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Avoiding Caffeine before a Hair Transplant - Tuesday, August 31, 2010
The reason patients are asked to avoid caffeine prior to hair transplant surgery is that caffeine raises blood pressure and encourages bleeding. The added bleeding can slow the procedure and may affect the growth of the newly transplanted follicular unit grafts.
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Do I Have to Shave My Head for a Hair Transplant? - Thursday, August 26, 2010
Not all hair restoration surgeons require shaving. Once you have decided on your hair transplant physician, it’s best to check with him or her regarding their individual requirements.
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My Doctor Says I'm Not a Candidate for Hair Transplant Surgery - Friday, August 06, 2010
The hair restoration physicians recommended on the Hair Transplant Network are among the best in the world. However, I don't recommend giving up after only one consultation. I recommend you consult with at least two more recommended physicians.
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Washing Scalp Vigorously 11 Days after a Hair Transplant - Tuesday, August 03, 2010
In my opinion, your grafts should be fine. Some hair transplant physicians suggest beginning to gently remove scabs as early as seven days after hair transplant surgery.
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How to Deal with a Donor Scar after a Hair Transplant - Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Depending on several factors including your hair and scalp characteristics and the technique your hair transplant surgeon used to close the donor site, it may be possible to cut your hair as short as ¼ inch once your scar matures. This may take up to 10 months.
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Did a Scalp Massage Damage My Hair Transplant? - Saturday, July 24, 2010
A month and a half post-op, your transplanted follicular unit grafts should be securely anchored and well protected below the skin. While bleeding is never a good sign, it would be much more of a concern during the first 10 days. In my opinion, your grafts would not have been damaged during your massage.
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Appearance Immediately Following a Hair Transplant - Friday, July 23, 2010
Prior to your hair transplant procedure, the hair in the donor area will be cut very short. After the follicular units are transplanted to the recipient area, you will have the appearance of a buzz cut in the formerly balding area.
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Cutting and Styling Hair After a Hair Transplant - Sunday, July 18, 2010
While you should always check with your hair restoration physician for his or her specific recommendation, it is generally safe to begin using styling products 7 to 10 days after your hair transplant when the grafts are securely anchored.
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Applying Topical Hair Growth Aids after a Hair Transplant - Friday, July 16, 2010
Folligen comes in a both a spray and a cream version. The spray version may be used immediately post-op to speed healing and reduce redness while the cream should not be applied until the transplanted follicular unit grafts have had time to heal.
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Removing Newly Transplanted Hairs before they Shed Naturally - Wednesday, July 14, 2010
At 10 days post-op the implanted follicular units should be well anchored and not easily damaged. However, you must remain cautious and treat the recipient area with care. You should not pull the hair follicles out but allow them to fall out naturally over the next two to four weeks.
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Treating Traction Alopecia with Hair Transplantation - Tuesday, July 13, 2010
While most often associated with women, traction alopecia can affect anyone whose hair is routinely pulled or when friction is applied repeatedly. In some cases the hair will return once the offending action is ceased. In other cases, surgical hair restoration is the only remedy.
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Is FUE Hair Transplant Surgery Appropriate for Men with Excessive Baldness? - Friday, July 09, 2010
This question is not an easy one to answer. Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) is only acceptable for a select group of patients. Most FUE procedures range in the low 1,000's and are suitable for someone on the lower end of the Norwood scale.
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Is Shock Loss Normal after a Hair Transplant? - Monday, July 05, 2010
There is nothing to be concerned about. Post-operative shock loss in both the donor and recipient areas is common. This occurs due to trauma inflicted on the scalp during removal of the donor strip and transplantation of the follicular units.
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Dealing with Post Hair Transplant Pimples - Saturday, July 03, 2010
Pimples are an unfortunate yet normal part of recovering from a hair transplant. Try to avoid squeezing them because this can spread bacteria that can infect other follicles and cause more pimples.
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Should I Wait for the Next Hair Restoration Breakthrough or Get a Hair Transplant? - Friday, July 02, 2010
The first thing you should do is consult a dermatologist in order to determine the nature of your hair loss. You may benefit from non-surgical hair loss treatments like Rogaine (minoxidil) and Propecia (finasteride). At this point in time, these are the only clinically proven and FDA approved medical treatments for hair loss.
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How Effective Are Hair Transplants and Are There Any Side Effects? - Thursday, July 01, 2010
The results of surgical hair restoration are dependent upon many factors. But,in the hands of a skilled and experienced hair transplant surgeon, ultra refined follicular unit hair transplantation can offer amazing results.
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Can a Scar from a Hair Transplant be Removed or Minimized? - Saturday, June 26, 2010
A surgical scar cannot be removed completely because any procedure to remove the scar would result in another scar. If you are experiencing scar stretching or had a bad hair transplant that needs to be fixed, you may be a candidate for a scar revision procedure.
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How Do I Choose a Hair Transplant Physician? - Saturday, June 19, 2010
In order to make it easier to choose a quality doctor, we maintain a list of prescreened, highly-qualified hair restoration physicians worldwide.
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Will a Third Hair Transplant Damage Existing Hair? - Friday, June 18, 2010
Bill Seemiller, the Managing Publisher of the Hair Transplant Network has had four hair transplants and he is very pleased with his results. You can view his Hair Loss Website for more information about his experiences.
