Choosing the right surgeon to carry out your hair transplant is an important decision to get right. You need to have full confidence in him or her and be able to understand exactly what the procedure will involve and the results you can expect to hopefully see over time. However, it can be hard to think of all the questions you need to ask when put on the spot during your pre-op consultations. Here are four questions to ask your hair transplant clinic to provide you with greater clarity and peace of mind.
Which hair restoration process is best for my individual case?
If you are concerned about thinning hair or bald patches, you will need to first seek a diagnosis to find out what’s happening and to make sure the loss isn’t a symptom of something more complicated or a side effect of any medication you may already be on for something else. Beware any hair transplant specialists who attempt to skip this vital stage in your care as they may not be providing you with all the information and options you need to make an informed decision.
Once that is done, you need to decide whether you want to progress straight to a top choice for a hair transplant or whether you would prefer to try other, less invasive methods of hair restoration first. You can get various ointments, treatments and shampoos from the pharmacy, which can have an effect on hair growth. There are also specialist prescription drugs you can try, which your doctor can advise you further about. However, if you decide on the hair transplant, you will need to consider the next three questions to get a clearer picture of the treatment, what it involves and your projected results.
Which surgeon is the best fit for me?
Often, the choice of whether or not to trust a hair transplant surgeon will come down to the patient’s own intuition, so listen carefully to yours to make sure that you are completely happy to go ahead as planned. You should be introduced to your surgeon in plenty of time ahead of the operation and given the chance to ask him or her any questions you may have. Listen carefully to how they reply, whether they seem fully informed and are compassionate and understanding about any concerns or worries that you may be feeling.
Ask to see their qualifications and don’t be afraid to research them and their previous work online for a fuller idea of their capabilities and success rates. A good hair transplant clinic will have access to more than one surgeon, so do ask to meet an alternative person if you feel at all uneasy. Finally, always check that their insurance is fully up to date, in case of any problems, post-op.
How can I improve the odds of a hair transplant working?
To get a better sense of the care you can expect from a hair transplant surgeon, it is wise to ask them for advice on how to prepare for the procedure. They will answer you based on their experiences of previous surgeries, plus the efforts they have put into researching this very question to put their patients at ease and improve the odds of success. Advice includes taking it easy in the week running up to the surgery, with as little strenuous exercise as possible, no alcohol or smoking and healthy eating.
Don’t forget to ask how to take care of your new hair grafts afterwards, as a reputable surgeon will be keen to help you as much as possible in this regard as well. Guidance will be around cleaning the newly transplanted hair, taking care of the wounds from surgery as they heal and a full plan around post-operative consultations, the removal of any stitches and general after-care hygiene and support.
What happens if there is a problem with the procedure?
Post-operative problems can occur even with the most reputable, qualified surgeon. If you are told otherwise, then you should look for someone else to carry out your hair transplant. The main thing to look for is how your clinic or surgeon addresses the issue, laying out the risks in advance and ensuring you understand them fully.
Hair regrowth can take some time to start in earnest after a transplant, so do be patient before raising concerns over the efficacy of the procedure; however, other issues such as scarring, infection, and increased hair loss need to be addressed straight away to prevent them from becoming larger issues further down the line. Never agree to surgery until you are confident about the risks involved, happy with stated plans to address them if necessary, and know that all legal paperwork and procedures are in place and up to date.