While there can be no doubt that transplant technology has improved greatly over the recent years, there are certain fundamental truths that remain. These should always be considered before the decision is made to undertake what is in effect cosmetic surgery.
It may be that less scrupulous surgeons or clinics will not welcome these questions but it is undeniable that proper answers should be given before surgery is agreed. Firstly, transplants were originally developed in the 1940’s in Japan and were fairly crude affairs. Since then the technology has been refined but it remains the case that surgery does not create more hair just simply redistributes existing hair. So if there is a large thinning area the likelihood is that there will be insufficient hair to offer any great coverage without leaving scarring or “gaps” elsewhere. Most of today’s surgery involves removing an area of scalp after making an incision up to 6 inches long in the head (often running from ear to ear). It is reliant of the skill of the surgeon to ensure that the resulting scar is minimal.
Secondly, most men who experience thinning are dealing with inherited or hormonal hair loss. Transplants offer no protection against further loss so it is vital that the situation is stable before transplants are undertaken otherwise repeated sessions of surgery will be required. This is often not mentioned during the consultation process.
Next, there is significant research ongoing into reactivating dormant hair cells. It is widely accepted that by undertaking surgery and thus damaging the structure of the scalp this may prevent patients from benefiting from this new technology when it becomes available. This is particularly important for younger males as the results of surgery – whether good or bad – will be life long. What were once considered state of the art procedures are now considered totally inferior but those who had such procedures carried out have no alternative but to live with the consequences.
Finally, it is common for those who have had surgery to extol the virtues of the procedure. Whilst there are many genuinely contented customers it is reasonable to look deeper into the motivation of some particularly if they are working with or benefiting from the services of a particular surgeon/clinic.
In a recent article in FHM magazine’s August 2014 edition one of their journalists underwent transplant surgery and his initial feelings were positive as he was deemed a suitable candidate but other key points also came to light :
– there are only a handful of top surgeons offering satisfactory results in the UK
– these surgeons can charge £20,000 or more for a day’s transplantation
– of those hoping for surgery, only about 1 in 5 are suitable
– proper medication before considering surgery may be successful enough to avoid this in the first place
As surgery cannot be reversed it is important that any decision follows extensive research and is after taking the opinion of as many professionals as possible. Convenience and lowest price should not be a factor otherwise there is the risk that a surgeon is selected for the wrong reasons. At Hair Technology, we strongly recommend transplants only for those whose hair loss is stable so generally this would be unsuitable for anyone younger than their mid-twenties.
We have worked with the industry leaders Farjo for many years and would strongly recommend seeking their advice before ultimately opting for surgery.
www.farjo.com