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When to Get a Hair Transplant | Surprising Answer

If you’ve been struggling with thinning hair, you might think that a hair transplant could fix all your problems.

It’s one thing to think that when you’re in your 40s or 50s, but if you’re still in your mid-20s and are already thinking about a hair transplant, you might want to wait – and here are a few key reasons why.

1. More Income

First and foremost, quality hair transplant is expensive.

At best, you’re looking at least around $2000, and that’s for comparatively minor transplants in regions such as Greece and Turkey where they are performed at much more affordable rates than the United States and the United Kingdom.

Realistically, you’re probably looking at a high four-figure price, and it could be several thousands of dollars at that.

What’s more, that does not even cover the cost of actually getting to these clinics.

As stated, Greece and Turkey may be less expensive than the United States and the United Kingdom in terms of the average price of hair transplants, but getting there can still cost hundreds of pounds or dollars.

Twenty-somethings are not famed for having vast amounts of disposable income.

The past dozen years have been particularly harsh for young job seekers entering the workplace, so the chances of your getting the money necessary for a quality hair transplant at that age may be as slim as the hair follicles concerned.

Wait until you’re a little older and have more income to spend on a proper procedure.

2.Is your hair loss rate stable?

Will your current rate of hair loss stabilise in the near future?

It is perfectly possible.

And most good clinics won’t consider you for a procedure anyway, until your hair loss stabilises.

Before wasting thousands of dollars you may not have and causing yourself more stress, see a doctor, and make sure that the cause of your hair loss isn’t preventable.

Sometimes it can be due to lifestyle and possibly even stress.

A simple shampoo or stress relief techniques might help save your hair and thousands of dollars.

3. Technology Gets Better

As with every other field, technology in the hair transplant industry is bound to get better in the years to come.

Just in the past 10 to 15 years, we’ve moved past hair plugs and far faker-looking techniques to more natural-looking restoration efforts.

Thanks to scientific research, we know so much more now about hair density, angulation, and what works and what doesn’t in terms of replacing lost follicles.

If you like a computer game but hear it’s buggy, you might wait until patches are released for it before you make your purchase.

You only have so much money, and you’d rather not waste it on an experience that isn’t up to expectations.

Likewise, if a hair transplant sounds appealing, do some research, see what’s being worked on, and wait for even more tech-and-hair-savvy upgrades and new techniques to “take root.”

4. Career reasons

Another reason you may be considering hair transplants is modelling or acting career.

That said if you think you can trick modelling agencies with a transplant, think again.

They’re experts in manipulating appearances themselves and can tell what’s fake and what isn’t.

That said if you’re in a modelling career right now and your agency recommends you go to an accredited hair surgeon (and will compensate you for it) that could help improve your hairline and secure your job.

Modelling is a cutthroat industry, and you have to be willing to do almost anything to get ahead, but you should never do anything that doesn’t make you uncomfortable or could leave you in future debt – and that includes an uncompensated hair transplant in your 20s.

5. Conclusion

The biggest argument for a hair transplant in your 20s is if your doctor or modeling/acting agency tells you it’s absolutely necessary.

Getting one that young can cost a lot of money, and may require follow-up procedures as your hair loss advances

By contrast, if you wait until you’re older, the chance of a second operation is far less.

What’s more, you’ll likely have more money, be able to afford better clinics and treatments, and the techniques themselves may be better.

Then there’s the psychological impact. Losing your hair young can damage your psyche, but so can a botched hair transplant that leaves you feeling even worse.

Take the time to consider your options carefully, talk to accredited professionals and those you love and trust, and make an informed decision that’s best for you.

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How to Improve Hair Donor Area for Hair Transplants

How to Improve Hair Donor Area for Hair Transplants

What Is the Donor Area?

The donor area is important for a hair transplant because this is the site where the hair comes from for the transplant.

In theory, anywhere on the body that has sufficient hair of a certain quality can be harvested for a hair transplant.

