Hair loss is a common concern among men and women that can affect a person both aesthetically and emotionally. However despite the negative feelings that hair loss can cause, making the decision to undergo a treatment can be difficult.
AHI Clinic in South Woodford gives expert advice to those who are affected by a range of hair loss concerns. Our specialist doctors are highly trained and have a wealth of experience in performing life-changing hair transplant procedures. We always ask that a patient comes in for a private consultation, so that patient and doctor can have a discreet discussion about their specific condition and the options that are available to help improve the concern.
AHI Clinic has been practising for many years, and throughout our time, we’ve found that patients often ask the same questions. So we’ve put together this list of frequently asked questions for anyone who is considering a hair loss procedure, and is feeling a little unsure about whether to take the next steps.
QUESTION 1 – Which is better, FUE or FUT?
FUE extracts single hairs and follicles from the donor site, and transplants them into the area of hair loss, one-by-one. This procedure is often more effective for patients who experience mild to moderate hair loss. FUT – Follicular Unit Transplantation – takes a strip of skin with hair and follicles attached. The strip is then cut by the trained technicians to make small grafts to be transplanted, and is more suitable for moderate to advanced hair loss.
When attending a consultation at AHI, Dr Chaudhary can recommend the right procedure for you, based on your specific concerns.
QUESTION 2 – How long does it take to recover from the FUT procedure?
A patient usually needs to allow around 2 – 4 weeks to fully recover from the FUT procedure. This is about the time when all side effects have disappeared – including: swelling, bruising and sensitivity. Having said this, patients only usually need a few days recovering at home before resuming their normal routine. Our advice for the weeks that follow the procedure typically recommends light duties, avoiding heavy lifting and strenuous exercise.
QUESTION 3 – What is FUE?
FUE is a surgical hair transplant procedure that should only be carried out by a trained doctor or hair transplant surgeon. This intricate treatment takes great skill and helps to stimulate the natural regrowth of hair. A motorised device is used to harvest grafts (i.e hair follicles) by making small holes around 0.8 – 1mm in size around the hair follicles on the scalp of the back and sides of the head or body – where growth is fuller and healthier. These grafts are then stored in a specialised holding solution before being transplanted into the area where hair growth is thin or has been lost. This procedure is usually suitable for those with more advanced hair loss concerns.
QUESTION 4 – When is the right time and age to get FUE Transplant?
Many professionals would not recommend having a hair transplant procedure under the age of 25 . This type of procedure is usually more effective when hair loss is stabilised – meaning that the rate at which hair is being lost seems to have significantly slowed down or may appear to have stopped. AHI Clinic will always consider each case individually and will only recommend undergoing a procedure if it is in the best interests of the patient.
QUESTION 5 – Is a Hair Transplant Painful?
Whichever hair transplant procedure is recommended, it is normal for patients to experience some degree of sensitivity. Each patient will feel pain differently, and extracting the hairs may cause both the donor site and the treatment site to feel sore. Local anaesthetic is used to carry out the procedure, and the patient may feel some level of pain while it is being administered. Once the anaesthesia is given, there should be no pain felt while the treatment is in progress. And for the few weeks that follow, suitable pain relief (e.g – paracetamol) will help to ease any postoperative discomfort.
QUESTION 6 – What is the Hamilton-Norwood scale?
AHI Clinic uses the Hamilton – Norwood scale to assess the patient’s individual degree of hair loss. A series of images have been produced to help doctors identify different stages of pattern baldness, which are then given a scale number from 1 to 7. It is particularly used for male pattern baldness, with other classification scales being used for hair loss in women. When the extent of hair loss has been identified it can help when making a recommendation for treatment, and how effective it can be.
QUESTION 7 – Is a successful Hair Transplant possible for Alopecia Patients?
Alopecia comes in a range of forms, and each case is specific to the individual it affects. In many cases, hair loss is temporary and will grow back on its own. However for others, hair loss is permanent. Before a treatment is recommended the condition will need to be assessed. If after a significant amount of time the hair does not appear to be growing back, a hair transplant treatment may provide an effective solution. A consultation at AHI Clinic will be able to determine if this treatment is suitable and the results that are to be expected.
QUESTION 8 – What is Alopecia?
Alopecia is a term that is used to describe hair loss, whether it displays small round patches on the head, recedes from the hairline, causes thinning hair or leads to full baldness. It can be caused by a variety of factors, such as: hormonal changes, stress, disease, medication, malnutrition, over styling or genetics and can affect the head, body or face. Androgenic alopecia, alopecia areata, alopecia totalis and alopecia universalis are common hair loss conditions which can be identified at an in-depth consultation at AHI.
QUESTION 9 – Experience of the Surgeon
Whilst there are some very talented young surgeons who are newly qualified (and everyone has to start somewhere), some patients prefer an experienced surgeon to perform their procedure. A medical professional who has been practising for many years will often have undertaken numerous surgeries, and the procedure can be less likely to have complications. An experienced surgeon is often an honest one, and will be upfront about when they started practising and how many procedures they have performed. At AHI, we are proud to tell our patients about our experienced doctors and information about them can be found on our website.
QUESTION 10 – Will Surgeon or a Technician will perform the Surgery?
AHI will always advise that a hair transplant procedure is performed by a registered doctor or hair transplant surgeon (such as our very own Dr Waqas Chaudhary), rather than a ‘technician’. A specialist hair transplant surgeon is likely to have more advanced training and qualifications than a general technician, and their experience is usually greater, as this is their area of expertise.
QUESTION 11 – Results of previous Surgeries performed by the Surgeon
As mentioned in a previous question, an experienced surgeon is often an honest surgeon. It is always useful to ask the surgeon about their results. AHI Clinic often shows pictures of what can be achieved from the procedure, on their website. Although a patients’ details are kept in the strictest confidence there are some patients who consent to having their ‘before and after’ photos being used, as well as leaving a customer review. This can be discussed at the consultation.
QUESTION 12 – How is Female Pattern Baldness treated?
The cause of female pattern baldness may need to be explored before a suitable treatment is recommended. At AHI Clinic We perform a safe and effective hair transplant procedure (FUE or FUT) to help restore full and healthy hair growth. This procedure is effective on both men and women and is only recommended following a private consultation.
QUESTION 13 – What should I know about a Hair Transplant?
AHI Clinic will make sure you are fully informed about the hair transplant procedure before it goes ahead. It is important for you to know which type of procedure you are about to undergo, and how long it will take for the final result to develop. You should also know that your new hair can be treated the same as before, and that a hair transplant is usually permanent. As we use your own hair to donate to affected areas, we may not be able to perform this procedure if you are completely bald, and possess little body hair.
QUESTION 14 – Are there surgical and non-surgical treatments for pattern hair loss?
The aesthetics industry is growing fast, and there are many clinics operating in the UK. Advances in this type of medicine means that there are a range of treatment options available, both surgically and non-surgically. It is up to the individual which solution is more appealing to them, and treatments can be suitable for different people. AHI Clinic specialises in surgical procedures for hair loss, and a consultation will help you to decide if this is the right option for you. Our doctors will explain the advantages and the potential risks of these procedures, as well as assessing your individual concerns to ensure you receive the right recommendation.
