Getting a hair transplant and deciding when it is the right time to get one is a personal question and varies greatly depending on the person. For some, balding is just a part of getting older and embracing the lack of hair lifestyle. For others balding is something to be avoided at all costs and they will spend a lot of money on hair pieces to disguise their balding. Hair transplants allow for people to prolong their head of hair and avoid going bald or having bald spots without the need to put a hairpiece on everyday. Hair transplants work by extracting hair from other parts of the body and transplanting them in balding areas of the scalp. This minor form of cosmetic surgery has little to no down time and allows patients to go home the same day. To answer the question of when you should get a hair transplant you should ask yourself these 4 questions to help you make your decision.
Am I Self Conscious?
Cosmetic procedures often are performed to increase patients self confidence and self image. Many people have a large sense of identity with their hair and genetics are not in their favor as they begin losing hair too soon. For others balding is a welcomed experience where they take the plunge to a shaved head. While this is a solution, it is not something that the vast majority of people are willing to do and results in people trying to hide their hair loss. If the transition to balding is something the individual is resistant to and attempts to hide, it may be a good time to consider a hair transplant procedure. A hair transplant involves harvesting hair from other parts of the body and implanting the harvested follicles into the balding areas. The procedures allow those that suffer from balding a full head of hair that they no longer have to hide. By looking their best these patients are able to better carry themselves and feel more confident on the day to day.
Am I okay with the procedure?
Before deciding to undergo any procedure it is important to be educated on the procedure and know the risks, recovery time, and recovery procedures. For hair transplants there are two different procedures that need to occur. The first is the follicle extraction procedure. The extraction procedure involves extracting hair from the back of the head. To extract the hair the region of hair needs to be short which makes it necessary to cut parts of the hair very short. Once the hair follicles have been extracted, they need to then be transplanted into the balding scalp region. These two procedures are often performed in the same appointment and are done under a local anesthetic. The regions of extraction and transplant will be red and typically swollen for a couple of days. These are all short term side effects and ultimately will subside. It takes time for these procedures to be at their best and there will be transition periods but being okay with this and having these expectations from the get go will allow you to have better expectations of what getting the procedure entails.
How do I wear my hair?
Both male and females can suffer from baldness and with this comes different needs for hair transplants. Shorter hairstyles tend to be indicative of many mens hair styles and there are specific things to consider with those that wear their hair short. There are two different forms of extraction one is called Follicular Unit Excision (FUE), and the other is called Follicular Unit Transplant (FUT). Each has their benefits and drawbacks. FUE is popular for those that want to wear their hair shooter as the hair is taken from many different and scattered locations on the back of the scalp whereas FUT strip method is where a strip of the scalp is targeted. FUT strip is advantageous for longer hair as the strips from the extraction are easily concealed and there is a larger rate of transplants that take. Knowing your future hairstyle plans is an important thing to consider to know what type of procedure would be best suited for your needs.
Overall there are many different cosmetic procedures that revolve around hair and include laser hair removal, microblading, micropigmentation, hair transplants, beard transplants, and even eyebrow transplants. Hair transplants in particular have had huge leaps in technological innovation in the past couple of years. This has resulted in a procedure that has been given to thousands of people with good success rates. Knowing when to get a hair transplant is something that each person needs to answer for themselves. By assessing what they will get out of the procedure, what the procedure entails and its associated risks, and knowing which procedure will work best for them are all ways in which a prospective patient can become educated and more well versed. By being more well versed they are better able to make an informed decision.