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Are Hair Transplant Clinics I see on Late Night Infomercials Any Good? - Thursday, June 17, 2010
While hair replacement physicians at larger "infomercial" clinics may be doing solid work, the patient may be assigned a doctor at random and have no way to know if he's been performing hair tranplants for a decade or one day.
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Using Hair Clippers After a Hair Transplant - Friday, June 11, 2010
The follicular unit grafts are anchored in place by 10 to 14 days after hair transplant surgery. As long as your scabs are gone, there should be no danger of damaging them with a hair clipper at 3 months post-op. That said, it’s important to be very gentle. In my personal experience, I buzzed my own hair down two weeks after my surgical hair restoration procedure with a #2. Take care not to scratch the recipient area and you should be fine.
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How Soon After a Hair Transplant Can I Safely Remove Scabs? - Thursday, June 10, 2010
Generally, it is recommended that hair transplant patients begin to gingerly massage scabs off with the fingertips at the 7 to 10 day mark. At this point, the newly transplanted follicular unit grafts should be anchored in place. It is not advisable to use a comb on the recipient area for the first 10 days.
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Does Hair Transplant Surgery have Side Effects? - Wednesday, June 02, 2010
Along with all the possible benefits, every surgical procedure has limitations and risks associated with it. The same goes for hair transplant surgery. While 95% or more of surgical hair restoration procedures are successful under the care of the best hair surgeons, there is a chance...
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Chewing Tobacco and Alcohol Post Hair Transplant - Monday, May 17, 2010
I haven’t heard any reports of alcohol and chewing tobacco hindering transplanted hair growth from hair restoration surgery. However, during the healing period in particular, it’s probably a good idea to keep the use of the substances minimal, especially if you’re taking...
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Pimples on the Scalp 1 Month After Hair Transplant Surgery - Monday, May 10, 2010
It's normal for the occasional pimple to appear the first few months after hair transplant surgery. . However, if you are experiencing a large number or cluster of pimples, you may want to contact your hair transplant surgeon to make sure it's not folliculitis. While folliculitis typically fades away by itself with time, this infection may need to be treated...
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Concerns about Minimal Hair Growth 1 Month After Hair Transplant Surgery - Thursday, May 06, 2010
Most of the new transplanted hair falls out between 2 to 4 weeks after hair transplant surgery while only a few will continue to grow. But don't worry. The transplanted follicles are dormant underneath the scalp and will start producing new hair in 3 to 5 months...
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Hair Transplant Preoperative Instructions - Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Each hair transplant doctor varies in the preoperative and postoperative instructions they provide. Some suggest applying Vitamin E oil to your scalp a day or two after surgical hair restoration while others suggest dry healing. Medication may be...
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Concerns about Slow Hair Transplant Growth at 5 Months - Sunday, April 18, 2010
I understand how easy it is to become nervous, especially when others charting their progress on the Hair Transplant Network are seeing signs of new hair growth and you're not. However, 5 months is still very early in the hair transplant growth and maturation process. I encourage you to hang in there and take monthly photos of your progress. Comparing pictures side by side every month will...
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Why Scabs Might Hang on 3 Weeks After Hair Transplant Surgery - Monday, April 12, 2010
Your hair restoration physician should have provided instructions on hair washing techniques that assist with scab removal. Some physicians however, rather their patients wait until the scabs fall off naturally. If the latter is the case, it's perfectly normal for scabs to be hanging on at 3 weeks...
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Scabs Remaining 3 Weeks After Hair Transplant Surgery - Is This Normal? - Thursday, April 08, 2010
Three weeks for scabs to remain is not too uncommon after hair transplant surgery. Some hair restoration physicians even instruct not to work them off for the first month. Sometimes patients (like me after my first hair transplant) are a little extra cautious which prevents scabs from flaking off...
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Hair Loss 10-12 Weeks After Hair Transplant Surgery. Help! - Thursday, April 01, 2010
Post hair transplant telogen effluvium hair loss often referred to as "shock loss" is quite common anytime hair is transplanted in between and around existing natural hair. The good news is, unless your native hair was on its way out anyway, this shock loss is only temporary. Using Propecia and Rogaine can also help minimize hair "shock". You are only at the beginning of your hair restoration journey...
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Continued Hair Loss 5 Months After Hair Transplant Surgery - Monday, March 29, 2010
Since hair goes through growth cycles, it's normal to lose between 50 to 100 hairs daily. However, knowing you have male pattern baldness and already had a hair transplant to restore some of it, it's quite probable that you are going to lose more hair. The good news is, not everyone who experiences genetic hair loss goes completely bald. However...
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Is Propecia Required for Hair Restoration Surgery? - Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Propecia (finasteride) isn't necessarily required to have a hair transplant, but understand that if you are at high risk for future hair loss, you and your hair restoration physician should plan ultra conservatively. Hair loss is progressive, but hair transplantation can be even riskier in young patients, if hair loss is noticeably agressive, in men or women who...
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How Soon After a Hair Transplant Can I have a Second Procedure? - Tuesday, March 16, 2010
In my opinion, it's advisable to wait at least a year to let your first hair transplant fully mature. If hair is being transplanted to a new virgin area of the scalp, some may argue that a patient can undergo a second hair transplant procedure 6 months after the first...
