If you are in this situation, you have made a great choice. Be confident that you are going to look great when your hair begins to grow back like you hoped it would. Your appearance will be something you are proud of. Remember, this is your body and your hair; if you aren’t pleased and satisfied with your appearance it shows. Going through the hair transplant process, with PAI Medical, is the easy part. It is allowing your body to heal and giving your hair time to regrow that takes patience. Talking with a hair transplant specialist is often the best medicine for ‘cold feet’ before a transplant procedure and a good reality check afterwards.

If you aren’t in this situation yet, you have come to the right place! People considering hair loss solutions involving surgery have often already tried everything else. Traditional methods of changing diet and stress management have had no effect, purchasing the creams and using chemicals has left you wanting. It is true to say however, that the leap from ‘thinking’ to ‘doing’ is a big one.

Here are a few questions you will want to consider:

• How long have you been losing your hair?
• Are you comfortable with the length of time after surgery it takes hair to regrow?
• Are you open to discussing your hair loss? One on One? With Family Members?
• Have you researched the hair transplant procedure? Have you found the truth or are you listening to myths about hair grafts, transplants and implants?
• Have you talked to a hair transplant specialist?

Don’t rush into any surgery. But, take the time to educate yourself on what is involved in the hair transplant and restoration process. The only bad question is the one you don’t ask a professional. Consultations are free and so is the phone call. We are here to help and educate, not convince you. The choice is yours but you aren’t alone. Join the millions enjoying a renewed sense of self. We can Help!

What does this have to do with hair loss and hair transplants? More than you may know. Stress due to everyday life, illness, medication and physical stimulus can cause changes in the normal cycle of hair growth. Hair grows on a natural cycle that is regulated by one’s own body. When higher-than-normal stress accumulates, it may cause hair (more often than not, the hair on the top of the head) to enter the resting phase of the hair growth cycle.  This rest segment of the cycle is called the Telogen phase. During the telogen phase hair is shed allowing for fresh, new hair to grow. The shedding of hair is called Effluvium. It is normal for hair to rest, for hair to be shed, and for hair to regrow.

The problem arises when the natural hair growth cycle becomes erratic or the periods are unbalanced in what is called Telogen Effluvium; where the rest period is entered into by large numbers of hair. In addition to too many hairs being at rest, hairs begin to shed more frequently without begin replenished soon enough – if at all. The effects of telogen effuvium are usually temporary, subsiding when the stress is reduced or removed. If you live in high stress consistently or you are naturally prone to stress, finding ways to reduce your stress levels can not only help your hair, but help you have a better, more satisfying life. This will help prevent your body from becoming acclimated to high-stress and making the negative change in your hair growth cycle permanent. If you feel it’s too late or you want to know more about your situation, contact us for a free consultation.

For this reason, it is always important for the surgical team to understand their patient and the patient to understand the procedure. This hair attrition occurs before transplanting is complete and shouldn’t be confused with the natural shedding that happens after a hair transplant procedure.

Transplanted hair generally sheds in 90% of people and a patient may not see any ‘new’ growth for about 3 – 6 months after the hair transplant surgery; depending on his or her’s own physiology.  Most however, start seeing the transplanted hair start to grow after two to three months. This growth will be visibly apparent for those individuals who do not have any hair at all or have a a hair style where the hair is cut low.

It can be hard to stay patient and not get too anxious to see the final result, but the body works at it’s own pace – no one can rush the growth of hair grafts.

One of the most common causes of hair loss in menopausal women is low thyroid function. This is not the only cause during this change in a woman’s physiology that can cause hair loss. Many fluctuations of the female body can cause hair loss at any period in life, but many more present themselves during the menopausal process. Some are: fluctuations in hormone levels, higher levels of testosterone, increased physical or mental stress, some types of medication, scalp/dermatological complications and/or heredity.

As the female body changes during the process of menopause, levels of the female hormone progesterone fall as the body’s ability to ovulate ends. In response, the body responds by increasing its production of the adrenal cortical steroid, androstenedione. Androstenedione has some androgenic (male-like) properties, as discussed in our other sections, one of these properties being male pattern hair loss. In some women, post menopause, hair does return but many may see a slower hair regrowth cycle. Worse yet, some hair lost during and after menopause may not return.

When progesterone levels are raised by natural progesterone supplements, the androstenedione level will gradually fall, and your normal hair growth will eventually resume. Since hair growth is a slow process, it may take four to six months for the effects to become apparent. This can be corrected by using naturally compounded hormones.

Aside from this reason for hair loss, it is also important to not the time and amount of hair loss. When anyone experiences a sudden increase in hair loss there may be factors contributing to the loss. As mentioned, one reason may be the menopause process. For women going through the process of menopause, hair loss is common but not the end of a full head of hair.

Hair transplants offer a realistic and practical solution to hair loss. Although there are other alternatives to surgical treatment for hair loss such as hormone replacement, there are fewer results and longer time requirements for positive results. Understanding the reasons for your hair loss becomes a big factor in determining which course to take. The goal in either however, is to restore your self-image, self-confidence and self-worth. For a woman in transition, hair transplants offer an effective way to restore hair lost due to menopause.

Caliber refers to the actual size of the hair shaft, where the area is defined as A = πr² to define the area (A). Coarse hair often provides a better result in one session than finer hair. From a measurement standpoint, fine hair is normally between 38 to 41 microns with coarse hair falling around 80 microns in diameter. Evaluating the caliber of the hair helps the transplant team to determine the number of follicular units that will be necessary in the transplant procedure.

