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Being a good hair transplant candidate

Understanding Hair

Understanding Hair

Valued member
A hair transplant, as good and they can be when everything falls into place, is not a miracle cure. The candidate must have a good understanding and education as to the pros and cons of a hair transplant. Understand their own head of hair and appreciate that sometimes their expectations may need changing to complement what is realistically achievable and look natural.

Questions for you to consider:

  • What are my goals? Are they compatible with what a hair transplant can technically achieve?
  • Do I understand the limitations of any hair transplant technique?
  • If my hair loss progresses, will I be open to suggestions of techniques and planning?
  • Do I have poor, average, good or great general hair characteristics?
  • Am I prepared to undergo multiple hair transplants overtime?
  • Would I be open to consider using a hair loss treatment long term?
  • Am I prepared to put hair restoration on hold if a doctor advises it´s not the best time?
  • Am I rushing into this because of a couple of comments or properly thought it through?

Making someone a suitable hair transplant candidate

You don´t need the best hair characteristics to be a good hair transplant candidate. Obviously, they help, moreover an important aspect is information and understanding, that make a happy hair transplant patient, one who understands the procedure, will be happy and have no regrets with the result. Those who often feel unhappy can be because they did not want to listen to the education provided, or did not receive the information in the first place.

The donor supply and area of hair loss affect each other. The more advanced the hair loss pattern now, or has the potential to be, directly impacts on the size of the safe donor region. This is harder to determine in the initial stages of hair loss, so any design must be in keeping with the limitations of the donor supply and thinking of the future. Incredibly lucky people have “home run” donor supply, meaning they can treat almost any degree of hair loss, but these candidates are far from average or even particularly good but the exception to the rule. The principal issue is the demand versus the supply, not so much regarding the initial procedure, but overall, with the eye on long-term planning.


What if you can´t be a suitable candidate

A clinic may advise against a hair transplant for an assortment of reasons. For instance, the clinic has a minimum age policy, or your hair loss pattern is minimal or too advanced. The hair loss cause and condition do not lend to a hair transplant. Or the clinic feels the goals and expectations are unrealistic.

Any good hair restoration doctor will consider matters technical and personal; both may influence the decision. Unrealistic requests and expectations are red flags to doctors. What if told you are not a suitable candidate, it will be disappointing. Nothing wrong with getting a second or third opinion, but it´s best to accept the news and move on. It´s not a clever idea to persistently search for a clinic to tell you what you want to hear. Human nature often makes us want what we can´t have, and chasing this dream can lead to disappointment.

Do your research, don´t just take the word of one clinic, and never superimpose the standards and qualities of a clinic on to another. Be honest with yourself, be prepared for your goals to change and be open to suggestion and advice. If you don´t like a plan, don´t kid yourself it will be fine, just don´t do it.
 
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Understanding Hair

Understanding Hair

Valued member
GOOD TIMING = A GOOD CANDIDATE

Good timing is an underlying consideration when deciding to undergo a hair transplant. What factors can be the reason for bad timing, as poor decisions often lead to dire consequences.

Timing and planning go hand in hand. It´s impossible to plan when you must guess what the future holds, that just a gamble. A thought-out plan focuses on the current hair restoration, hairline design, hair coverage, and the long-term. Timing not only relates to the current and potential hair loss pattern, but also the individual´s age. Age and hair loss are synonymous to each other, too young to lose your hair, looking too old for your age, or wanting to turn the clock back. Younger or older men wanting to feel their best.

Younger men often wanting to restore hair before it shows. They are frequently greater risk takers and pay little to no attention to the potential consequences. There is a “want it now” tendency, which has always been here, but maybe increased overtime with the society we now have, social media playing a role. It can be a vulnerable period; the vulnerability is open to manipulation, with promises to mend the problems. Fixing a low, youthful style hairline on a younger man, at best will only complement their facial features in the short term. As the face matures with age and the hairline remaining unchanged, it´s inevitable the hairline will become an unwanted and unnatural focal point.

Other issues getting into a hair transplant early in age and hair loss pattern is the real concern of further hair loss. Two issues arise, not including more expense, time, hassle. Nigh on anyone can have one hair transplant but is it possible to treat progressive hair loss. Is it possible to maintain a natural hair coverage and density. As the hair loss pattern extends will new permently fixed and low hairline look balanced and natural with the level of hair loss. Will any restoration be all front loaded and accentuate a larger area of hair loss behind.

The male pattern hair loss gene is most active when a younger adult, if hair loss starts early there is a greater chance it will progress to a more advanced pattern. Consequently, it´s not the best time to consider permanently adding hair. There are uncontrollable variables. While older candidates in general are more realistic and open to reason, occasionally an older candidate will have delusional expectations how far a minimal donor supply can go.

Timing is an important concern when considering a hair transplant, reversing a hair transplant is not simple, and will leave cosmetically impaired skin, and scars. With a focus on the most consequential aspects of being a good hair transplant candidate, understanding hair transplant technical boundaries, think with your head and not your heart.
 
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