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Products that Speed up the Hair Transplant Growth Process - Sunday, March 14, 2010
Some hair replacement physicians suggest using Rogaine (minoxidil) for several months after a hair transplant to potentially jump start early transplanted hair growth. However, there's no clinical proof this works. MSM (Methyl Sulfonyl Methane) has also been said to...
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Tattooing to Conceal a Hair Transplant Donor Scar? - Saturday, March 06, 2010
Micropigmentation is indeed a form of cosmetic tattooing. These technicians are supposed to use vegetable/mineral extracts rather than ink to apply the dots, which allegedly fade naturally over time. I've seen impressive results when this technique has been used to break up the appearance of hair transplant donor scars in photos, but I'd remain very cautious...
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Hair Transplant Growth Timelines: Are They Really Accurate? - Friday, March 05, 2010
The standard graft growth timeline applies to many patients, but the prevailing opinion among experts is that attempting to define a universal schedule for growth after a hair transplant is ultimately an exercise in futility. Individual physiology will always play a significant role, so basing personal expectations on others' exact experiences...
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Can I Use Straightening Products After a Hair Transplant? - Wednesday, March 03, 2010
In general, excessive heat is not healthy for your hair, transplanted or otherwise. Straightening hair every day with something like a flattening iron could make it brittle, and possibly more prone to breakage; however, even this should not hurt the actual follicles or cause permanent hair loss. Misuse of chemical straighteners is another story entirely...
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Resuming Contact Sports with a Helmet after FUE Hair Transplantation - Thursday, February 25, 2010
Strip patients are usually advised against engaging in contact sports for the first few months to avoid potentially aggravating or stretching the donor scar, while FUE candidates may have the option of resuming heavier activity sooner, possibly within two weeks. That being said, you certainly don't want to push your cardiovascular system too hard during the initial healing period...
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Priceless: Cost and Selecting the Right Hair Transplant Surgeon - Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Being aware of the market and using that knowledge to make informed, economical choices in life is often the right way to go, especially in this day and age. However, trying to be thrifty when it comes to choosing a hair transplant surgeon really isn't advisable...
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19 and Balding - Considering a Hair Transplant - Thursday, February 18, 2010
At 19 years of age, most reputable hair restoration physicians would argue that you're not yet a candidate for hair transplant surgery simply due to your age. I happen to agree. The truth is, young men are at a much greater risk of excessive hair loss and transplanting them is often considered irresponsible. Donor hair supply is limited and...
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How Soon After a Hair Transplant Can I have a Second Procedure? - Tuesday, February 16, 2010
In my opinion, it's advisable to wait at least a year to let your first hair transplant fully mature. If hair is being transplanted to a new virgin area of the scalp, some may argue that a patient can undergo a second hair transplant procedure 6 months after the first. However in my personal experience, I've found that scalp elasticity in the donor area takes up to...
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Is Rogaine Necessary for a Hair Transplant to Grow? - Monday, February 15, 2010
Rogaine (minoxidil) is a proven and FDA approved hair regrowth stimulant that may help strengthen and rejuvenate naturally thinning hair where it's applied. While some hair restoration physicians believe Rogaine may help jump start early hair growth, transplanted hair will...
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How Many Hairs Can Hair Transplant Surgery Produce? - Sunday, February 14, 2010
How many follicular units (hair groupings as they occur naturally) can be harvested during hair transplant surgery ultimately depends on your donor hair supply, available and "safe" hair on the sides and back of your scalp resistant to DHT. For follicular unit hair transplantation (FUT) also known as the “strip” procedure, this includes...
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Can I Play Tennis 3 Days After Hair Transplant Surgery? - Thursday, February 11, 2010
If you're an active tennis player, your body will be making a lot of jerking and twisting movements not to mention sweating. In my opinion, this could put unnecessary tension and strain on the donor area so early after your hair transplant procedure. In my opinion, wait at least 2 weeks before playing any active sports and...
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Hair Transplant Surgery for Women with Alopecia Universalis? - Tuesday, February 09, 2010
Alopecia Universalis is a rare and unique condition where a woman (or man) loses all of their scalp and body hair. Since hair transplant surgery works on the basis of taking "safe" hair from other parts of the scalp and/or body, men and women with Alopecia Universalis are not candidates for surgical hair restoration since they have no donor hair for transplanting...
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Snowboarding After a Hair Transplant - Monday, February 08, 2010
While there is no timeframe set in stone, it's important that you protect your new transplanted hair for the first 10 days and be careful not to put strain on the donor area for the first 3 months. Thus, it's advisable to wait at least a couple of weeks to a month after hair transplant surgery to resume certain sports. Contact sports can...
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Additional Risks for a 4th Hair Transplant? - Thursday, February 04, 2010
As long as you have enough donor hair available for a 4th hair transplant procedure and the grafts are carefully dissected, handled, and transplanted into tiny recipient incisions, you should be able to get high hair growth yield. The transplanted area may contain some minor scarring, but transplanting hair into these balding areas shouldn't...
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Concerned about Making Thinning Hair Above My Ears Worse with a Hair Transplant - Tuesday, February 02, 2010
The hair immediately above your ears shouldn't be touched during your hair transplant procedure. The strip line/scar will be placed much higher as your hair doctor takes the best and thickest terminal hair. The only thing that will occur is a bit of stretching of the scalp which may make the hair above your ears appear a little thinner than they are now...