This means that any of the following may become donor areas:

  • Arms
  • Legs
  • Chest
  • Beard
  • Another area of the scalp
A donor area is anywhere on the body that has enough hair to donate for a hair transplant, usually on the scalp.
Summary

What Makes for a Good Donor Area?

Not every donor area is suitable for transplantation but there are times when a donor site must be considered in the absence of other options.

In general, there are two factors that determine whether a specific donor site is suitable or less suitable – hair density and hair type.

1. Can the Beard Be Used as a Donor Site?

Perhaps the biggest advantage of using the beard as a donor site is that the quality of hair is thick and dense.

In fact, this makes the beard the second most used donor site.

When mixed with hair from other donor sites, the beard hair can give the appearance of more thickness and body too.

One thing to consider is that using the beard as a donor site is often more painful during and after extraction.

This is because the skin in those areas is sensitive. Having said that, beard hair should only be mixed in with a hair transplant in the crown area.

This is because the beard hair is thicker and has a different coarseness to normal head hair. If transplanted to the hairline areas, beard hair can look unnatural.

2. What About Arms, Legs, and Chest?

The chest is a good solution for men who lack hair on their heads or have a thin beard. It must be said that chest hair is typically thinner and less dense than head hair so it is not necessarily the ideal donor site.

The arms and legs may also be considered as donor sites, especially if not enough hair can be harvested from other areas for the transplant. The biggest disadvantage is that the hair in these areas typically grows less predictably than head hair. As such, it will retain this growth unpredictability when transplanted.

3. How About the Scalp?

The first preference is to harvest transplantable hair from the scalp. This largely depends on how much hair there is on the scalp and where the hair loss is. For example, some balding and hair thinning on top can be remedied by using the sides and back of the head as donor sites. Obviously, if the hair loss is much more extensive, then the beard, chest, arms, or legs need to be considered instead.

If the back or sides of the head have thick enough hair, then these are ideal donor sites over other parts of the body. The biggest advantage is that the hair will be the same as the hair already lost in terms of quality, thickness, and growth predictability.

Back of scalp, beard and chest hair are all options as donor sites for a hair transplant.
Summary

Can You Improve the Donor Site for hair transplant?

Although you can’t increase the hair density of a donor site, there are steps you can take to improve it.

1. Consider using  Rogaine

Rogaine is the common name for a drug called minoxidil.  It thickens existing hair, and perhaps slows down hair loss.

Rogaine is only licensed for use on the scalp.

It was first used to treat high blood pressure in people but it became apparent that using it topically on thinning areas of the scalp helps to slow down hair loss and promote hair growth.

It’s not exactly known how it works but some suggest that because it opens up blood vessels in the area,

2. Use Better Shampoos

Improving general scalp health can also help to promote optimal hair growth.

Using medicated shampoos to treat dandruff or folliculitis is a good idea. And using good-quality shampoos to promote better hair health means that transplantation is more likely to result in a more natural appearance.

3. Stop Using Chemicals

It should also go without saying that it’s important to stop the use of dyes, bleaches, and other harsh hair chemicals before transplantation. These can damage the hair.

4. Consider using a DHT-blocker such as Finasteride

Provided you consult with your healthcare provider and he/she is happy for you to try it,

Finasteride or Propecia can prevent hair loss and improve your donor hair potential.

Note: Finasteride is only licensed in men.

5. Manage Your Stress

Chronic stress can actually cause hair loss in many people. This is because cortisol, the chemical released by the body during stress, can build up long-term and affect the health of the hair follicles.

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Can Hair Transplants Come from Another Person?

If you are facing the impending consequences of hair loss, all your friends’ well-coiffed heads of hair can start to seem like a taunt or a challenge, or perhaps just unfair.

As your follicles keep waning and theirs keep growing back strong, an idea might start to creep into your head—you may start to wonder, why can’t your hair be like theirs?

What if their head of hair was yours?