Texture refers to the ‘lay’ of the hair in transplant terminology, not the feel of the hair. This defines how the hair naturally acts: Is the hair wavy? Does it lay straight? Does it curl normally? Is it fine or coarse? We often find that individuals of African descent have hair that has a greater volume. This is due to the hair’s coarse and varying waviness, which covers for a lower density of hair. This is the opposite with individuals of European descent who, on average, have fine, straight hair which has a lower volume than coarse hair but covers in higher density.

Contrast is the last characteristic and this is the color of the hair as compared to the skin tone of the individual. Black hair will look thinner on lighter skin but thicker on persons with darker complexion; less contrast – equals thicker looking hair.

A key factor of interest is the chemical compounds that make up the hair follicles and the hair shafts. A hair follicle encloses the hair’s root; in the transplant process, donor hair is safely removed, from the full base of the hair follicle called the dermal papilla to the tip of the hair (Note: in the pre-op, the donor hair is cut short). Because the hair shaft is made up of chemical bonds of sulphur and amino acids encircling a protein called keratin, it is important to maintain the full structure of each donor hair as a complete set, this helps reduce hair attrition.

Why is the type of hair and its chemical bonds important in a hair transplant? Different parts of your scalp or other donor areas can grow hair with more or less sulphur bonds, creating more than one hair type on your head. Each variation of the chemical bonds changes the degrees of hair curl and texture. This can affect the aesthetic look of the hair transplant.

Here is where modern day technology has improved the process of hair transplanting and the success of implanted hair. In the past, it was necessary to transplant each follicle individually. As you can imagine, this process was time consuming and meant several visits. With Multi-Unit Hair Grafting the process is streamlined and more effective than the past process of transplanting hair. With Multi-Unit Hair Grafting the transplant procedure can be completed in one to two sessions.

By understanding the science behind your hair, we can understand the best way to restore the look that nature originally intended.

There is absolutely no curl pattern in straight hair; it is completely straight. This type of hair is characterized very sleek and normally has a shiny finish. Next, is semi curly or wavy hair that has a natural wave pattern. The last hair types are often interchanged, which is mid-level curly and heavily coiled hair.

In transplanting hair, these factors are evaluated for any type of transplant we perform whether it is for the scalp, eyebrow, beard or mustache. The science of hair types is one part of understanding how hair transplants can be effective for a patient.

To summarize the one session hair transplant, Follicular Unit Extraction hairs are harvested in a single step as opposed to the more common two-step process. Small 1-mm punch sites are made in the donor site to retrieve the follicular bundle. The goal is always to achieve the best possible cosmetic (aesthetic) result in the context of the patient’s total donor units. This type of hair transplantation is a surgical procedure where the survival and placement of every graft counts. Depending on the level of hair loss, one session hair transplants are a viable solution for hair loss.

Another facet of FUE is Ultra Refined Follicular Unit Grafting; tactile skill and attention to precise detail in this procedure. The smaller and more tightly packed incisions require more closely dissected grafts that are carefully trimmed under microscopes.

This procedure also requires more careful patient selection, as “dense packing” of grafts is not appropriate for all patients.

Michael,

Thank you for all the help you have provided during this whole process.  I have only a few questions remaining and I am hoping to make a decision very soon.  If I were to elect to have the procedure around the middle of the month, how much notice in advance I need to set up an appointment?  Also, since I am looking at only having a single procedure performed, and costing slightly more than I had anticipated, what could I expect in terms of results; i.e. full restoration or still slightly noticeable thinning?  Thank you for your help.  If you are able to answer these questions that are holding me back, I will definitely have any easier time making the decision.
Have a wonderful day.

Eric J.

Eric,

Take your time making your decision – it is a big one.  Regarding your questions; I’ve broken them down below with some additional comments.

Q: How much advance notice is needed to setup an appointment?

A: Eric, usually we like to schedule surgical appointments about two to three weeks out, as long as you don’t need an exact day of the week.  If you need an exact day, add another week.

Q: I am looking to having only one single procedure performed and it seems to be costing slightly more than I had anticipated. What could I expect in terms of results?

A: Eric, if you can control any future loss, one procedure should meet your needs nicely. However, keep in mind; with a hair transplant you can only get so much fullness.  I’m not trying to discourage you but keep this in the back of your mind. You can look at this part of the web site, Transplant Gallery, to see likely results.

We also offer Military Discounts which, for those who have been in or active in the military, offer the opportunity to reduce the price of renewed self confidence you can find with hair restoration.

Each patient is given a mild sedative before the procedure -typically Valium- to help relax any apprehensiveness or nervousness. A local anesthetic is then given in the area of the transplant numb the area for the procedure. Some patients report a mild “stick” or “pinch” for 30 to 45 seconds in the area the anesthetic is given.

The night of the procedure some patients will experience mild sensitivity in the donor region. A prescription pain medication prescription is given to each patient but Extra Strength Tylenol usually takes care this temporary discomfort for many people.

Studies show that between 15% and 20% of hair follicles are not visible above the surface of the scalp.  These follicles are in what is called the telogen stage, which is an incubative state, and not typically visible except under intense magnification.  At PAI all of our transplants utilize a wider or “fat” graft in order to capture and protect these immature follicles that are in the telogen stage.  For example, if 10 hair follicles were transplanted using fat grafting then we could potentially see 13 follicles resulting from the transplant.  This procedure has proven to be effective in giving PAI patients the best possible results.

If you would like to learn more about Fat Grafting or anything else about hair transplants, contact us at (800) 496-7225.