FAQ’s

Hair styles before and after a hair transplant

How long does my hair need to be, before the procedure and how long after the hair transplant can I cut it?

Many men close crop their hair to disguise their thinning hair or receding hairlines. However, unless you are having FUE (where the whole head ideally should be shaved), then it is best to leave your hair a bit longer at the back, to cover the stitches in the first 10 days. In the recipient area, where the hair is replaced, then ideally that should be trimmed. In the real world, many people need to avoid drastic changes to their appearance and you do not need to shave your head. Having said that, it is fair to say that we can achieve higher densities or greater coverage if the patient does shave their recipient areas. It is your choice. Afterwards, it is better to leave it until 3-6 months and the scar has faded before cutting too short. Most men can manage a clipper grade 3-4 afterwards and some even heal so well now with the trichophytic closure, that grade 2 is possible. Hair styles after that are up to you. Most men find a medium length, clippers grade 4-6 works well but some still go for a spikey buzz cut and yet others experiment with longer styles as the transplanted hair can grow much longer than the wispy hair it replaces. Choose whatever styling works for you – comb it forwards or backwards but never “combover!” You should experiment and you should expect that you could have a different hairstyle afterwards.

Hair implants

What if you have an itchy flakey scalp,would the procedure still work? And does this condition cause hair loss? Do you have to have long hair in the area you will be taking hair out of?

Dandruff and similar problems are not usually a problem for hair transplantation. The hair does not need to be overly long – clippers grade 4 is usually ok.

Age

Is their a certain age you need to be to qualify for a hair transplant?

There is no specific age – we have performed surgery from 17 to 83 years! However, generally we recommend waiting for hair transplants until 25, after taking Propecia to stabilise the hair loss first.

Waiting times

I just wondered if you could give an idea of waiting list times here,unless i have missed it somewhere else on the website,cheers. Current waiting times are from 4 weeks, although we also offer short notice cancellation availability for those who can be flexible about dates.

Hair loss

Can shaving the head cause hair loss? Or wearing hats?

No – shaving has no effect on hair loss, only the appearance of the visible hair shaft. Likewise, most hair products are unlikely to cause hair loss. People often ask about hats, but in fact, a recent study seems to show hat wearing is associated with a reduced risk of hair loss, compared to men who never wear hats.

Propecia

Can a female use propecia after hair surgery? is it necessary to prevent further hair loss? can some one use it without doctors prescription to prevent hair loss after a hair surgery?

Propecia is not licensed or recommended for female pattern hair loss and is proven to be of no benefit in such women. However, it is effective in some women with a male pattern type of loss, especially in conjuction with anti androgens such as Cyproterone. Also, Propecia is a prescription only medicine, so you do need to consult with a doctor.

Propecia. – I do not want to take any medication to prevent hair loss. What results can I expect if I opt for a hair transplant without taking propecia? I have very thick curly hair. I have crown baldness and it is receeding at the front and top. I have plenty of donor hair at back and sides.

You can get very good results with hair transplants alone, especially if you do have good characteristics such as thick curly hair. Also, if your hair loss is gradual and not too extensive, then that is an advantage.

Female Hair Loss

I have suffered thinning hair for over 20 years,and I now wear a hair system,attached with a special adhesive. My head’s shaved on top to enable a better hold. I would love the chance to have natural hair again, but wonder would it be possible to wear a wig whilst new hair grew?

It is possible, but you do need to be careful with it and probably change the method of attachment. You really need a detailed consultation to be sure.

Hair replacement

How many grafts can be taken from the back of the head?

For most people, between 5-7000 in total, in a lifetime. This is normally over a number of sessions.

When will I see growth?

Usually, when the grafts are placed, the hair bulb tends to go into a dormant phase before growing again at around 12 weeks. Some hairs will start growing before then and some will take longer but by 6 months, most of the hair will be growing and have reached a length of an inch or two. Many people will then book their next sessions.

How long does hair transplant surgery take?

The procedure normally takes 3-4 hours but longer if we do 1000 grafts or more. However, you are not sitting there in the chair all that time. After we take the strip, we then give you 15 minutes in the patient’s room to have a coffee, sandwich and a stretch before bringing you back in for placement of the grafts. This arrangement makes it quite a pleasant experience for the patient – there’s never a feeling of urgency at Westminster Clinic.

Does surgery cause hair loss?

Surgery doesn’t damage surrounding hair but can occasionally accelerate the loss of fragile hair, already affected by Dihydrotestosterone, which would be shed anyway within the next few weeks. This however, can be reduced by taking Propecia beforehand, at least four weeks previously.

Who’s suitable?

Most men and many women are suitable except for significant medical illness. However, some people are better candidates than others but this can be discussed in consultation with Dr Rogers.

What sort of results can I expect? Is a full head of hair possible?

It always depends on your degree of hair loss and your type of hair. If you are younger, with early hair loss and you are taking Propecia to stop further loss, then it is possible to have a full head of hair. But if you have had significant hair loss for 20 years and only fine, sparse donor hair, then you won’t get a full head of hair back unless you choose the hair piece option. However, many men in their 40’s and 50’s who are quite bald do get a very good result by transplanting the front 2/3 of their scalp. This hair frames their face again which makes them look and feel younger. The back of the head (crown) is not so visible anyway and many men will accept that.