You hardly want to scalp your friends or passersby, but hair donors do exist for wig-making purposes, so is it possible to do the same with your own head of hair?

Can you get hair transplanted from another person?

We will try answer this fascinating question.

Current Problems

The short answer to our question right now is no – right now, hair donations for implantation is simply are not feasible.

You might wonder why that’s the case,since we obviously perform organ transplants without any problem.

There are many reasons for that, but the simplest is that you are your own hair donor for a hair transplant.

The hair does not come from someone else, but rather yourself.

As a mammal, you have hair all over your body.

Your arms, legs, and torso can have a ton of hair.

How much of this you wish to have grafted onto your head is another matter, but the fact remains that this is the type of hair that is typically “transplanted” onto your scalp via these procedures.

Why can’t you do this with someone else’s hair?

Your immune system would reject it.

Dealing with the immune system is always a challenge when it comes to transplants of any kind.

Body parts are not the same as car parts, which can be taken out of one car and put into another with no problem.

Your body produces specific antibodies, and your organs are obviously coded with your own DNA.

As such, your body knows an “impostor” when it sees one, and when it does, it tries to destroy it.

That’s great news for your survival, but it also kills your chance of being able to take hair transplants from someone else.

While immuno-suppressant drugs may be used in organ transplants occasionally, at present they are not used in hair transplants since, again, there’s no need – typically, you are your own donor.

While you probably won’t be taking hair from your beard or mustache and grafting that onto your head, there is still probably enough hair on other parts of your body for suitable grafts.

Finally, it is worth noting that even if you theoretically were able to take someone else’s hair (which, again, is not presently possible), it likely would not look natural grafted alongside your own hair.

As such, this is not a viable solution at present.

A qualified hair transplant surgeon should have no problem talking you through the procedure and determining the best way to take hair from different parts of your body and graft it onto your head.

Possible Solutions

Just because a hair donor isn’t a realistic solution today doesn’t mean that it can’t become one tomorrow.

Maybe we will find a way around the immune system barrier, although this seems unlikely at present.

More intriguing is the possibility of hair cloning.

We have seen cloning become more and more sophisticated over the past quarter-century, and there is already talk about being able to clone organs someday.

On the one hand, no matter how much you may need hair, there are more urgent transplants that take up the lion-share of publicly funded research efforts.

On the other hand, these organs bring with them serious ethical issues, whereas hair transplants – as an elective cosmetic surgery involving hair follicles – may be a less fraught issue.

Hair transplant technology is improving all the time, with first FUT and then FUE reshaping the industry. There is no way of knowing what kind of hair grafting breakthroughs we will make in the next decade.

However, suffice it to say that since this is indeed one of the most lucrative cosmetic fields in medicine, further investment, research, and breakthroughs are highly likely.

While you cannot get hair transplants from another person, the technology that allows you to become your own hair donor is getting better all the time.

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Will Hair Transplants Get Cheaper?

Going all the way back to the story of Samson and Delilah, men have been sensitive about their hair. Some, like Sir Patrick Stewart and “His Royal Airness” Michael Jordan can rock their baldness with flair.

But for many, baldness can be a source of embarrassment, so it’s no surprise that hair transplants have become a booming industry over the past couple of decades.

Of course, big business for hair replacement doctors can mean bigger costs for you – but does it have to be that way?

in this article we will try answer the question, will hair transplants ever get cheaper?

will hair transplants become cheaper?

Hair Transplant 101

The cost of your hair transplant will depend in part on what type you get. There are two major types of hair transplants, FUT and FUE.

The former stands for follicular unit transplantation.

You may also see it referred to as “strip surgery.”

The basic idea involves removing a tiny bit of skin, dividing and implanting follicle units, and then implanting them back into your scalp to grow like seeds.

The latter stands for follicular unit excision or extraction.

This involves the even more complicated procedure of removing skin from your scalp and implanting follicles.

FUE is newer than FUT, and both have their pros and cons.