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Poor Growth 16 Months After Hair Transplant - Need Recommendations - Wednesday, January 27, 2010
While most hair transplant patients see their final results one year after surgery, you may just be a slow grower. The fact that you are seeing hair (even though it’s thinner in appearance) is a good sign. Hopefully these thin, fine hairs you are seeing are indeed transplanted hairs growing in and not the further miniaturization of natural hair due to male pattern baldness. I think your doctor's request to...
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Why Does Transplanted Hair Shed After a Month? - Sunday, January 24, 2010
The general consensus amongst leading hair restoration physicians is that trauma to the hair follicles during removal, handling, and transplanting causes the new hair to go dormant for several months after hair transplant surgery. Specific reasons and ways to overcome this are...
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Is a Hair Transplant Worth the Money? - Wednesday, January 20, 2010
I remember wrestling with this very subject before I started my own hair restoration journey. In my opinion, it's really a matter of how badly you want it. For me, hair loss was pretty devastating. My ego, confidence, and life started to suffer because I fixated so much energy on my hair - or more accurately, my lack thereof. It didn't take me long to realize that I'd be much happier with...
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Benefits of Laser Therapy For Hair Transplant Growth in Scar Tissue? - Tuesday, January 19, 2010
You're assuming laser hair loss therapy works by increasing blood flow/circulation to the scalp. I'm not so sure this is the case. One may argue however, that using laser hair treatment after hair transplant surgery may help increase the survival rate of the follicular units, especially those transplanted into...
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Hair Transplant from Another Donor to Replace Bad Hair Characteristics? - Monday, January 18, 2010
Unfortunately, transplanting hair from other donor doesn't work. Moreover, transplanting hair is only really feasible in areas of thinning or balding and not a viable option for those who don’t like their own hair characteristics. While you can wear a wig without surgical hair restoration, even real hair wigs do not contain live hair follicles...
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Yahoo Article Recommend MicroGrafts to Replace Hair Transplantation - What's the Difference? - Sunday, January 17, 2010
Today's state of the art surgical hair restoration involves follicular unit grafting - dissecting hairs as they occur naturally in groups of 1s, 2s, 3s, and 4s. Micrografts contain 1 to 2 haired follicular units or sub-follicular units (follicular units split apart to make smaller grafts). Some people use the terms micrografts and follicular units interchangeably which as you can see above, isn't always correct. Regardless of the...
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Scalp Sensations 20 Years After old Hair Transplant Hair Plugs - Thursday, January 14, 2010
Incisions made in the scalp during hair transplant surgery back in those days were large and very traumatic to the scalp. Thus, though I couldn't be sure - it's possible that the hair plugs and even scalp reduction procedures you received 20 plus years ago may have caused some permanent nerve damage that may be responsible for these sensations. Thankfully, surgical hair restoration has changed tremendously since...
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Treating Hair Loss Now or Going Bald Followed by Hair Transplant Later? - Wednesday, January 13, 2010
I can understand why allowing yourself to go bald and then later transplanting the balding scalp makes sense in theory however, there's one factor you may not be considering. While surgical hair restoration is a viable solution for many men and women with genetic pattern baldness, the donor hair supply is limited. Since hair loss is progressive and how far it will progress is unpredictable in nature, it would...
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Can I Get a Hair Transplant at 18 Years Old? - Tuesday, January 12, 2010
While age isn’t the only factor for determining hair transplant candidates, at 18, I'd say you are too young to consider surgical hair restoration. Genes are the number one cause of balding in both men and women worldwide. That said, I’d advise speaking to a physician to determine first if your hair loss is genetic (androgenic alopecia)...
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Hair Transplant Surgery to Fill a Small Bald Spot in the Crown? - Monday, January 11, 2010
Assuming your hair loss is genetic, the most common type of baldness, a miniature bald spot in the crown isn’t enough to consider hair transplant surgery. Male pattern baldness is progressive and transplanting hair in the crown may leave you with an unnatural looking halo of baldness around a tuft of transplanted hair...
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Using Arm Hair for Creating a Soft, Natural Hairline with Hair Transplant Surgery? - Tuesday, January 05, 2010
Not to burst your bubble at all, because your question is a good one - but the idea of using softer, finer hair for the hairline is not a new one. That said, since body hair growth yield is much less consistent and comes with a list of other potential problems, it's probably a whole lot better to consider softer, finer, scalp hair. With follicular unit extraction (FUE), these hairs can be targeted from...
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Resuming Contact Sports After Hair Transplant Surgery - Sunday, January 03, 2010
Ten days after surgical hair restoration, your new grafts are permanently secured to the scalp and would have to be surgically removed to get rid of them. Your new precious follicles are safe and secured underneath the scalp and new hair growth should begin between 3 to 5 months after surgery. Know that the hair...
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Is Diffuse Hair Transplant Growth at 2.5 Months Normal? - Monday, December 21, 2009
While we'd all love for our new hair to grow in uniformly, thick and dark; transplanted hair will grow at different rates and times and typically start out fine and colorless. At 2.5 months, having any signs of hair growth is extraordinary. Know that transplanted hair regrowth is a slow, gradual process that takes...
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Will 50% Hair Transplant Density Give me the Results I Want? - Sunday, December 20, 2009
At 50% of your original hair density, most hair transplant patients won't show any signs of balding under normal conditions. Harsh lighting, especially at certain angles may reveal signs of thinning hair and the "see-through" look others have referred to elsewhere on our hair loss forum. But the real question is: would you rather appear like you have minor thinning or be bald? For me, the choice was an easy one. It took 3 hair transplants of...
