Getting a hair transplant can be an exciting time, especially if you have suffered from hair loss for years. However, like any transplant, rearranging the hair on your head is still a serious procedure that you shouldn’t take lightly. Understanding how it works, who is going to do it and what to expect afterwards are all essential elements you don’t want to discover after the fact. Here’s a list of questions you should ask your hair transplant surgeon, like Dr. Robin Unger, before agreeing to the procedure.
What Procedure Is Right for You?
There are several types of hair transplant procedures, and the one you get depends on individual preference and available donor hair. A Follicular Unit Extraction removes individual hairs from the backside of the head and places them in balding areas. A Follicular Unit Transplantation involves removing a strip of hair from the back of the head and transplanting the hairs from that strip into balding spots. Advanced Trico Pigmentation is a fancy term for receiving a tattoo that makes it appear as though you have short hair in bald areas.
How Long Does the Procedure Take?
This depends on the procedure you’ve chosen. A Follicular Unit Extraction takes more time than a Follicular Unit Transplantation because the individual hairs have to be removed from the head instead of taking an entire strip. Ask your doctor for an estimate on time.
How Long Does Hair Take to Grow In?
If you don’t see immediate hair growth in the area that has undergone a transplant, don’t worry. It can take up to four months to see any growth after the procedure. You should see the promised results of full hair growth about a year afterward.
Do You Need to Take Time off Work?
Some patients require a few days off of work to recover from a transplant, but others need almost no time. Those who transplanted individual hairs are usually recovered a couple of days after the procedure. However, those who had an entire strip removed may need more time, or they may be more self-conscious about the red spots left behind temporarily. Oftentimes, getting the transplant before the weekend can have you back in the office on Monday.
How Much Does It Cost?
A hair transplant can cost anywhere from $4,000 to $15,000. Ask several clinics for a quote before deciding on who to go with. Insurance plans normally don’t cover this procedure, so you’ll have to pay for the whole thing yourself.