While FUT is often cheaper, a bigger determinant is how many follicles you want to have implanted.

As you would expect, the more hair you need to have implanted, the greater the cost.

This video animation explains the difference between FUT and FUE hair transplant techniques

Why Are Hair Transplants So Expensive?

There are many reasons for this, not the least of which being that of supply and demand.

There are countless men looking to regain hair on their heads and only so many surgeons qualified to perform the procedure, thus allowing these doctors to charge more.

As indicated above, both FUT and FUE are also complex procedures (you don’t want “taking the skin off your scalp” to be done recklessly, after all), which adds to the time it takes the surgeons to complete the procedure, thus adding to the cost.

Where you get your hair transplant can also have a big impact on the overall price.

Turkey is often cited as one of the cheapest places to have this type of procedure performed, with quotes often ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars.

Real Cost of Hair Transplants in Turkey in 2020

Europe is a bit more expensive, and the exchange rate of euros to dollars favors the euro. As such, if you’re paying in dollars, you’ll have to pay more for the procedure in Europe, whereas in Turkey the exchange rate favors the dollar.

You’re looking at a range of at least $1500 to $3000 for many Turkish procedures, compared with 2000€ to 3800€ for clinics in EU countries like Greece and Portugal.

In Canada, the cost is about $2000 to over $12000, while in the United States you’re much more likely to have to pay five figures, with an average of around $16000.

That price breakdown demonstrates why searches for Turkish hair transplants are so common and shows that the procedure still costs thousands of dollars no matter where you go.

factors that mke hair transplants expensive

Will hair transplants Get Cheaper in the Future?

There are two opposing theories.

Theory 1

While better tech often makes things cheaper eventually, hair transplant procedures will probably not become cheaper in the near future, for two main reasons.

First, what really drives up the cost won’t change – surgeon expertise and the hair grafts themselves.

Surgeons often charge based on how many grafts you want to have. Their expertise, the demand, and the staggered price for grafts isn’t likely to change anytime soon.

What’s more, even leaving unforeseen developments (e.g. pandemics), hair transplants are typically seen as cosmetic and not “necessary.”

As a result, your health insurance almost certainly won’t cover hair transplants, meaning you’ll have to pay those four- or five-figure sums yourself.

advantages of turkey hair transplant package

Theory 2

On the other hand, it could be argued that with greater automation the procedure will become easier and more efficient.  That should make it cheaper.

With globalisation and travelling becoming easier, people are prepared to travel to where they can find cost-effective hair transplants.  They are no longer a hostage to the usual places of Europe and North america.

Clients now travel from North america and Australia to Turkey for a hair transplant!

This should force a price war and hopefully a reduction in overall cost.

Lowering the Price of your hair transplant

Choosing the right place to undergo the procedure and a low amount of grafts are the two biggest ways to lower the cost of a hair transplant.

The latter is hard since of course, you want as full a head of hair as possible. Still, if you just need “a little” more hair, paying for fewer grafts can lower the cost significantly.

Turkish clinics are often cheaper than US, UK, Canadian, and EU ones, although quality can vary, so make sure that wherever you receive the transplant, it’s at a clinic that’s accredited, transparent, and completely trustworthy.

With this information, you can determine the best and most cost-effective way to regain a full head of hair.

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which hair transplant technique is best?

Hair transplants are a common hair treatment process, but they’re also one of the most costly. In this article, we’re going to discuss the different hair transplant techniques available to clients.

We’ll also highlight some of the more comprehensive transplant information, such as who qualifies and the risks involved. In addition, we’ll share with you case studies of each transplant method.

What Is a Hair Transplant?

In simple terms, a hair transplant is a surgical procedure that entails the elimination of hair from one area (the donor site) and transplantation onto another (the recipient site). This is accomplished by a hair restoration surgeon, and it’s one of the most popular hair loss “remedies” on the market.

