As a minimally invasive procedure, hair transplant does not necessitate a long recovery time and can be performed in an outpatient clinic. Men and women who struggle with hair loss issues or baldness can resort to hair transplantation to address their hair loss related problems.
Not all patients who want a hair transplant should have one though. There are a few prerequisites that must be met in order to qualify for a hair transplant, which means that not all people are an ideal candidate for such a procedure. For some patients it may be too premature to undergo a hair transplant surgery, others are advised to seek out other treatment options first.
Hereditary balding
Hereditary balding is a condition that can affect men in their 30s, though some women may be affected too. Men under the age of 30 may also experience premature balding, however, they are not considered to be good candidates for surgery mostly because their hair loss pattern is not yet stabilised and the progress of their future hair loss cannot be predicted accurately. Once a hair transplant specialist determines that the patient’s hair loss follows a certain pattern, the patient can be cleared for FUE or FUT hair transplantation.
Receding hairline in men – Male pattern baldness
A receding hairline can also be caused by other factors that are not related to any hereditary conditions. If there are signs that indicate that increased hair shedding is caused by other factors, further investigations must be made into the real causes. Exposure to long-term stress, medication, a change in hormone levels, or an unhealthy diet can all be a cause for hair shedding. Because in these situations hair follicles only go in a “resting phase” and are not entirely gone, hair follicles can be stimulated through medication or other treatments to resume their functions, and hair growth can be obtained. Eliminating environmental factors accountable for patients’ hair issues is an important step in managing hair loss problems and restoring hair growth.
The best candidates for hair transplant surgery are
- Patients whose balding pattern has stabilised, and who are interested in restoring their hair;
- Patients who have exhausted all other non-surgical treatment options and remedies;
- Patients with a stable supply of donor hair that can be used to cover existing and future balding areas;
- Patients who have lost their hair as a result of burns or other trauma;
- Patients who have lost their hair as a result of facelift surgery.
Most hair surgeons agree that the ideal age for hair restoration surgery is mid-thirties. Because hair surgery still qualifies as a surgical intervention – admittedly, a minimally invasive one, – reputable hair clinics will recommended their clients to exhaust all attempts to stop the progression of hair loss before opting for surgery. Once they are certain that all other factors have been excluded and other treatment options have been tried, patients will be considered ideal candidates, and will be cleared to undergo the desired hair restoration surgery that will not cost as much as in the UK or Ireland.