Hair Restoration Blog

Q:

Hey Doctor Mohebi,

I was wondering, I’m thinking about getting a hair transplant, but I’m afraid of telling my future wife and female friends that I’ve had a hair restoration. I know men may not care that much, but if I’m dating someone and eventually I tell them I’ve gotten a hair transplant, I fear that they may get turned off.

I kind of look at it like plastic surgery. I know when I meet women who has undergone a nose job, I kind of feel strange about it and think maybe that person was not happy with their looks.
To be honest, it  turns me off.

So, my question is: from your experience with patients, do they keep it a secret from others or do they not mind telling people?

A:

Today, we have capabilities we did not have 50 years ago. As a young soccer lover, I used to have the disadvantage of wearing glasses.  It was very difficult for me to stay competitive in succer team without wearing my glasses.  Every now and then, I use contact lenses to be able to put aside my glasses. I am planning to get a LASIK procedure for that as well.

If I undergo a LASIK procedure, does it make me an insecure person. Not at all. I call it using all your resources to look your best.

We do have technology that we did not have 10 years ago. I say: why not use it? A lot of people are doing it, and nobody cares if these peoples’ hair is native hair or transplanted. The point: they are not bald any more and they can be as competitive as their non bald rivals in life.

One time, I met a very beautiful woman at a party and I ended up having a conversation with her.  When I told her I do hair transplants, she told me a story about someone who proposed to her and she rejected him. She said the man was bald. But I’m not saying because he was bald that he got rejected, but because he did not do anything about it. I know the argument can be made that what the woman did is sad and superficial but, hey, looks do play a part in initial courtship, whether we would like to admit it or not. And it was her prerogative to make that decision.

My point is: Be yourself and do whatever makes your heart happy. No matter what you do with your life, there are going to be people who may not like it. It should not influence your decisions.

Q:

Dear Dr. Mohebi,

I had the hair transplant done about 5 weeks ago.  I’m very concern with the recent hair transplant.  First of all, I thought the look of my hair was fine already.  However, I did notice there are some thinning parts and it would be good to thicken the middle a bit.

I look like a mess!  My cousin saw me and she noticed that I looked different and was wondering if I had a hair transplant done.  Ahhh!  I didn’t want it to be noticeable.  If I look at myself now, I can’t help but notice the color of my scalp and how different it looks.  Pic 3 shows a clearer look on how the transplant was done.

Is there something you can do or recommend to make it look more normal to before (it kind of looks like I have thinner hair now too)?  Also, after reading your blogs, I hear that doing the procedure would cause stress to the scalp.  I’m very concern with this also b/c I’m 27 yrs old and this is actually my 2nd procedure.  I hope this does not make me more prone to losing my original hair.  I feel like it’s all my fault that I went to this particular procedure at this time and now I am completely anal about losing my hair.  Hopefully my hair loss pattern is still the same as I was before this recent procedure.

Your input would be much appreciated.

Thanks a lot,

-

A:

The hair shafts on transplanted grafts stay in place for a few weeks after the hair transplant and since they are shorter they may be detectable, but they usually fall out and you go back to where you were before. Then you have to be patient until the transplanted hair starts to grow. I usually recommend to people like you who have long hair on the back to comb their hair forward for the first few weeks after their hair transplant and also for the time that the transplanted hair might be visible because of the short hair there or the slight pinkish discoloration of the scalp.

I cannot predict what it may look like down the road, but I do not see anything unusual for this phase after a hair transplant procedure. Some thinning in your native hair for weeks to months after a hair transplant might be seen due to shock loss. I do recommend that you be on finasteride, which can prevent shock loss (losing hair due to the stress of surgery on vulnerable hair on scalp) to some degree. Try to camouflage your transplanted area and be patient for the next few months that the new hair grows and cover the balding areas.

Previously, we posted an article in our hair restoration blog: Tax on Cosmetic Procedures. For our readers, the good news  is that there were many people who supported us in our rally against the cosmetic tax proposal. Even more good news: the current cosmetic tax proposal has been dropped (hooray!). It was the same proposal that was part of the massive health care reform bill presently being considered on the Senate floor.

