Guide to Hair Transplant
There are a number of things AHI Clinic considers when a patient asks about a hair transplant. Before we recommend treatment we ask you to visit the clinic in person and attend a one-to-one consultation with Dr Waqas Chaudhary – our experienced hair transplant surgeon. This session is important as this is where we will determine if you are a good candidate for the procedure. These are the factors we take into account and can represent an overall Guide to Hair Transplant:
1.Your Concerns
A hair transplant may be offered to you if you have concerns with thinning hair or hair loss, and we’re frequently contacted by men and women who are affected by the following conditions: receding hairline, pattern baldness, patchy beards and thin eyebrows. We recognise that losing hair on your head, face or eyebrows can make you feel unhappy with your appearance, which can then affect your inner wellness. It’s normal to want to look your best, maintain your features, and present yourself in the way you want to.
2. Your Expectations
Like many other people we expect you’re likely to have an idea of the outcome you want to achieve from a hair transplant procedure. This may differ from the results that can realistically be produced, so it’s important that you and Dr Chaudhary discuss this issue so you can understand how the procedure will work for you.
3. Medical History
Certain medical conditions (such as diabetes or thyroid disease), and the medication that treat them can cause or advance hair loss. This may also be the case for women who have heavy periods. Therefore, having accurate medical details may help to identify a possible reason for your concerns, and recommend the most suitable treatment option.
4. Family History
If members of your immediate family have, or are experiencing hair loss concerns, it’s likely that you will too. By knowing the type of hair loss your relatives have, the pattern it has taken and what age it started, we can predict how hair loss might also affect you. We will then be able to make a more accurate recommendation for treatment.
5. Surgical History
Here, we’re not just asking if you’ve had a hair transplant procedure in the past, but if you’ve ever undergone any type of surgery. This will give us a good indication of the way you’ll respond to anaesthesia, as well as additional information about your medical history. These details will help us to plan the surgery more effectively.
6. Your Hair Loss Timeline
It’s important for us to establish when your hair loss began, the rate at which it was lost, and if this is an actively on-going concern. Good candidates for a hair transplant procedure will find their condition has stabilised (stayed the same or is significantly slower). This may have occurred naturally or by way of medication. If you have your hair transplant procedure while you are still losing your hair, the concern may not go away and hair loss may continue or appear to have moved to another region.
7. Examination
During your examination we’ll need to assess the quality and condition of the skin, follicles and hair. We’re particularly looking for skin that is clear from redness, inflammation, signs of cancer and still has sufficient elasticity – as this will make extraction and transplantation easier to perform. The donor area (where hairs are harvested from) is usually at the back sides of the head. Here, the follicles need to be normal in size with hair that has maintained its usual density. If the hairs and follicles are healthy they are more likely to settle in place and grow new hair.
With this short Guide to Hair Transplant taken into account, with assessment results positive at the clinic, you may be recommended for the hair transplant procedure. Dr Chaudhary will then explain what to expect on the day of surgery, and in the days, weeks and months that follow.
AHI Clinic only performs a hair transplant when both you and us are certain it is the right procedure for you.
