Questions to ask yourself before getting a hair transplant

If you are one of the several people suffering from thinning hair or if you are going bald, then you may be interested in getting a hair transplant. However, there are some questions you need to ask yourself before deciding if a transplant is right for you. By answering the questions below, you can get a good idea if hair transplant surgery is the way to go.

Why are you losing your hair?

It is very important to know exactly what the cause of your alopecia is, because in some cases, hair may grow back. For instance, if you have had chemotherapy recently, your hair may return, but it depends on what drug you were given. This is where you should talk to your oncologist to find out if the drug causes temporary or permanent hair loss.

Do you have enough hair left for a hair transplant to work?

If you leave it too late, you may find you have lost so much hair that there are not enough follicles left to make a hair transplant a viable option. Only a hair clinic expert can tell you this though, so you should get a consultation. The good news is that in a couple of years it is possible that hair follicle stem cell research will have reached the point where a lot of hair can easily be regrown from a few cells. 

Can you afford a hair transplant?

You can’t have a transplant unless you can pay the fee. There is the physician and clinic fees as well as the cost of the procedure to consider. Taking into account hair transplant cost is an important part of planning where you can have the procedure and if it is possible with your financial situation. In many cases, becoming a medical tourist works out the most affordable, even with the cost of travel and accommodation.

Are you healthy enough for a hair transplant?

This may seem surprising, because a hair transplant is a minimally invasive surgical procedure. However, it does involve cutting into the skin and, therefore, there is a risk of infection. Provided you are healthy, this is not a problem but if you suffer from chronic illness that is poorly managed, then the risk of complications increases. For instance, if you have uncontrolled diabetes or are in heart failure. Consult with your doctor and hair clinic physicians to find out if you qualify for hair transplant surgery.

Which hair transplant procedure should you have?

You may have heard of the FUT, FUE, sapphire FUE, and DHI procedures. These are all different hair transplant methods, and each one has pros and cons. Taking into account both the affordability and the best outcomes, the FUE and sapphire FUE are to be recommended. The FUT is outdated and gives worse results from the point of view of scarring, and the DHI is too new with fewer individuals able to perform the procedure; the DHI is also likely to be unaffordable for most people.