People within the ages of 35-50 face hair loss issues, besides many solutions, hair transplant is a permanent therapy. Hair Transplant is a one-time process, and although it may seem costly to start, in the long run, it’ll save you quite some money. When choosing to move forward with a hair transplant, there are multiple techniques available, which vary in their way of employment and feasibility.

Below are three types of hair transplant methods used in modern clinics:

Types of Hair Transplant

FUT Technique

In Follicular Unit Transplantation, a long thin fragment of tissue is transferred from the donor area in the sides and back of the scalp, and the single follicular units are extracted from that strip by a stereo-microscopic dissection, the wounds are then sealed leaving a faint scar. Because the grafts are exerted by a stereo-microscope, the hair follicles aren’t damaged. Consequently, the hair grows in a more accelerated manner because the minute channels do not disrupt the blood flow. Lastly, the section of the fabric of the band is sealed by suture, and a very light seam remains, but this scar isn’t visible unless the hair is shaved short.

Benefits of FUT technique:

  • More numerous hair follicles can be transplanted in a session
  • Can be applied on beard and eyebrow transplantation
  • Can be completed in a shorter period of time and is less expensive
  • The absence of marks in patients 

FUE Technique

The Follicular Unit Extraction is the method of transferring hair grafts from the donor area with a specific instrument and then implanting it on the hairless regions. The advantages of using this method, such as the easy and fast application of the hair culture, have made it more popular than the FUT procedure. With this technique, the grafts are exerted with a special device from the donor region and implanted in channels of around 0.7/0.8mm using individual inserts with no skin band or cutting.

FUE Technique Benefits:

  • Faster and easier
  • Roots recuperate from 24 to 48 hours
  • No incision process and no stitching required
  • No deterioration of texture and sense
  • The more expeditious recovery process
  • The absence of pain post-operation due to the minimal incision

DHI Technique

In a direct hair implantation, the donor’s hair is extracted individually with a unique micro punch. In most instances, this takes place in the middle section of the head. This area is chosen because, in comparison to the front hairline, the crown, or the central head, this area usually is not so severely affected by the hair loss.

The extracted hair is then deposited in a particular nutrient solution before implantation. Consequently, a mini needle referred to as “Choi pin” is utilized to implant the individual hair follicles on the scalp. As a result, incisions can be dispensed by using the DHI implanter. Older techniques of implantation and extraction are more likely to leave scars.

Furthermore, it’s also very advantageous that patients with lengthy hair do not have to shave them off with this process. It’s also crucial to keep the scalp and hair moistened for the first five days following implantation.

DHI Technique Benefits:

  • A modern and straightforward method with a natural result
  • Since the hair follicles are used directly with a unique implantation tool, no entry incisions are needed
  • Dehydration of the implants can be prevented, and active, long-term growth is favored
  • The treatment is quick and almost painless
  • Thanks to the minimally invasive procedure, no cuts, no sutures, no bleeding, and no scars are needed

Hair Transplant Side-effects?

Difficulties or side effects associated with a hair transplant procedure, usually only last a couple of weeks and are typically minor.

These can include: inflammation, bleeding, or swelling in and around the area where the procedure was done, lack of sensation on the treated region for an extended time, bruising nearby the eyes, and irregular tufts or hair growth of the recently transplanted hair.

Recovery

After the procedure, your scalp may be somewhat tender. Your consultant will have you wear dressings over your scalp for at shortest a day or two. He may also prescribe an anti-inflammatory or an antibiotic drug for you to take for a few days. Most people can return to work 2 to 5 days post-op.

Within a couple of weeks after surgery, the transplanted hair will drop out, but you should begin to notice fresh growth within several months. Most individuals will see approximately  60% new hair growth in 6 to 9 months.

Eligibility for the Hair Transplant

A hair transplant can be prescribed for anyone undergoing partial baldness due to a receding hairline, female-pattern baldness, male-pattern baldness, alopecia, or head trauma. A hair transplant can award suitable candidates with a permanent, natural-looking solution.