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Body Hair Transplants Using Leg Hair? - Thursday, December 17, 2009
In my opinion, don't even consider using body hair for hair transplantation unless you're scalp hair donor supply is used up (both via FUT and FUE). While some transplant surgeons have used body hair successfully in a select few patients, I've seen just as many (if not more) failed cases of body hair transplants. Quite honestly...
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Resuming Weight Training After a Hair Transplant - Monday, December 14, 2009
Resume weight training very gradually after surgical hair restoration. After about 2 weeks, it's safe to resume most weight training however, in my opinion start with light weights and work your way back up to doing heavy over the period of a couple of months. Be cautious of doing any...
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Does Donor Hair Grow Back After Hair Transplant Surgery? - Monday, December 14, 2009
Donor hair will not grow back after surgical hair restoration because the follicles are literally removed from beneath the surface of the scalp. During a typical follicular unit hair transplant (strip) surgery, a linear strip of tissue containing hair follicles is harvested, slivered, and cut into...
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Does "Shocked" Hair Transplant Grow Back Normally? - Thursday, December 10, 2009
Unless your natural hair surrounding the areas of the hair transplant was "shocked", your natural hair will continue to grow as normal. If your natural hair was shocked, it will resume growth around the same time your new transplanted hair grows in...
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Scalp Med or Hair Transplant Surgery? - Thursday, December 03, 2009
While Scalp Med infomercials are indeed very compelling, in my opinion, they're also not very realistic. If you can fixate your eyes away from the impressive looking before and after photos, glowing testimonies, and promotional propaganda, you'll see the small fine print that reads "results seen are not typical"...
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The Long Wait For My Hair Transplant to Grow - Monday, November 30, 2009
Nobody likes to wait, especially if you're experiencing post hair transplant shock loss. The first couple months after my first 2 hair transplants were miserable. I spent way too much time in front of the mirror and probably drove my wife crazy with how fixated I was on my hair or lack thereof...
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Experiencing Hair Loss on the Sides and Back of My Head - Is Hair Transplantation an Option? - Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Hair transplant surgery wouldn’t be a viable option for you at this time since you are losing "safe" hair and the reason for it is undetermined. Harvesting hair from areas vulnerable to loss significantly increases the risks of permanent transplanted hair loss later down the road. Since genetics typically only target hair on the top of the scalp, the first thing you need to do is find out...
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Does Hair Transplant Surgery Take More than a Day to Perform? - Sunday, November 22, 2009
Most follicular unit hair transplant procedures via microscopic dissection (FUT) are performed in a single day which could last up to 10 or more hours. Follicular unit hair transplant procedures via the follicular unit extraction (FUE) method may require multiple hours in multiple days. However, many patients require...
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Hair Growth 7 to 8 Days After Hair Transplant Surgery? - Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Transplanted hair typically starts growing the day they're implanted into the scalp. However, after 2 to 4 weeks, the majority of the growing transplanted hairs separate from the hair follicle and fall out (shed) while the follicles go dormant for several months. This phenomenon isn't fully understood however, it's believed to be related to the trauma of...
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How to Stop Continued Hair Loss After Follicular Isolation Technique (FIT) Hair Transplant Surgery - Monday, November 16, 2009
Finasteride and minoxidil are your two best bets at stopping the progression of male pattern baldness. In order for these hair loss solutions to be and remain effective, you will have to take them for life. In some cases, these two hair loss treatments can even reverse the effects of baldness. However, only hair transplant surgery is proven...
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Patient Experiencing Additional Hair Loss 18 Months After Hair Transplant - Monday, November 09, 2009
Traumatic stress which may include the loss of a loved one can cause temporary hair loss. Once the stressor is reduced or eliminated, hair typically returns to normal. One exception may be miniaturizing hairs due to male pattern baldness. Miniaturizing hair may be too weak to survive the stressor resulting in permanent...
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Is Two Weeks After a Hair Transplant Too Early for Shedding? - Sunday, November 08, 2009
What happens is this: transplanted hair will separate from the follicle 2 to 4 weeks after the hair transplant procedure leaving a healthy follicle behind to rest. In 3 to 5 months, the follicles will begin to wake up and start producing new and healthy hair. Hair will begin to grow thin and colorless but will thicken, darken, and mature over the period of a year plus. A hair transplant is typically seen as mature after about a year however, some softening and...
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Concealing a Surgical Scar with Hair Transplantation - Thursday, November 05, 2009
Depending on the location of the scar, you may be a candidate for hair restoration. Though hair growth in scar tissue has the potential to be less than the usual 90% plus success rate, in many cases, the appearance of a scar can be reduced and camouflaged by the transplanted hair growing through it...
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Is Hair Transplantation Expensive? - Wednesday, November 04, 2009
Surgical hair restoration can be expensive, especially if you end up needing more than one procedure. This is very likely depending on the amount of current baldness and future hair loss to come. Hair transplantation is not a cure, but can often yield significant cosmetically pleasing results in those patients who are qualified candidates. Clinics typically charge...
