Here's another one guys...hope it helps

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Am I a Good Candidate For a Hair Transplant (HT)?

This is a very individualized question, but I’ll throw out some general principles to consider:

1. Typically it is recommended for a person thinking about a hair transplant to try medication first. Finasteride and Minoxodil are the only two FDA approved drugs that have proven to be effective to date. Laser Therapy has just been FDA approved, however, there is a lot of controversy right now as to its efficacy. A lot of the literature points to the fact that this medical device has only been approved for safety, not for efficacy. See the following article written and documented by Joe Tillman (JoTronic), a fellow member of the hair transplant network and employee of Hasson and Wong: http://hair-restoration-info.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/146...701040113#8701040113.

2. Younger people are typically not good candidates for hair transplantation surgery, however, there can be cases made for it…see “Am I Too Young for a Hair Transplant” at http://hair-restoration-info.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/3466060861/m/7701076213

3. Anyone who has just started to lose their hair is typically not a good candidate for a hair transplant. The reason for this is simple…more hair loss is most likely in your future. Using donor hair to try to keep up with your hair loss is a bad idea, especially since hair loss is unpredictable and donor supply is limited. Medication should always be the first line of attack for those who only just start losing their hair.

4. Diffuse thinners CAN BE good and sometimes the best candidates for a hair transplant typically yielding the most cosmetically pleasing benefit. But be careful…losing more hair could result in a thinner appearance. This is why my number 1 about medication is highly recommended!

5. You will need more grafts for a cosmetically pleasing result in the crown than the hairline and frontal third. This is just the way it is…but that doesn’t mean you should not get a transplant for the crown. It just means to strategize appropriately with your use of grafts.

6. People who have stopped losing hair or whose hair loss has slowed down are typically good candidates for a hair transplant.

NOTE: Be sure to educate yourself of the risks before you consider hair transplantation surgery. Risks include but are not limited to: scarring (everyone who goes through surgery will receive a scar - some more obvious than others), shock loss of native hair, temporary swelling of forehead/face, skin irritation and infection in the donor and/or recipient areas, etc.

Some risks are more common than others.

Since each case must be taken individually, however, this list above should only be used as a guide. It is best to consult a hair transplant physician to determine what course of action is right for you. I highly suggest looking at the following link: http://www.hairlosslearningcenter.org/hair-loss-content...s/our_physicians.asp to find a hair transplant doctor right for you. Also see: “How do I choose a Hair Transplant Doctor” at: http://hair-restoration-info.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/3466060861/m/4431091313

Falc

Good advice.

The top physicians in the field will take great pains to maximize the naturalness and fullness of a hair transplant result. Results are possible today that were unheard of 10 and 20 years ago. A factor remains though –even a great HT doc cannot make a bad HT candidate a good one.

I am a great advocate for hair restoration surgery as a solution for people who are bothered by hair loss. Although this is the case, I believe hair transplantation a poor idea for ill-suited patients. Moreover I think HTs can be disastrous in some very young patients and in individuals rapidly losing hair without medical therapy.

Understanding what make a good candidate has (at least) two advantages. 1) It help the patient set his/her expectations for a possible hair transplant procedure and 2) it helps patients identify the unscrupulous clinics that might mislead patients about there suitability for a proceedure with financial gain in mind.

TheHairlosscure,

Thanks for your feedback. I agree 100% that "bad" candidates for HTs should be turned away by reputable docs. Unfortunately, there are a number of clinics still out there today more concerned about their wallet than a patients long term (or even short term sometimes) well-being. The advantage of a community such as this is to educate people who are seeking so they make informed decisions.

Thanks again bro.

Falc

Hi Falceros/THLC,

Great info, this will really be great for those browsing the site and thinking about a transplant. It sure will help them in their decision making.

The fact that we can all share this info for free makes this site such a valuable tool.

quote:

Diffuse thinners CAN BE good

What is a diffuse thinner?

quote:

You will need more grafts for a cosmetically pleasing result in the crown than the hairline and frontal third.

That's really odd. I would have thought the opposite would be true, since people usually view the hairline straight on, while they typically view the crown at a sharp angle.

A diffuse thinner is a person whose hair is covering an area, but it is very thin and see through. Typically Male Patter Baldness causes a pattern where the hair is thick except for the typical recession of the front and the crown. Diffuse thinners have a noticeable thinning throughout. It is very difficult to work with in terms of a transplant.