for  Propecia  or Proscar (finasteride)?

• For follicular unit transplantation (FUT), does this hair transplant clinic dissect hair grafts from the strip using a microscope?

• Does this hair transplant clinic prefer to create “chubby” grafts or “skinny” grafts?   Why?   See also: chubby verses skinny grafts

• What preoperative instructions should I follow before hair transplant surgery?   See also: hair transplant preoperative tips

• What postoperative instructions should I follow after hair restoration surgery? See also: hair transplant postoperative tips

• Does this hair transplant clinic recommend/require shaving of the recipient area?   Why or why not?   See also: the case for shaving the recipient area    (written by Dr. Hasson)

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Remember, this is only to be used as a guide.   You may find that not all questions are necessary however, you may find additional questions worth asking.   If you are unsure of a hair restoration physician’s answer to one of your questions, feel free to post your concerns on our hair restoration forum.

In my opinion, it is extremely important to select a hair transplant physician who has a proven track record of providing consistent quality hair transplant results and that this data is available online.   This is why, at the Hair Transplant Network, we believe in only recommending those hair transplant physicians  who perform state of the art hair transplantation.  

Bill
Associate Publisher of the Hair Transplant Network and the Hair Loss Learning Center
View my Hair Loss Weblog

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