Hair transplant is a procedure people go through to add more hair to a balding area or the entire head. This could be as a result of balding or hair thinning. Usually, the planted hair strands can be harvested from areas with thicker hair, including the scalp, beard, and other body parts. For people who do not want to live with balding or receding hair levels, they can go ahead and look for a hair transplant doctor for the procedure.
Does Hair Transplant Work?
This is a common question amongst people considering the procedure. The answer is yes. Among all the possible ways of restoring hair, transplantation is the most successful, with a range of up to 80% of grafted hair growing within three to four months. However, this can be challenging for people with dormant hair follicles, even though plasma therapy can help.
When Should One Get Hair Transplant?
The other question that most people ask when considering hair transplantation is whether it is the right time to do it. The truth is, there is no direct or easy way of answering this question, but after considering different factors that may affect the procedure, it should be easy to answer this. As hair transplant specialists will advise, numerous factors may affect someone’s candidature of someone’s candidature in the first place.
If you are the candidate, you should not feel lost when considering the procedure. During your visit to the transplant clinic, the specialist you find there will advise you accordingly. The conversation you have will also set things on the right course. Essentially, though, you will have to discuss the following factors.
Personal Factors that Determine When to Have a Hair Transplant
Various personal factors may affect your eligibility to have a hair transplant procedure for starters. If you are unsure about some of them, a hair transplant specialist can advise you better. Some of these personal deciding factors include the following:
- Your stage of hair loss
- Your age
- How healthy the donor area is
- Your expectations as the patient
- Whether you are psychologically, physically, and mentally ready
To be on the safe side, in this case, you should have your medical history handy. Also, provide the full history to the specialist handling your case. If there is a history of baldness and hair thinning in your family, inform them about it too.
Stages of Baldness
The stage of your baldness is another factor that may affect your candidature. Knowing where you fall will help you to decide and plan better. The stages are:
- Stages 1 and 2: The two stages are characterized by light hair loss. Hair may start to recede but slightly without any significant changes to the crown. By stage two, temple hair loss may start to recede further.
- Stage 3: At this stage, baldness is now a bit more apparent. Temple line hair recession continues, and now there is little to no hair left around the temples.
- Stage 4: During stage 4, it is clear that you are experiencing male pattern baldness. There will also be noticeable bald spots, patchy hair loss along the front and back of the head, and thinning at the crown.
- Stage 5: At stage 5, the individual now starts to exhibit signs of a horseshoe-shaped hairline. At this point, baldness is now entering a more severe stage and may become a more significant challenge to treat.
- Stage 6: If one gets to stage 6 of balding, it means they have lost a significant portion of their hair. Any remaining hair strands on their crown become thinner, meaning it provides little to no coverage to the scalp.
- Stage 7: When one is at stage 7 of baldness, they have complete baldness. The head’s top is now completely bald, with no chance of recovering the hair unless with a procedure.
Depending on the stage you are in, you may or may not be the right candidate for a hair transplant. Therefore, you will need to consider the severity of your hair’s recession before you decide to undergo the transplant.
When is the Right Time to Get a Hair Transplant?
It should be easier to decide whether you qualify for a hair transplant with all the considerations done. Generally, though, there is no ripe stage when one should have the procedure, but if you are at a baldness stage that you feel is too much, then you probably should talk to a specialist.
While at it, in a nutshell, consider the following factors:
- Your Age: If you are in your early 20’s, your hairline is still forming. This may probably not be the right time for the procedure.
- Your Expectations: You do not have to worry about the results, as long as you trust a reliable specialist. However, if you are not sure of the procedure, give yourself some time.
- The Cost of Hair Transplantation: Hair transplantation is not cheap. Therefore, deciding to have one may be affected by your financial power.
- The Recovery Time: The recovery time after the procedure may vary considerably. The procedure you use is one of the factors that may affect the recovery time. Therefore, have that in mind beforehand too.
Get Started
Once you have considered every factor, go ahead with your plan. It would be best to do due diligence and the right homework on the right specialists to approach. In the end, you should have the much-needed peace of mind if you are not worrying about the procedure having been done at the wrong time.