Prior to any surgery, we strongly recommend you discuss and share with your surgeon your expectations. People are generally pleased with the results and more than glad they made the time and investment.

All hair replacement techniques use existing hair. Grafts are not made using someone else’s hair; rather your surgeon decides the most efficient use for your existing hair and decides where transplants would be most effective.

The technique for surgical hair transplants is the same: taking hair from where it is currently growing and “moving” or transplanting it to an area on your scalp where you have lost hair. Therefore, to be able to have this procedure, you MUST have healthy hair on your scalp, healthy hair which is “available” to be transplanted. The areas where healthy hair grows are referred to as “donor areas,” as they will become the donors for other areas where the hair is thinning or bald. Your hair color, texture, degree of curl all affect the final outcome and appearance.

In short, you can have surgical hair transplant if you have enough donor hair. This surgery takes about 4 hours depending on how many grafts you want and will forever solve your hair loss problem. The procedure will look natural and no one will know you even had it. Your new hair will gradually grow in and before you know it you hair loss problem will be solved. No more taking medication that doesn't work or having to wear a baseball cap.

Choosing to have a permanent hair replacement surgery will be the best decision you ever made for your self confidence. It is generally painless and within a couple weeks of having surgery there will be no visible signs of surgery.

Realistic goals are a mutual obligation of both doctor and client – and only by discussing expectations, an individualized treatment plan, and sharing historical experiences of what other clients have experienced, can realistic goals be established.

This is the doctor’s legal obligation. Every hair follicle lost because of genetic balding (androgenic alopecia) is lost forever. The combination of art and technique cannot overcome limitations in the quality or quantity of the supply of hair. Generally, the more hair lost, the less full the appearance of the restored hair. All hair restoration procedures, including hair transplantation, actually move hair from one place on the head to another. New hair is not created, but redistributed from the back and sides of the head (where there is an abundant supply) to areas where there is little or none. No surgical procedures create new hair. Scalp reductions do not preserve hair for use in transplants, as some physicians claim. Traditional large 4 mm hair transplant grafts, transfer plugs of hair into bald areas, creating patches of hairy skin and thus create the doll's head look, so commonly associated with hair transplants.

In modern hair transplantation, very small naturally growing groups of hair follicles are moved. These follicular grafts are less noticeable than larger grafts and are indistinguishable from the natural groups of hair growing in adjacent areas of the scalp. The grafts are placed into a pinhole that may leave no discernible scar. The density of the transplanted hair in its new location cannot equal the density of the hair that was originally in that location. In thinning areas, transplanted hair can significantly increase the apparent density by adding hair follicles or groups of hairs and mixing these with existing hair. The key is to add density inconspicuously. The hair in the new location must appear as full and natural as possible.

Unless a very bald man has a high hair density and a loose scalp, there is not enough hair to cover the entire head. A very thin head of hair, a very conservative, high hairline, and/or deliberately leaving the crown area un-grafted or very thin, may be the only available options; this must be understood when a patient makes the decision to have surgery. This is particularly true if the patient's hair density is below average. In patients with extensive hair loss and low-density of donor hair, there is no way that transplantation can achieve a full head of hair. Special artistic techniques, however, can exploit what hair remains. Many of these individuals will be satisfied with a high hairline that does not have a distinct edge. This produces a natural but well-framed thin look. High contrast hair-to-skin color combinations make more advanced hair loss harder to restore.

While a doctor is responsible for sharing historical experiences and preparing the client for procedures, clients too, have a responsibility to educate themselves and do their own research. We expect clients to review material presented and ask questions for clarification. An educated client is a satisfied client because it eliminates the possibility of “surprise” or “I didn’t know” or “how come you didn’t tell me.“ We appreciate educated clients because these are the kind of clients that can distinguish between gimmick and truth in advertising and separate wishful hoping from actual possibility. In this way, both the client can leave satisfied, and the doctor too, feels as if his/her services were used to facilitate someone’s goals and increase a client’s sense of wellness.

Managing expectations and time.

During your introductory meeting with your surgeon, the two of you review your family history of hair loss – as well as your personal history, discuss whether you’ve had other elective hair transplant procedures, evaluate your hair growth and loss – and most importantly discuss your expectations.

When you discuss expectations, we advise that you ask your doctor to give you an idea of what to expect with regard to procedure, healing time, and what the final outcome will look like.

Your surgeon will ask about your lifestyle and share with you results you can expect when complete. Medical conditions that could cause problems during or after surgery, such as uncontrolled high blood pressure, blood-clotting or the tendency to form excessive scars, should all be discussed in exhaustive detail.

You will need to tell your surgeon of ANY medications you regularly take or have taken within the past few weeks as well as an overview of your health. Do not be bashful. We have heard it all before and we can only make the most informed decision about the best course of treatment based on your hair condition, health, and expectations if you give us a complete and accurate picture.

When you leave the office we want you to understand your procedure completely. If you do not, stay, and ask questions, until you do. Be sure you understand the amount of time required for each graft procedure, the number of sessions predicted for your individual case, and the number of grafts performed during each session.

African American Hair Transplants

If you're specifically looking for a surgeon experienced in providing African American hair transplants, Dr. Scott Frayser has the expertise you are looking for. African American patients receive the best hair transplant results from follicular unit micrografts.

Excellent results can be achieved for African American patients. Since the hair can be so curly, certain techniques are used to prepare and transplant the grafts. African American Hair Follicles are curved under the skin and require slightly larger grafts. Additional testing is performed to check for the possibility of keloidal scarring. And fortunately, even in those with a history of forming them, keloid scarring rarely occurs in the scalp with proper surgical technique.

If you have any questions about African American hair transplants, as well as follicular units, hair replacement, or anything else, please contact us.