Women Hair Loss: Ideal Candidate for Hair Transplants
Hair
restoration procedures are common among men. The reason: most women are
not good candidates for hair restoration surgeries. While hair
restoration surgery is a good choice for almost 90 percent of balding
men in the country, it is not the case with women, according to WebMD.
Hair
loss in women is typically characterized by uniform thinning in all
areas of head, including the sides and back. In hair restoration
procedures like Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) and Follicular Unit
Transplant (FUT), the donor hair is taken from the back side of the
scalp. As most women do not have sufficient hair density in the donor
area, they are not the ideal choice for hair transplant procedures.
In
a woman suffering from hormonal hair loss, the donor area is affected
by follicle-killing dihydrotestosterone (DHT), so it does not have the
ability to re-grow hair in a healthier manner. If you transplant these
hair follicles to the new area, they are going to die out soon.
Female
androgenic alopecia does not result in complete thinning of frontal
hairline, so these patients do not lose facial charm like in the case of
men. This is another reason why most women opt to bear with their hair
loss and focus on hair loss prevention measures that help them re-grow
the lost hair or prevent further thinning. There are several medications
and nutritional supplements available to improve the hair line in
women.
Most cases of hair loss in women are reversible. Child
birth, for example, is considered as the most common cause of hair loss
in a healthy woman. This occurs due to drastic change in hormone levels
in the body after child birth. However, the lost hair can be regained
within a few months after child birth.
Hair transplant
surgeries are not the viable option to increase the volume of hair in
women. Hair restoration involves transplanting hair from one area to the
other. Women who need thick and full hair all over their head may not
find this option practical. Moreover, FUT and FUE procedures are
expensive, wherein the candidate will pay per follicle of the hair
transplanted. The cost of creating a full, dense hairline will be huge.
Who are the Ideal Women candidates for Hair Transplant?
According to WebMD, about 2 to 5 percent of women with hair loss will benefit from hair transplant. They include:
- Women suffering from traction alopecia (nonhormonal) caused by mechanical or physical pulling of hair.
- Women suffering from a distinct pattern of baldness typically found in
men. This may include hairline recession or vertex thinning. These women
can undergo hair transplant if their donor area is not affected by
thinning.
- Women who have undergone cosmetic or plastic surgery and are suffering from hair loss around the incision sites.
- Women who suffer hair loss due to trauma, burns, scarring due to accidents, major surgeries and the like.
- Women who suffer from alopecia marginalis, which is usually caused by
braids or hair extensions.
A recent article says that overstyling
treatments such as hair extensions are the main causes of irreversible
hair loss among celebrities. These hair styling procedures result in
traction-induced alopecia, which is caused by pulling of real hair
follicles out of the head by gluing extensions to the existing hair.
Regular hair extensions cause permanent damage to hair follicles, so one
who undergoes such cosmetic procedures regularly is likely to suffer
from permanent alopecia, the report said.
HairFear
Frequently asked questions about hair transplant procedures
How much does a hair transplant cost?
Hair transplants can vary in price based off of the area in the world that you are interested in getting a hair transplant as well as the size of the area where you may need a hair transplant. Experienced doctors in the United States will often charge some of the highest prices for a hair transplant worldwide and this is why so many travelers make the move to other parts the world like Turkey, India, Thailand, Mexico...etc for their hair transplants.
Will a hair transplant hurt?
Although hair transplants may look like a particularly
unpleasant or painful experience is actually very little discomfort involved
with the surgery itself. Hair transplants are always done under an anesthetic so there's absolutely zero pain during the treatment itself. Many people actually relate the process as being very similar to going to the dentist for filling or root canal. Mild pain can persist over the course of postop treatment but he generally just resumes for a few days.
Who can deliver the best surgery?
It's usually best to consider working with surgeons who have and IAHRS certification or international alliance of hair restoration surgeons recognition. IAHRS can often deliver recommendations for the best surgeons in each particular area.
Is this scarring noticeable?
Any type of hair transplant will require the use of incisions throughout the scalp. There can also sometimes be a small scar from the donor area towards the back of the scalp. Asking to look at photos of the surgeon's previous work will help you to see roughly how bad the scarring could be. In most cases an experienced professional can limit the look of scarring and noticeable marks from the surgery.
How long does it take for the hair to grow?
In most cases hair growth will start within eight months and you can start to see a full effect from the hair transplant after a full year. The initial signs of growth can usually start between 3 to 4 months after the surgery.
Are the results permanent?
The hair follicles that are transplanted are generally the ones which are genetically resistant against the symptoms of baldness. As long as you receive hair loss treatment later in your life after the symptoms of balding have started to subside, you can have a better chance at permanent results.
While everyone know you've had surgery?
If you want to limit the chance that people may find out about your surgery it's important to give at least three weeks of healing as the surgical area will be affected and red just after surgery. After around a month of healing it can look far less noticeable. You could consider wearing a hat while time passes or opting for some extra time off if possible.
How long should I rest after surgery?
It's recommended to rest for at least a few days after surgery so that your body can recover. Trenton to over exert yourself and limit sexual activity, running in the gym for around 10 days after surgery.
Is it possible to lose more hair as a result of surgery?
There is always a chance of shock loss which happens when the hair is weak and miniaturizing after the surgery. As long as the surgeon is choosing the correct hair follicles and performing the surgery well it's possible to minimize the chance of this happening however.
Will I need another hair transplant?
The need for another transplant really depends on the individual. With a solid foundation surgery and working to potentially bolster results with drug therapy, you can improve the stability of the hair that was transplanted as well as prevent further loss. Getting a hair transplant early
on in your 20s or early on in life could lead to needing long-term transplants as hair loss can be progressive.