But let’s keep in mind that it is quite possible the “Bo-tax” could be tacked back on before the bill’s final passage.

I say the five percent tax is insane because a very similar type of cosmetic tax has been implemented in New Jersey, with disastrous results. Tax revenues from plastic surgeons and cosmetic doctors have dipped in that state, probably because potential patients are going to doctors in surrounding states for their cosmetic surgery needs, while not having to pay as much.

In this case, we may deter those people who visit the United States every year from coming to America in order to take advantage of our top-of-the-line cosmetic procedures.

The additional tax on cosmetic procedures has lowered business profits for doctors, thus limiting the amount of tax revenue the state of New Jersey receives to pour into public institutions and not-for-profit organizations. It seems to be a no-win situation for everyday citizens, doctors, and state assemblymen and politicians who are sincerely trying to do good service for the people of their district.

Another drawback: the tax may be applicable to a broad-range of procedures that improve a person’s self-image and self-confidence. These procedures may very well end up improving a person’s depression or social anxiety, as described in our article, Psychology of Hair Transplants.

Lastly, the cosmetic surgery levy unfairly discriminates against people with congenital defects, such as bald people who are looking for a hair transplant or women seeking to rid themselves of wrinkles by using Dysport or Radiesse.

Data sources show that about 90 percent of people who are considering cosmetic-type treatment are women (source: American Society of Plastic Surgeons). These women are seeking to enhance their self-perception and to feel more comfortable in social settings and also looking to gain an edge in the workforce (studies show chances are better for more “attractive” people to get hired, to receive promotions, or to receive a higher salary).

I would like to take this time to thank all physicians, patients, and politicians who supported the drop of this proposal from the health care reform bill.

Q:

When I do look down placing more tension or pull on the tight donor area, I noticed it is also pulling my neck muscles and there is no laxity at all (compared to the right).  There is no up or down movement possible of any subcutaneous tissue or the galea at the donor site. Is this normal? If the tightness does not subside, what solution options are there?

I also understand there are recommended scalp exercises before and after HT surgeries?

Regards,

A:

It is normal to feel tension on the side that we removed the strip.  Skin needs a few weeks to get relaxed and stretches to compensate for the removed area.  Although we generally recommend scalp exercise before hair restoration surgeries with strip technique, you should avoid scalp exercise after hair transplant for the first 3 or 4 months.

I recommend that you avoid all movements that increase the tension in the area until you feel that the tension on the skin is gone.  If you put too much stretch on the back of your head in the first few months after hair transplant, you running the risk of stretching the donor scar.

Have a good weekend.

Q:

Dr. Mohebi, my next follow up appointment with you for 10 months follow up is scheduled in early January. I am very pleased with the results of my hair transplant, at the front, but, as we had thought, we may need to do some more at the back. When is a good time to do a repeat hair restoration surgery after the first one?

With all best wishes,

A:

If you need more density on the crown, you can consider another hair transplant surgery for that area anytime after 6 months from your first hair transplant. The reason you have to wait for 6 months is because at that point you should be evaluated for the growth of the grafts from your prior hair restoration surgery and donor area. All grafts should be grown at month six after your other hair transplant. So we should be able see which areas need to be covered further. Performing another hair transplant surgery may risk putting a new graft on top of an area that is supposed to grow new hair, but the hair is not visible yet.

One time, a friend told me he was at a diversity conference and there was a man who came up to the podium to speak. He asked the audience, “what is the first thing you notice about me?” Someone yelled out, “BALDIE!” And subsequent laughter ensued (being an African American, it turned out he was hoping someone would say, “you’re black”).

Although the remark was taken as a joke, it’s unfortunate many people in our society notice physical appearances before anything else. There’s no shame whatsoever in losing one’s hair. The reality is that it’s not that person’s fault. It’s their genetic coding.

For those losing hair, there’s a socially acceptable solution: A hair transplant. Hair transplants have done wonders for all types of people, from big-name actors to prominent television sports anchors. It boosts self-confidence, makes a person feel less conspicuous in social settings, and may even increase the chance of a person landing a first date or better someone’s job prospects.