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Considering Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) Hair Transplant at the Young Age of 23 - Monday, November 02, 2009
23 is a rather young age to consider a hair transplant, especially if your hair loss is minimal. In my opinion, it may be better if you try proven non-surgical hair loss solutions like Propecia (finasteride) and Rogaine (minoxidil) for a couple of years first. Whether you ultimately and eventually select FUT or FUE, understand that hair transplants should be seen as a permanent solution...
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Pre Hair Transplant Scalp Exercises Causing Hair Loss? - Thursday, October 29, 2009
Scalp exercises can be a tremendous help in increasing scalp elasticity and thus, the amount of hair that can be harvested in a single hair transplant session. However, it's important to perform them correctly. Ultimately, you want to place your hands in the back of your head and pull up and down on the scalp, not the hair. If you are feeling tight pulling...
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How Important is Hair Loss Medication After a Hair Transplant? - Monday, October 19, 2009
In my opinion, Propecia (finasteride) and Rogaine (minoxidil) should be strongly considered as part of a patient's long term hair restoration plan. Hair loss is progressive and surgical hair restoration does nothing to slow down or stop the progression of male pattern baldness...
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How to Take Care of Your Hair Transplant the First Ten Days - Sunday, October 18, 2009
Your hair restoration physician should have provided detailed postoperative instructions, including how to wash and take care of your newly transplanted grafts the first ten days after hair transplant surgery. Below you will find a guide on how to take care of your grafts, wash your hair, and...
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Deciding on a Quality Hair Transplant Surgeon - Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Selecting a hair restoration physician takes careful research and is very personal. In my opinion, consult with Dr. Griffin, Dr. Shapiro, and any others you are considering for surgery. Also, see what their patients are saying by using the find feature of our hair restoration forum and view our patient websites...
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Scalp Discoloration Remaining 6 Months After a Hair Transplant - Monday, October 12, 2009
Scalp discoloration after a hair transplant usually disappears within a couple of months after the procedure. Cases of extended postoperative pinkness exist, but if you see no signs of it diminishing I'd advise you to speak to your hair restoration physician who may be able to prescribe something for you. Numbness or tightness of the scalp...
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Are Pimples on the Scalp 2 Months After Hair Transplant Surgery Normal? - Tuesday, October 06, 2009
Pimples on the scalp 2 months after hair transplant surgery are typical and usually a sign of activity underneath the scalp leading to hair growth to come. These pimples will go away in time even without treatment. However, applying a warm damp cloth on them a few times a day typically...
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Is a Hair Transplant Optimal for a 23 Year Old with Advanced Hair Loss? - Monday, October 05, 2009
I'd suggest that you're not an optimal candidate for a hair transplant surgery at this time. It often takes more than one hair transplant procedure to meet a patient's current goals let alone requirements in the event of future hair loss. What can be realistically accomplished with surgical hair replacement on higher classes of baldness also needs to be considered. If you do progress...
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Is Hair Transplant Surgery Ok for Men in their Early Twenties? Is it Permanent? - Thursday, October 01, 2009
Transplanted hair lasts as long as the hair on the sides and back of your head does. Since hair in this “safe zone” is resistant to DHT (the hormone responsible for genetic hair loss), other than some minor thinning to the area as you age, transplanted hair is considered “permanent”...
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Should I Try Propecia Before a Hair Transplant? - Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Since hair transplant surgery does nothing to prevent the progression of pattern baldness, non-surgical treatments like Propecia (finasteride) and Rogaine (minoxidil) are usually considered an integral part of a patient's long term hair restoration plan. If your hair loss hasn't stabilized, it would be a good idea to...
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Does Hair Taken from the Donor Region During a Hair Transplant Grow Back? - Monday, September 28, 2009
Hair harvested from the sides and back of the scalp (donor area) during a hair transplant will not grow back. This is because the hair follicles and surrounding derma papilla cells which promote hair growth have been completely removed. In follicular unit hair transplantation (FUT) via microscopic dissection, a linear strip of tissue containing hair follicles is...
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Can I Shave My Head After Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) Hair Transplant Surgery? - Sunday, September 27, 2009
If the punches used to extract the follicles via follicular unit extraction (FUE) hair transplant surgery were 1mm or smaller, scarring should be minimal under optimal conditions. However, if you shave your head completely, there will most likely be visible signs of scarring. My suggestion is to...
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16 Year Old Male Considers Hair Transplant Hairline Lowering Procedure - Thursday, September 24, 2009
Androgenic Alopecia (male pattern baldness) is a condition that typically starts affecting males in their early to mid 20s and continues over time. Since you are only 16, there are just too many question marks as to what the future of your hair holds. If you haven't experienced any hair loss or only a little by the time you...
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Hair Transplant Costs in Australia and a Caution to Young Patients - Tuesday, September 22, 2009
$7.20 in Australian money would be the current equivalent of approximately $6.26 per graft in US dollars. $6.26 for follicular unit transplantation (FUT) via microscopic dissection would be considered above average cost in most places around the world. 23 years old and a receding hairline, you are still at high risk for aggressive hair loss...
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Why Exposure to Sunlight After Hair Transplant Surgery May Be Dangerous - Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Technically, you can go out in the sun immediately after hair transplant surgery. But wear a loose fitting hat for the first ten days. After 10 days, you can wear any kind of hat or head covering that will protect you from the sun. After 2 weeks, if you prefer, you can apply sun block to your scalp...
