Hair Transplant Frequently Asked Questions

A. The most common cause of hair loss is inheritance. Men and women inherit the gene for hair loss from either or both parents. Men are most commonly affected by the inherited gene as the hormone, testosterone, activates the genetic program causing loss of hair follicles. Currently, there is no known method of stopping this type of hair loss. The age of onset, extent and rate of hair loss vary from person to person. Severe illness, malnutrition, or vitamin deficiency can accelerate this process. When applied incorrectly, permanent hair colour and chemical relaxers damage the hair and follicle to the extent that hair loss can be permanent. Causes of hair loss do not include wearing a hat, excessive shampooing, lack of blood flow, or clogged pores.

A. Yes. The transplanted hair is removed from one area of the body (donor site) and transferred to another (recipient site). The transferred tissue is not “rejected” as it is not foreign tissue. The transplanted hair maintains its own characteristics; colour, texture, growth rate, and curl, after transplantation and regrowth. The vitality of the grafted follicle is maintained by the rich blood supply to the scalp. Originally, large circular grafts containing 15-20 hairs were transplanted resulting in noticeable and unnatural results. Over the years, instruments and techniques have been developed that allow us to achieve truly natural results by transplanting small grafts very close together. We have found that hair grows from the scalp in groups of one, two, and three hair follicles. We transfer these groups of follicles after eliminating the excess surrounding fatty tissue. This allows the grafts to be placed closer together resulting in a denser and more natural result.

A. The postoperative course will depend on adherence to the instructions given after surgery. Small scabs will form on the scalp at the graft sites. Generally speaking, these scabs disappear in 4-7days. Shampooing can be resumed 24 hours after surgery. The suture (stitch) used in the donor area is undetectable as it is completely covered by your existing hair. An appointment will be made for the suture to be removed one week after surgery. It is advisable to take at least two days off work after surgery. A baseball type cap can be worn at any time after surgery. Patients should avoid strenuous physical activity for at least five days after surgery. Typically the grafted hair will shed in 2-4 weeks. New growth will begin in 3-4 months and length will increase approximately 1/2 inch per month.

A. Most people are surprised at how little pain there is during the procedure. Some discomfort is to be expected as the anaesthetic is injected into the scalp. Once the skin is anaesthetized, there is no pain. If the numbing medicine wears off during the course of the procedure, more is injected to re-anaesthetize the area.

A. The grafts form small scabs in the days after the procedure. If one has enough surrounding hair, these scabs can be camouflaged with creative styling. If not, the small scabs may be visible but do not attract much attention. By keeping the scalp moist, the scabs usually come off in about a week or so.

A. Depending on the type of procedure you have done and the type of work you do, it is often possible to go back to work the next day. Your hair restoration surgeon will discuss this with you during the consultation.

A. Hair transplantation is more expensive than a hairpiece or some alternative treatments. However considering that the results are relatively immediate, and the transplanted hair should grow in its new location for the rest of your life, most people consider it a good investment in their future happiness. The number of sessions required will depend on 1) area of scalp treated 2) the number and size of grafts used and 3)the density which the patient desires 4) the individual characteristics of the patient, e.g. coarse hair will provide a more dense look than fine hair. The estimate of the number of sessions can be discussed during the consultation with your surgeon.

A. The field of hair restoration surgery (HRS) is made up of physicians from many backgrounds including dermatology, plastic surgery, general surgery, family practice, ENT, and many others. Unfortunately, training in HRS in the typical residency is rarely at the same level as is performed today. That is why post-graduate education in HRS is so important and why the ISHRS is so important today in educating those physicians wishing to practice this speciality. In addition, ISHRS offers post-residency fellowship training positions in several centres around the world.

A. Most people with hair loss will find that they are eligible for a hair transplant. Advances in technology and refinement of techniques have made the surgery possible for most types of hair curl, grouping and thickness. Free consultation with our board-certified hair restoration surgeon is the best way to determine your eligibility.

A. Patients in their early 20s may be good candidates for hair transplantation. In cases with young patients, future hair loss must be carefully considered to ensure an aesthetically viable long term outcome. Additionally, a second hair transplant procedure after a few years may be considered as new areas of hair loss develop. Determining a family history of hair loss greatly improves the ability of the hair restoration surgeon to determine the best course of treatment. It is especially important to consider non-surgical methods to preserve the ‘natural’ or ‘native’ hair.

A. Anyone who is fit enough to undergo a multi-hour surgery with waking sedation can undergo hair transplant surgery. We have conducted successful hair transplant surgery on several patients in their seventies with good results. It really all depends on the general overall health of the individual. High blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease and other chronic medical ailments can rule you out as a good candidate; however, if conditions are well managed they may not be a determining factor at all. Ultimately our board-certified hair restoration surgeon will determine your individual fitness for surgery to ensure your safety first.