Hair transplants at US Hair Restoration are all-natural. Take a look at our hair transplant before and after photo gallery.  In a way, a hair restoration can restore your youth and help you feel at ease around people you’re meeting for the first time, making the experience of life better and more rewarding.

Much like narrowing a gap between teeth by getting braces, or correcting one’s near-sightedness by lasik eye surgery, a hair restoration can be a wonderful option for those who believe they may benefit from it.

Recently, the Senate proposed a health legislation which includes a 5% tax on cosmetic procedures. The cosmetic surgeries include hair restoration procedures and many other surgeries for men and women.

The potential 5% tax on cosmetic surgeries is a no-win situation for American citizens and potential hair transplant patients. By levying a tax on cosmetic procedures throughout the United States, it may further cripple our stumbling economy and reduce the much-needed funding states receive from cosmetic surgeons in order to build, for example, a high-speed train in California, create more innovative after-school programs for teenagers, poverty intervention programs for inner-city residents, more efficient forms of public transportation (e.g. metro rails).

But, at the heart of the issue, I believe, is the obstruction of an American citizen’s right to the pursuit of happiness. Through an orthodontist, people have the right to get their teeth straightened out; by undergoing a vasectomy, a married couple no longer has to deal with an unwanted pregnancy; through the purchase of an electric hybrid Honda Civic, a motorist can fight sky-rocketing gas prices.

The government doesn’t tax citizens for making these types of decisions. People do them because they believe these things will improve their lives. But why impose a tax only on cosmetic surgeries? Where do we draw the line? Who can be the judge of whether a hair transplant is a luxury for a 25-year-old man who started to lose hair and looked less attractive, which led him to struggle with social anxiety and feel depressed a lot of the time?

I believe this young person ought to be given the same opportunities as the other non-bald peers in his life, especially when we are talking about dating, relationships, and employment prospects in this increasingly-competitive time. Who knows, if this legislation passes, maybe in the near future, people who wear contacts will be taxed an additional 5%.

At US Hair Restoration, we perform hair transplants for lots of patients who travel from other countries, such as Canada, Europe, and the Middle East. Many of these patients visit the United States because they want, for their cosmetic surgeries, to be exposed to the most modern techniques; but many of them may consider the cost of cosmetic procedures, too. Increasing costs for these surgeries may deprive us from a potential source of income and deprive them of potential patients.

Currently, some states impose a tax on cosmetic procedures. According to doctors who work in these states, the results haven’t been pretty. The plan has fallen 59% short of its projected revenue; it’s proven to be an administrative pain-in-the-behind, and it was forcing many prospective clients to obtain cosmetic surgery services in surrounding states, resulting in reduced tax revenue collected from plastic surgeons from cosmetic-tax-imposing states.

For myself, as the medical director of US Hair Restoration, I’m against this legislation for the simple fact that people ought to have the freedom to do what they think will make them happy–without imposing additional costs on them. Our motto at US Hair Restoration has always been: “quality hair transplants for everyone.” Some of my patients have told me that they have lost a lot of life opportunities because of their baldness. Why not allow these wonderful people to get back what they deserve: their hair.

Let’s be fair to all people. After all, we live in the land of liberty.

-

Parsa Mohebi, MD
US Hair Restoration

Earlier this year, in an L.A. Times story, business columnist David Lazarus said he had visited a hair transplant center’s open house and noticed a lot of men in attendance. A lot more than he expected. He spoke to the director of the business and found out that, these days, a lot of the men looking for hair transplants are hoping to increase their job prospects by having a full head of hair.

Some studies have shown that people who are more attractive, or are not overweight, or are younger, tend to have an edge on the job market. They get paid more, are more likely to get promoted, and are likely to be treated better. Although this finding may be saddening, it unfortunately may be somewhat of a reality.

Considering this finding, there are balding men in our society who believe they can increase their job prospects by having a full head of hair. It may simply turn out to be a psychological edge, or a self-image booster, for these men to perform well during their interviews.