The method is not advised for anyone encountering scattered hair loss, spot hairlessness, or for those with inadequate amounts of hair at the donor site. The procedure is also not usually recommended for anyone below the age of 25, since it is challenging to predict the long-term durability of the donor’s hair and the range of future hair decline.

Monetary Costs of Hair Transplants

As with any therapeutic procedure, how much you pay for hair transplant depends on various factors, including the local market, whether you opt for FUT, FUE, or DHI, whether or not you have to travel for your surgery, the specialist you choose and the uniqueness of your case.

That being said, you’ll likely spend a considerable amount. Online surveys place the cost anywhere from $4,000 to $16,000, and those estimates can fluctuate pretty widely.

Because hair transplant procedure is usually deemed cosmetic, it’s unlikely your insurance will help cover it. However, if your hair loss is due to a disease or injury, coverage may be feasible. If you’re considering hair transplant surgery, the best thing to do is get in touch with your insurance provider to see about your options for coverage.

While the cost of a transplant may seem pricey, you have to take into consideration the complexity of the procedure.

Transplantation methods are becoming more advanced, and this is excellent for results. Nevertheless, the more advanced procedures (including FUT, FUE, and DHI) take a lot more experience and time.

In fact, FUT can take anywhere from 5 – 8 hours for one session! And, more extended amounts of time can be expected for FUE.

Case Studies

DHI Technique Case Study

This before and after is a result of the DHI method.

Incisions are usually associated with scaring, and for that reason, the DHI hair transplant process uses the Choi pen technique, which excludes the need for incisions, and therefore as seen in this case study, eliminates the chances of scarring.

Furthermore, there’s no need to stitch the source area where the hair follicles are extracted, so the healing process becomes a lot faster.

The recovery and healing time for this patient was approximately four days.

This hair transplant was done in 1 session, and the duration of the procedure was between 4-6 hours.

FUE Technique Case Study

This before and after is a result of the FUE method.

This is considered a minimally invasive treatment, which means the healing process is much faster. The entire treatment was carried out under a local anesthetic, which made the procedure completely painless. The patient pictured above returned home right after the procedure.

Post-op, the patient’s scalp was very tender, and he was prescribed pain medications for several days. There are no visible scars on donor and receiving areas. This procedure lasted approximately 6 hours. And the before and after images are spaced out over four months, which is when the real results became noticeable.

FUT Technique Case Study

This before and after is a result of the FUT method.

In this specific FUT procedure, a strip of skin from the backside of the scalp was removed surgically. The donor area was sent for preparation under microscopes in small individuals pieces, or grafts, which each contained approximately 1-10 hairs.

The grafts were later implanted utilizing forceps to the bald region. Subsequent to the procedure, the donor area was stitched up. This patient took ten days until the stitches were removed and approximately 20-30 days of recovery.

The procedure was executed under local anesthetic, and the images from the pre-post-op are six months apart when the results became truly noticeable.

Conclusion

It’s perfectly normal for you to be worried about losing your hair. If it’s something you’ve noticed and just ignored for a while, or something you’re just starting to see now, it’s natural to want to do something about it. 

Hair transplantation surgery can be very effective for both men and women looking to take back their gorgeous locks, but it’s not without its caveats. It’s expensive, it can take some time to recover, and the session/s can be slightly exhausting (and possibly a bit uncomfortable). But the outcomes are real, long-lasting, and successful.

If you’re considering a hair transplant procedure, then a personal consultation with your doctor is the best means to learn about your options. This appointment is aimed at giving you a comfortable environment to ascertain what method of hair transplantation is best for your unique case. There are a variety of factors taken into consideration when choosing a treatment method such as; the amount of hair, skin type, donor area, and budget. Each patient’s case is different, and what works for some may not be the best route for you.

Your health care provider will be able to guide you through the entire process, choosing the method that will deliver the best hair transplant results.