Hair Transplant for Women: What To Know Beforehand

Hair loss affects many women worldwide. There are many cause, and many solutions for it, but in this post we will focus on Hair Transplants for Women and what you need to know before you make the decision to do it. Hair transplantation surgery can help women suffering from baldness, thinning hair, or alopecia.

There are many things to consider when researching hair transplants for women. Some of the positive things are an increased level of self-confidence, eliminates the need for a wig, makes you look younger, and is a permanent solution. At the same time it is important to remember that there is no guarantee it will work, it might take multiple sessions over the course of a month to work, and it might also take additional months for the hair to grow in the new location.

In order to be a good candidate for a hair transplant you need to generally be in good health, have realistic expectations, and a positive attitude. This will give you the best chance for success. Regardless of what you may read, this procedure is not for everyone. Proceed with caution, take your time, and make sure this is really something that is a good fit for you.

How Does the Hair Transplant Work?

There will be many instructions to follow before the surgery. They will vary according to the type of procedure, but most will include the following. All will ask you to stop smoking at least 24 hours before surgery. Most will require you to stop alcohol three days before surgery. Don’t have a hair cut before your surgery. It is important to let the donor area grow so that there is enough for the transplant. Plus it will cover the stitches following your surgery. Start to massage the scalp as far in advance as you can before the surgery. Try to do at least 10 minutes per day.. This softens the skin in the area and improves the skin tone. It will also get the blood flowing in that area. You will more than likely have to take medication such as Minoxidil (Regaine, Rogaine) before surgery. It also may require anti-biotics in advance.

Hair transplants are usually dictated by the look you are trying to achieve and the type of hair loss you have experienced. This is because the area that is balding or thinning will be what is addressed. Regardless of the size or shape of the area, the hair follicles are moved from one area of your body and grafted to the area that has the thin and/or bald spots. The donor site is typically located somewhere on your head.

A surgeon will administer a local anesthesia to the area being harvested and the area receiving the new hair. Some patients may also receive oral or IV sedatives. Rarely is general anesthesia performed. The harvest area will be surgically removed, and the scar will be hidden by existing hair. Then surgeon will usually divide the removed scalp into hundreds or perhaps even thousands of tiny segments, each containing a single or several hairs. These tiny pieces of your scalp will then be transplanted into the bald or thinning areas on your head. In rare cases the hair transplant surgery involves moving hair as a flap of scalp skin that includes hundreds of hair follicles. The flap is repositioned into the area of hair loss replacing the balding scalp.

Maintaining the integrity of the scalp and minimizing trauma is integral to this procedure and is quite tedious. The entire process takes anywhere from two to eight hours depending on how much hair is being transplanted or being transferred as a flap.

What Questions Should I Ask the Transplant Specialist?

There are many relevant questions to ask but most will revolve around basic understanding of the procedure, expected results, and after care. The most important questions revolve around risk. This would apply with any surgery so this is no different. Ask them how long they’ve been practicing, and how many they have performed. Once you’re past that, then make sure they think you are a good candidate for the procedure. Tell them your desired results and ask for percentage of success based on that. This was you can weigh the risk/reward value.

Ask about scars and how to treat them. Go over donor and receiver locations with them in detail. Ask what the options are if you aren’t happy with the results. Ask for photos of others they have performed work on, such as before and afters. Most importantly though, ask about cost. Go over the cost in detail with them, including in costs that will be required after the surgery. Make sure when you are done with the consultation you leave there knowing this person is the one you want to go with.

In conclusion, make sure that you do all the research you can. Hair Transplants for women are becoming increasingly popular, but they aren’t for everyone and there are risks. Make sure that you go above and beyond the questions posed here, as this is just a starting point. We wish you all the best on your journey!