Nevertheless, what seems more important is the manner in which a job seeker presents himself to his prospective employer. The answers he gives, his attitude, eye contact, and overall vibe. But, it seems, to some people, it wouldn’t hurt to have a full head of hair.  Plus, due to the current state of the economy, hair transplant costs are at an all-time low for high-quality hair restorations.

Over the last few decades, different therapies which effect wound repair have been proposed. The connection between wound healing and hair growth was already proposed by Dr. Catsarelis at the University of Pennsylvania through the WNT pathway (some molecular process that controls would healing and hair growth). Now, we review the emerging fields of gene and stem cell therapy in hair restoration and wound healing.

Gene therapy, initially developed for treatment of congenital defects, is a new option for enhancing wound repair. In order to accelerate wound closure, genes encoded for growth factors or cytokines showed the greatest potential.

The majority of gene delivery systems are based on viral transfection (intentionally contaminating the host cells with a particular virus that insert the desired gene to the target cells), naked DNA application, high pressure injection, or liposomal vectors, etc. Embryonic and adult stem cells have a prolonged self-renewal capacity with the ability to differentiate into various tissue types. A variety of sources, such as bone marrow, peripheral blood, umbilical cord blood, adipose tissue, skin and hair follicles, have been utilized to isolate stem cells to accelerate the healing response of acute and chronic wounds.

Recently, the combination of gene and stem cell therapy has emerged as a promising approach for treatment of chronic and acute wounds. This is good news for prospective hair loss patients: the idea that similar gene therapy techniques can be used to affect the baldness gene by switching the hair loss gene off and on.

This new study was done by Branski et al. at the Department of Surgery, The University of Texas Medical Branch and Shriners Hospitals for Children.

Hair restoration cost is one of the main questions that is on the mind of most people who want to go through the process of hair transplantation. There is a wide range when it comes to the cost for hair restoration surgery nationwide.

The cost of hair restoration has never been better considering the quality of hair restoration surgery that could be offered these days. When you shop around for hair transplant surgery, you have to be aware that it’s not like shopping for a car or a shampoo that could be found with the same quality in different location. There is also a wide range for the quality of service that you receive.

Hair transplant has been evolving the last 10 years. Some hair restoration centers kept on with the new techniques and technology, but many stopped at some point in between.  I still see patients who received micrograft surgery one to two years ago in a hair transplant clinic in Beverly Hills. That is not all and you may see procedures done without proper attention to the patient’s facial aesthetics. Missing some of the details in the process may make the results disastrous. Little changes in direction and distribution of transplanted hair may be the difference between a happy camper and an unsatisfied client.

Aside from the artistic aspects of a hair transplant, preparation and maintenance of the grafts are very crucial and are not to be taken lightly, which is another cause of poor growth.

Having said that, getting a hair transplant by an artistic hair restoration surgeon could be done affordably these days. Medical hair restoration cost has been at the lowest since the birth of hair transplant surgery. Due to the current economy, many hair restoration centers have special packages and promotions that wouldn’t be available in a more stable economy. We at US Hair Restoration have our special promotion: 20% discount on standby rate and we also give 0% financing for two years or low interest financing for five to six years.

Cost of hair restoration being so little is a good excuse for many people to take advantage of the situation and get their hair restoration surgery done with significant discount. There is a big warning, though. When it comes to hair restoration cost, you have to understand that this is a customer beware market.

We are giving 20% off our high quality state-of-the-art hair transplant surgery costs. That brings the rate down to $3.2/grafts from our original cost ($4/graft). Still you can find hair restoration centers that offer cheap hair transplant surgery at $2/graft, but you are not comparing apples to apples.

You are getting a procedure with permanent effect on your face and your life. You do not want to take this lightly. If a center used the best standard in their surgeries and the most qualified personnel, they still cannot go lower than a certain price or it won’t be profitable for them. So beware of huge discounts and unreasonably low rates. Go meet the doctor or several of them. Educate yourself and ask proper questions about the technique and services being provided.

Never do cost shopping when it comes to cosmetic surgery. There are many hair restoration centers that offer cheap hair restoration. Remember, there is one thing about hair restoration surgery that can be both good and bad: the result is permanent, good or bad!