|
Q.
Isn't it safe to assume that all doctors performing
follicular hair transplantation utilize the same
technique?
A. No, that is a very common
misconception. The art of hair transplantation is
not taught in any medical school. Hair
transplantation is initially taught from observation
by ones peers, hands on training, and then through
one's own experience. The art of hair
transplantation is refined through many years of
experience. We see the results of many patients that
have come to us after having a procedure done
elsewhere. Their initial question is usually the
same. "Why is it that I went to another
facility claiming to perform that same procedure
that you do, and my hair looks like this, and your
results are so natural?'" The reason is
simple; many people assume a doctor is a doctor and
a graft is a graft. The truth is the experience
level of each doctor is different. The instruments
and techniques of each doctor uses is different. The
artistry and skill of every doctor is different, and
the placement of the grafts are different. We see
many facilities that claim to do the same procedure
that we do, except the medical assistants do not
dissect the excess tissue from the grafts, the
doctor uses larger instruments to accommodate the
size of the grafts. Due to the doctors that make
larger incisions, the grafts are much further apart,
so the results appear to have less density. The
placement and the design of the hairline is also
crucial. The experience and skill of each doctor
varies. Your personal appearance is important. Do
not assume all hair transplant facilities are the
same.
|
Q. Some hair
transplant doctors spend much of their time
traveling around the world on the lecture circuit.
Does this mean that they are the best in their
field?
A. No. Since there is no compensation to do
so, some doctors see the lecture circuit as a way to
promote themselves as experts without actually
gaining experience in the operating room.
Generally the most experienced hair transplantation
specialists are far too busy performing surgery to
take time off without pay to give lecturers to
doctors who have yet to perform hair
transplantation. As in most fields, the star players
perform while the others teach. Who would you rather
have working on you? A surgeon who spends their time
doing surgery or a surgeon who spends their time
talking about it?
|
|
Q.
I’ve seen some ads from medical
groups that advertise “Get 2 to 3 times more hair than
any other technique.” or “More hair for your
transplant dollar.”
What does this mean?
A. Some medical groups are still using the older large
“plug” technique. They are indicating that their
grafts have more hairs in them, therefore producing
greater density and in turn a better value for your
investment.
If
that were true, then one could assume that an artificial
hairpiece or a doctor that transplants the biggest
“plugs” possible is the best value for your dollar.
This totally contradicts the most significant advancements
of naturalness in hair transplantation. The evolution of
hair transplantation has derived from these past
procedures but has been refined to our present technique,
which is called Microprecision Follicular Grafting™.
At Advanced Medical Institute we believe that “naturalness
is key”. Any graft containing
more than 4 hairs per graft begins to look “clumpy”
and does not appear as natural. Many patients that have
had previous hair transplant procedures from other clinics
come to Advanced Medical Institute to “soften” or “refine” their
previous results with the smaller follicular grafts of 1-3
hairs per graft.
|
|
Q. With today’s FDA approved
pharmaceutical hair re-growth products on the market, why
should I consider a hair transplant?
A.
These
products can be very effective at retarding further hair
loss and have been proven to be effective for some
re-growth in the crown area.
However, their manufacturers note their products
are not effective in the front hairline.
At Advanced Medical Institute, we can prescribe an
effective pharmaceutical product to maintain the hair you
do have, and permanently replace hair in the areas that
you’ve lost.
|
Q.
Some hairpieces today look pretty natural and they don’t
require surgery, why should I consider a hair transplant?
A. Most people are
looking for a permanent solution to their hair loss.
Some hairpieces look natural, however, none are
permanent. Your
hairpiece may well dictate how you live your life limiting
your activities such as swimming, bathing, having intimate
contact, being outdoors during inclement weather and
living with fear of embarrassment.
Hairpieces or wigs are best suited for individuals
who do not have adequate donor hair in which to
redistribute to areas that the hair has fallen out.
|
Q. Is
wearing a hairpiece more economical?
A. Not
necessarily. The initial cost of a good hairpiece, its routine maintenance
(one-two times per month) and the fact that you will be
required to replace it on average every 4-6 months
(depending on the level of naturalness achieved by the
hairpiece), far exceeds the cost of an average hair
transplant procedure when compared over a period of a few
years.
|
Q. Why
does the transplanted hair continue to grow and not fall out
like my original hair in the balding area?
A.
Because of
a concept called "donor dominance". The hair harvested
from the donor site is genetically programmed to grow for a
lifetime and is not subject to the same biological process which
causes pattern baldness.
|
Q. How
much hair can be harvested from my donor site?
A.
On average, each person
has about 25,000 hairs in the
donor area. About half of these hairs can be harvested while
leaving sufficient hair in the donor site. The maximum number
varies by individual depending upon the density of their donor
site, the flexibility of their scalp and a number of other
factors.
|
Q. Will
the transplantation process hurt?
A. During
the procedure with the proper anesthetic block, you will not
feel any pain or discomfort. The process of injecting the
anesthetic can cause mild discomfort which is very short lasting
due to the fast action of the anesthetic. Transplantation is
minor surgery and there may be some minor discomfort
post-operatively for a few days to a couple of weeks. However,
pain medication is provided in order to minimize any post-op
discomfort.
|
Q. How
many grafts should I have transplanted?
A.
We
can provide a general estimate, but the doctor will inform you
of the exact number he recommends. The answer depends on the
desired density and the size of the balding area.
|
Q. How
many grafts can be done in one session?
A. We
don’t recommend sessions larger than 2000 grafts. Our
main goal is the most undetectable outcome. This means using
prudence in order to insure that nearly all of the grafts take
to their new location and produce hair. "Mega
sessions" where as many as 3,000 grafts are transplanted
can cause difficulty in healing of the donor site, more residual
scarring and loss of viable grafts due to trauma to the scalp.
|
Q. I’ve
heard a lot of positive things about Follicular Hair
Transplantation, what are the potential risks?
A. While
the risks are very minimal, they include allergy to medication,
bleeding, temporary swelling, infection, and some numbness in
the area where hair is re-distributed due to the minor trauma to
the tissue and tiny network of nerves in the scalp.
|
Q. If
I have transplantation, how long will I be "out of
commission"?
A.
You can
return to work within 24-48 hours. You should not do any
strenuous activities for a week or two, so that the transplanted
grafts have the chance to heal properly.
|
Q. Some
doctors advertise the use of a laser incision technique to make incisions for
the recipient sites. Do you use the laser incision technique?
A. At this
point, we’ve determined that the negatives outweigh the
positive effect of laser to make the recipient incisions.
First, there is more burning of the hairs surrounding each
graft. Second, the laser cauterizes as it cuts, inhibiting
the flow of blood to the newly implanted grafts. This robs
the bulb of the hair of its main source of nutrients for
good healthy growth and development. This process is not to
be confused with Laser Hair Therapy.
|
Q. When
will the transplanted hair begin to grow?
A.
Growth
of the newly transplanted hair can take place right away or it
can take up to a few months for growth to begin. It depends on a
number of factors: 1. Whether the newly transplanted graft
contains anagen hairs (growth phase), telegen hairs (resting
phase), or catagen hairs (shedding phase). 2. How the
follicles react to the change of location. |
