The Perfect Age for Hair Transplants

More and more frequently, hair transplants are becoming the preferred method of combating baldness in both men and women. Choosing to get a hair transplant is a big decision, and one that should not be made in haste. A receding hairline in young adults is common, but, if a hair transplantation procedure is done at a young age, it can have serious health consequences.

What is the right age for a hair transplant, and why does it matter? These are the questions that we’ll answer today. Hair loss can affect all age groups, and while it can be embarrassing, it’s important to understand that you must take age into consideration when electing to undergo a hair transplant procedure.

When you’re in your 20s, it’s hard to clearly determine what type of balding pattern you’ll have in the future. This means that if more resistant hair follicles are placed in your frontal hairline, the hairs behind it will begin to recede. In other words, the transplanted hair grows successfully, while the hair all around may continue falling. As a result, having a hair transplant done at a very young age may cause unnatural, patchy baldness, and what’s worse—it is extremely difficult to fix hair that has already received transplants.

One of the keys in determining whether a person is a good candidate for a hair transplant is if he or she has a steady supply of donor hair sufficient enough to cover current and potential hair loss. As we said, it’s difficult to determine this in younger individuals, so it’s best to wait. Generally, the safer solution for younger individuals is to take certain medications to stabilize the hair loss.

Hair restoration professionals recommend waiting until your early thirties when your expected balding pattern can be clearly identified, and you can get a more natural looking transplant. It’s key to consult a professional before moving forward with any hair transplant procedure, and even if you have to wait before you’re considered a potential hair transplant candidate, that doesn’t mean that baldness is the only option.

Visit us today at Hair Restoration Specialists, and we’ll find the best hair solution for you, no matter what your background or individual needs may be. If you have any questions or would like to book a free consultation, feel free to contact us at info@hrsatl.com or at (404)-231-3100.

Post Operative Care

Once you’ve undergone hair transplant surgery, you’ll be anxious to see results quickly, and will want to jump right back into your normal routine. However, it may take several months to notice any significant change, and there are certain post-operative guidelines that you must follow if you hope to return to your old self.

A few hours after your procedure, and once the anesthetics have worn off, you’ll experience some pain, minor swelling, and soreness on your scalp, and it may also feel itchy. This is a very normal reaction, and with painkillers, these effects will ease off in a few days.

Here are a few safety and care tips to aid in a speedy recovery after your hair transplant.

    1. Allow someone to drive you home after the surgery, since the effects of the sedatives given before the procedure take some time to wear off. Attempting to perform a task like driving during this time can be incredibly dangerous and detrimental to your health.

 

    1. For the first few nights, you’ll want to sleep in an almost upright  position, keeping your head elevated. It’s crucial that you don’t rub or pick at the newly grafted areas, no matter how uncomfortable you may be. If you do, then it may cause them to fall out before they have a chance to grow new hairs. You can use an ice pack to reduce swelling or bleeding, but be careful to avoid the grafted area.

 

    1. When it comes to bathing, especially in the first few days after surgery, DO NOT take a high-pressure shower. It’s best to pour water on your head using only a cup. You can also gently massage shampoo in and around the donor area and scar to clear away the dried blood and scabs, but do not touch the transplanted hair. After roughly four to five days, you can resume bathing under normal water pressure, and at this point, you can also start gently running your fingertips through the transplanted hair, but avoid using your nails. By day 6, you can wash our hair as normal, while still being careful with the hair grafts.

 

  1. At all costs, avoid sun exposure while your scalp is still swollen. Be sure to wear a hat when you’re out in the sun, otherwise, your scalp may become permanently discolored. It’s recommended to wait for at least four to six months, until the transplant has reached full maturity.

You may have received dissolvable stitches, but if not, you will have to return to the clinic after some time to have them removed approximately two weeks after surgery. Overall, it’s a matter of being patient, and allowing your new hair grafts to develop safely. If you have any questions or concerns about your particular treatment, please feel free to contact us at Hair Restoration Specialists in Atlanta.

Hair Loss Myths Busted

Over the years, you may have heard some mixed ideas about hair loss, and with so much information available, it can become difficult to separate the facts from fiction.

Sometimes, this misinformation occurs because some companies try to perpetuate hair loss myths in order to promote their hair products.

While we can’t always trace the origins of these questionable tales, or even explain how many myths last for generations until proven false, we’re here to set the record straight and bust some of the most common hair loss myths. With this, we hope you’ll become a more educated consumer.

Myth #1: Cutting or shaving hair makes it grow back thicker and faster.

Hair grows at an average of half an inch per month, and each hair shaft is slightly thicker at its base compared to its tip. That means hair can appear thicker for roughly a week after it has been cut. Cutting hair, however, has no effect on each hair’s thickness or the number of hairs that will sprout from the follicles.

Myth #2: Coloring hair makes it fall faster.

There are many hair treatments, such as bleach and color can put a strain on your hair, and if the treatments are too strong, they can cause hair to break off near the scalp, but there is no hair treatment that will cause hereditary hair loss.

Myth #3: Hereditary hair loss comes from your mother’s side.

While there is a strong influence from the maternal side, hereditary hair loss can be passed on by either parent. Hair loss genes can skip generations, can affect male or female, and can have different effects on siblings in the same family.

Myth #4: If you wash your hair too often, you will go bald. 

This myth has become popular because it seems like hair shedding occurs more after washing your hair. While this can be frustrating, shampooing your hair does not cause hair loss. Unfortunately, people who believe in this myth may actually shampoo their hair less than necessary, which is, as you may imagine, counterproductive to the hygiene of your scalp. 

These are just a handful of some of the most common myths regarding hair loss. What else have you heard? Share your thoughts and questions with us right here, and we’ll be happy to help you. Please stay tuned for another round of myth busting, fun facts, hair care tips, and much more only at Hair Restoration Specialists Atlanta.