FAQs
A: The cost of the FUE procedure may vary from clinic to clinic. At gotmyhairback.com, we search for reputable clinics that offer competitive rates and good reviews. Ultimately, you will need to conduct your own due diligence before selecting any particular clinic. Each hair transplant case will vary based on the number of grafts you are requesting, your hair density and the availability of donor hair.
A: If your hair transplant is placed properly, the average person should not be able to recognize that any transplant has been performed. You will want to discuss your desired outcome with your clinic or surgeon before the procedure. You will need to consider if you want to keep your natural hairline or modify it. You will also need to make sure the placement of hair grafts with more follicles are placed towards the top of the head and grafts with single hairs towards the front of the hairline.
A: Sometimes too many hair grafts being implanted in one session can have an adverse effect by causing shock loss, a temporary loss of native hairs in close proximity to the new donor hairs.
A: Most patients who have a hair transplant end up receiving other(s) in the future if they are happy with the initial results. It can sometimes take years between procedures because it takes up to 18 months to see the full results from the initial procedure.
A: Typically, the hair transplant procedure from start to finish can take approximately 6 to 10 hours. Usually, surgeries will take place in the early morning or afternoon. Your doctor will let you know what you can eat before the procedure.
The hair transplant procedure will be performed with the patient under local anaesthetic. To put it simply, the process entails a consult with your doctor, discussion of what you are expecting, then you are placed under local anesthesia. After your head is completely numb, hair follicles will be extracted from the donor area, and then implanted in the recipient area. The process may vary from clinic to clinic.
After your procedure, your head is generally bandaged, or gauze will be applied to the scalp for a few days, and you should be provided with antibiotics to reduce your risk of infection and anti-inflammatory medication to reduce swelling. You should be counseled on what you should avoid eating and which activities should be avoided immediately and over the next 10 days, sometimes longer.
A: Surgeries are always fraught with risk. Always weigh the pros and cons of having any type of cosmetic procedure. Some people accept losing their hair as natural, others feel the potential risks outweigh the complications. Ultimately, this is your decision as a hair transplant patient. Some side effects can include infection, swelling of the face and scalp, bleeding, bruising around the eyes, and shock loss. There can be itching, folliculitis, unnatural appearance of the implanted hairs. This is why you want to discuss all of these things with the clinic or surgeon who will be performing your hair transplant procedure.
A: After your hair transplant, you will be anxious to see the long-term results. Immediately, it will feel as though you have more hair as you see the implanted grafts. Within the first 10 days to 30 days post procedure, you should notice hairs falling out. You may experience shock loss in which some of your native hairs may begin to fall as well as some of your scabs in the recipient area of your scalp. If you have concerns, you will want to contact your surgeon or clinic.
Usually within the first 3 months you should see hairs start to grow after about 3 to 4 months. You will see hair grow in stages from the first 90 days, 180 days, 365 days and then within a little over 16 months, you should see 90 to 100% growth of the donor hairs. Check with your clinic or surgeon for specific time frames.
You may want to speak with your doctor about taking minoxidil (topical solution) as well as finasteride in conjunction with your surgery to help reduce future hair loss and possibly help grow and/or thicken the hair follicles. You will need to research the possible side effects of these medications to see if you are a good candidate.
A: Yes, during the surgery it will be important to communicate with the surgeon or staff to let them know if you are feeling any discomfort. Numbing medication will be injected into the scalp to reduce pain while the procedure is being performed. It is always advised to bring earphones so you can listen to music or watch your favorite flick on tv while the surgery is being performed.
Your surgeon or clinic should be extracting donor hairs towards the back and side of the head that are genetically resistant to baldness. Once these hairs are transplanted, they should not be lost unless some other underlying condition causes future hair loss.
A: 1. Usually the surgeon or clinic will require for you to have some routine blood testing for HIV, ELISA, CBC, HCV, and other required tests. This is necessary to detect potential medical issues that could possibly lead to complications with your surgery. Make sure you have this done before your surgery and that you do not have any issues before paying the full price of the surgery.
2. If you are a smoker, you should avoid smoking for at least 2 weeks prior to surgery.
3. Avoid eating any types of spicy food 48 hours prior to the surgery.
4. Check with your clinic or surgeon to make sure you follow all pre-surgery protocol.
A: The transplanted hair grafts should be taken from donor hairs that are genetically programmed to last for life. As long as the procedure is performed by an experienced specialist and the patient follows pre-surgical and post-surgical instructions, it should deliver life-long results.
A: It really depends on the root cause of your hair loss, the number of grafts available in your donor area, your age and other factors.
A: Shock loss occurs when the planted grafts begin to shed, usually within the first month after a hair transplant. After a few months, the lost grafts begin to gradually grow.
A: Gotmyhairback.com is not a hair restoration center. We do not charge you anything for the free hair restoration consultation or travel advice. We only recommend establishments that we have researched. We are trying to narrow our recommendations down to a limited number of hair restoration clinics that will agree to pay us a monthly fee for marketing purposes. We will not recommend any clinic, only the ones we would personally hire ourselves for the procedure. The cost of hair restoration can be quite costly in the United States and Europe. This is why we do the shopping for you. There are some advantages to hiring locally, however we have seen great benefits in hiring clinics abroad and getting a vacation and fun out of the whole process. Depending on the number of hair grafts that are needed, costs in the United States can range from $6000 to $30,000. The same procedure outside of the United States, including airfare, food, entertainment and gifts can be substantially less.