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Concerns About Poor Hair Growth 9 Months After Hair Transplant Surgery - Monday, September 14, 2009
Everyone's transplanted hair grows at different rates. Several patients have experienced significant growth after 9 months and are typically referred to as "slow growers". Hopefully, this is the case with you which is indeed quite possible. Be sure to keep the lines of communication open with your hair restoration doctor and express...
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How Long Does it Take for "Shocked" Hair After Hair Transplant Surgery to Grow Back? - Sunday, September 13, 2009
I know from personal experience how discouraging shock loss a few weeks to a couple months after surgical hair restoration can be. However, post-hair transplant telogen effluvium (shock loss) is usually temporary and shocked hair typically begins to regrow back around the same time transplanted hair starts to grow...
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When is it Safe to Use Topical Concealers like Dermmatch, Toppik, and Courve After Hair Transplant Surgery? - Sunday, September 06, 2009
You are safe to use topical concealers again like Courve, Toppik, and Dermmatch after the first ten days. This will give the recipient area a chance to heal and the newly transplanted hair follicles to permanently attach themselves below the scalp. Hair restoration physicians have varying philosophies on...
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Is a Hair Transplant Painful? - Wednesday, September 02, 2009
The pain threshold and tolerance during the initial hair transplant needle injections can vary from person to person. Also, every hair restoration clinic has their own equipment and methodologies of adminstering local anesthetic. This can make an profound difference. No matter your threshold for pain, the local anesthetic injections don't...
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What's the Difference Between Bosley and Independent Hair Transplant Clinics? - Tuesday, September 01, 2009
Bosley represents a company that includes hundreds of hair restoration clinics worldwide. It’s virtually impossible to evaluate and prescreen all surgeons and clinics since there are so many and like any other large company, there is high turnover. Independent hair restoration clinics are easier to evaluate since they...
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Do Regular or Dissolvable Sutures Create Better Hair Transplant Scars? - Monday, August 31, 2009
Most hair restoration clinics that use dissolvable sutures create a double layer closure using the trichophytic closure technique with regular sutures on the outside and dissolvable sutures running through the underlying tissue. This helps to reduce tension on the wound. Thus...
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Hair Transplant - Six Months - No Hair Growth - Is This Unusual? - Thursday, August 20, 2009
Six months after hair transplant surgery is a little early to evaluate the final result. However, I would expect that you should have at least some new hair growth by now, unless you are a late bloomer. There have been others in your situation that started late and...
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Should I Get a Hair Transplant Now or Wait until My Hair Loss Gets Worse? - Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Hair transplant surgery must be approached strategically since donor hair is finite and future hair loss is unpredictable. A quality hair restoration surgeon will use donor hair sparingly in order to help you achieve realistic immediate and long term goals. In my opinion, all hair loss sufferers should consider medication to attempt to control future hair loss...
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Will Propecia Interfere with Body Hair Transplantation (BHT)? - Sunday, August 16, 2009
I too heard that Propecia (finasteride) can cause a decrease in the amount of overall body hair we have. If this is true, I would imagine that the best course of action for those considering body hair transplants (BHT) while on Propecia would be to use Propecia for a year first to see what effect it has on body hair. Remaining healthy body hair after...
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Can Rogaine Jump Start Early Hair Transplant Growth? - Thursday, August 13, 2009
It's perfectly acceptable to start on Rogaine (minoxidil) 1 month after your hair transplant. However, there's no hard evidence to suggest that Rogaine will jump start early transplanted hair growth. I've also not seen or heard any indication that Propecia (finasteride) can jump start early hair transplant growth. Know that you may experience an initial hair shedding...
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Grafts not Shedding 2 Months After Hair Transplant Surgery - Will this Stunt Hair Growth? - Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Though most transplanted hair typically sheds before the end of the first month after a hair restoration procedure, it's normal for some hair to hold on. While some of the grafts will continue to grow into healthy hair, others will detach from the hair follicle beneath the surface of the scalp but remain attached to the scalp. Disconnected hair won't grow, but will...
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Will my Existing Hair Grow at the Same Rate as Before Hair Transplant Surgery? - Tuesday, August 11, 2009
There is a possible risk of telogen effluvium (shock loss) that can occur to natural hair as a result of trauma to the scalp during surgery. This can happen any time hair is transplanted in between or around existing native hair. Unless the "shocked" hairs were already significantly miniaturized and on...
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Why does my Scalp Feel Tight After Surgical Hair Restoration? - Monday, August 03, 2009
During a hair transplant strip procedure, approximately 1.5 to 3 cm of scalp tissue containing hair follicles is removed and then the wound is sutured or stapled back together. In order to close the wound, your surgeon had to pull the two ends of the wound together creating minimal, but some tension that will create a feeling of tightness...
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Can My Body Hair Be Transplanted to my Bald Head? - Thursday, July 30, 2009
Your transplanted hair is probably still growing strong. However, since hair loss is progressive, male pattern baldness may have extended leaving you with thinning hair and/or additional bald spots. I believe that it’s better to use and deplete the scalp of all donor hair before considering use of body hair...
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Is it Possible to Transplant Lost Hair Back to its Original Location on the Scalp? - Sunday, July 26, 2009
Lost or shed hair cannot be transplanted into the balding areas and successfully grow. This is because even though the hair itself has fallen out, the follicle that grows the hair is still alive underneath the scalp. Hair follicles affected by male pattern baldness will simply stop growing new hair...
