Surgical Hair Restoration
Most people considering surgical hair restoration are not aware of the scope and the pitfalls of this medical specialty. While some patients may understand the basic science behind these procedures, few are aware of the aesthetics and artistry required to perform them well. And not all doctors who claim to do the procedure are as skilled as they perhaps should be.
Flashy marketing and high-pressure sales pitches dominate the field, making truly objective and rational decision-making sometimes difficult. In general, hair restoration or transplantation is handled not so much as the medical specialty that it is and one that serves patients, but as a business that serves consumers.
Michele Rosenthal of Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., has tried every styling trick in the book to make her hair look thicker. She’s grown bangs to provide the illusion of more hair in the front and uses wide headbands to make it look fuller in the back. She is self-conscious about her hair and over the years it has affected her. On dates, when a man would ask her to let her hair down, she often found herself exclaiming, “Don’t touch the headband!” Rosenthal has dealt with thinning hair since the age...
Read the Caring for Your Thinning Hair article > >
Hair restoration includes surgical and nonsurgical techniques. Surgical hair restoration includes hair transplantation and other techniques including those not recommended by the American Hair Loss Association. Hair transplantation is the most recommended technique in surgical hair restoration.
The AHLA fully endorses surgical hair restoration for those candidates who can benefit from the procedure. It is important to note, however, that there are only a handful of qualified surgeons and surgical staffs performing hair restoration surgery in the U.S. and worldwide. It pays to learn which questions to ask during consultations as well as what to look for and what to avoid when choosing a hair restoration surgeon.
For more information, see:
Understanding Surgical Hair Restoration
Surgical Hair Restoration: Are You a Candidate?
Surgical Hair Restoration in Women
Preparing for Surgical Hair Restoration
History of Surgical Hair Restoration
Published on March 1, 2010
WebMD Medical Reference from the American Hair Loss Association
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