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What are the Side Effects of Hair Transplant Surgery? Can it Affect the Brain? - Tuesday, July 07, 2009
Since the brain lies beneath the skull and surgeons performing hair transplantation stay in the upper layers of the scalp's tissue, surgical hair restoration will have no impact on the brain. Like any other surgical procedure however, hair transplant surgery does come with potential risks that should be discussed with your surgeon before...
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Donor "Shock Loss" 2 Months After Hair Transplant Surgery - Monday, July 06, 2009
It sounds like you may be experiencing donor area telogen effluvium or "shock loss", a temporary hair loss caused by the trauma of surgery. This doesn't happen in every patient, but it's certainly not considered abnormal. In most cases, this hair loss is temporary and shocked hair will begin to grow back around...
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Hair Transplant Results at 3 Months? - Wednesday, July 01, 2009
Transplanted hair only typically starts to grow between 3 to 5 months after the hair transplant procedure. New hair typically starts growing fine and colorless and slowly thickens, darkens, and matures over time. Your new hair will also start to grow at different times at not all at once. This process of maturation takes up to a year which is why reserving...
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How Many Grafts to I Need for a Hair Transplant? - Monday, June 29, 2009
How many grafts you will need will largely depend on your hair restoration goals. Feel free to use our animated graft calculator to help you determine the number of grafts you may need to help you meet your goals. There are however, a number of variables that...
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Can Men with Thinning Hair Get a Hair Transplant - or is it only for Bald Men? - Saturday, June 27, 2009
Many hair loss sufferers with thinning hair have undergone successful hair transplant procedures to add more density to their existing hair. Note that when anytime hair is transplanted in between or around existing hair, there is a possibility of temporary telogen effluvium or "shock loss" (a temporary loss of existing hair due to a "stressor"...
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Hair Transplant "Graft" Terminology Wrongfully Misunderstood - Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Many veteraned hair transplant patients are familiar with the term "follicular unit grafting" and have come to know this as the today's "Gold Standard" in hair transplant surgery. What many don't know however, is that a "follicular unit" falls under a particular category of "micrograft" - a term often wrongfully associated with a much less favorable and also misconstrued term "minigraft".
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What does a Hair Transplant Cost? - Sunday, June 21, 2009
The average cost per follicular unit graft depending on the clinic, type of hair transplant procedure, number of grafts, etc is around $4 to $7 per graft. Multiplying your level on the Norwood Scale of hair loss by 1000 to 1500 can help you approximate the number...
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Hair Transplant Grafts "Popping" Out when Lifting Weights? - Monday, June 15, 2009
Lifting weights on day 5 after hair transplant surgery is risky unless what you're lifting is extremely light and focusing on doing dozens of reps. That said, it's highly unlikely that your transplanted hair grafts would "pop" out after...
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How Much does Eyebrow Transplant Surgery Cost? - Thursday, June 11, 2009
Eyebrow transplantation is a specialty area of surgical hair restoration. This delicate and artistic procedure is only performed by a handful of skilled hair transplant surgeons. Like any surgical procedure, there are risks involved and before undergoing this kind of procedure, it's important to research and learn how the procedure works, the benefits, limitations, and associated risks and maintenance. Selecting a quality physician...
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What is Today's Gold Standard Hair Transplant Technique - Tuesday, June 09, 2009
Today ultra refined follicular unit transplantation is the new gold standard in surgical hair restoration. Follicular units are hair groupings as they occur naturally in groups of 1, 2, 3, and sometimes 4 hairs. Physicians that continue to improve their surgical technique are now using minimally invasive tools to create tiny incisions and cut follicular units to fit perfectly and snugly into these slits.
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Rapid Hair Loss and Scalp Itching 9 Months After Hair Transplant Surgery - Sunday, June 07, 2009
There's a possibility that you have some kind of scalp infection (seborrheic dermatitis, psoriasis, eczema, folliculitis, etc.) that could be the underlying problem for the scalp inflammation. Alternatively, scalp itchiness can be a sign of new transplanted hair growth yet to come. The actual action of scratching your scalp itself might be causing the redness and inflammation. The good news is...
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How Hair Characteristics Play a Role in the Hair Transplant Result - Wednesday, June 03, 2009
Hair characteristics (color properties, thickness, etc.) can affect the overall result and appearance "illusion" of hair density in hair transplant surgery. Ultimately, thicker hair will result in more density with fewer follicular unit grafts. To accomplish the same level of hair density as a patient with thick hair, patients with thin hair may need...
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Is Hair Dye Safe to use with a Hair Transplant? - Thursday, May 28, 2009
Transplanted hair responds to the chemicals of hair dye the same way natural hair does. For those who dye their hair, the key is to find treatments with lower concentrations of damaging chemicals and don't use them too frequently. To learn more about which hair dyes...
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Will Health Insurance Cover Hair Transplant Surgery? - Wednesday, May 27, 2009
This topic has been discussed several times on our hair restoration forum. Whereas some have conjectured situations where it may be possible we have not seen or heard about a a case yet where health insurance covered their hair transplant surgery. Surgical hair restoration is an elective...
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How Long Will I Be Numb After a Hair Transplant? - Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Postoperative numbness after a hair transplant may only last a few days or could take several months or even up to a year to dissipate. In my personal experience, any numbness only lasted a few days for my first two hair restoration procedures...
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