A. A region of balding or thinning scalp the size of a closed fist requires approximately 1500 grafts to fill in appropriately. The number of grafts required is best determined during a consultation with your hair transplant surgeon.

A. Anyone who is fit enough to undergo a multi-hour surgery with waking sedation can undergo hair transplant surgery. We have conducted successful hair transplant surgery on several patients in their seventies with good results. It really all depends on the general overall health of the individual. High blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease and other chronic medical ailments can rule you out as a good candidate; however, if conditions are well managed they may not be a determining factor at all. Ultimately our board-certified hair restoration surgeon will determine your individual fitness for surgery to ensure your safety first.

A. Follicular Unit Transplantation or FUT for short is a process of removing a thin strip of hair-bearing scalp from the donor region of the scalp. The hair follicles are dissected into 1-3 hair groups under a high powered microscope and implanted into premade incisions to fill in bald or thinning regions of the scalp. The process produces a thin scar that is easily covered by hair. Once again the hairline will be completely natural-appearing. The main advantage to the FUT or often referred to as a “Strip” hair transplant is that it’s usually less expensive than an FUE and that with a FUT procedure it is possible to implant more hair per session so it is usually a better choice for patients with higher Norwood class hair loss.

A. At Sure Hair International, our average hair transplant sessions usually cost between $6750 – $8750 + HST. The best way to get a final price for your specific case is to sign up for a free hair loss consultation at Sure Hair International.

A. Yes, at Sure Hair International we work with Medicard and Paybright, companies that offer simple and affordable medical financing solutions.

A. Full recovery from your hair transplant will require 7 to 14 days. Depending on the type of surgery, FUE requires a shorter recovery period than a FUT surgery, you should be able to return to most of your regular activities with 2-3 days with the exception of strenuous physical activity. Returning to work may be at the longer end of the 7-14 day spectrum if you cannot wear a hat at work or if your work environment is dusty or dirty.

A. Yes, and that is very common, your surgeon may recommend more than one session to obtain the optimal results. A second hair transplant can be performed many years later to accommodate future hair loss. It can be a strip (FUT) or FUE transplant.

A. The surgery can take anywhere from 10-12 hours depending on the complexity and size of the case.

A. Hair transplants are a permanent solution to hair loss. Regions of the scalp that possess permanent hair have been determined by the careful study of thousands of balding scalps. Hair grafts are only harvested from these permanent regions to ensure the baldness will not occur in those regions again. When grafts are moved from the donor area in the back of the scalp to the recipient site (typically the front of the scalp or the crown area), then these grafts show ‘donor dominance’, that is they retain the permanence of the donor area.

A. Women have excellent success with hair transplants.

A. At Sure Hair, our hair transplantation procedures are ALWAYS performed and supervised by board-certified hair restoration surgeons. We recommend that any procedure involving hair transplantation be performed and supervised by a surgeon. Please be aware that at some clinics this is not the case. Always be sure to research establishments offering hair restoration services.

A. At Sure Hair, our hair transplantation procedures are ALWAYS performed and supervised by board-certified hair restoration surgeons. Hair transplantation is a very specialized surgery, there are many details that must be executed perfectly in order to have a natural-looking final result, doctors or clinics that offer general cosmetic surgery procedures do not usually possess the very well-honed and specialized skills and techniques required to do the very best job possible. Our advice would be to have your surgery performed at a clinic that is exclusively focused on the practice of hair transplantation for the best possible results.

A. Hair transplants are performed with waking sedation. The anaesthetic used, prevents the patient from feeling any pain during the procedure and at worst some patients describe some minor discomfort during the initial anesthetization which passes quickly. During recovery, we work with our patients to ensure that they have adequate pain management and most patients are pain-free shortly after surgery.

A. Hair transplants require a very high skill level. At Sure Hair, our board-certified hair restoration surgeon and his current medical team have performed 1000’s of successful hair transplants for over 20 years.

A. Immediately after surgery, the transplanted area may have some very small circular scabs that will last less than a week. They can be covered by hat during that time. The small scars left by FUE are almost undetectable shortly after the surgery. A FUT excision scar will only be visible if hair surrounding the scar is worn extremely short.

A. The full results from your hair transplant will be apparent within 12 months. The hair restoration surgeon will meet with you during this time to access and track your progress. Most patients begin seeing some very evident hair growth within 4-6 months.

A. At Sure Hair, you will get a top-quality hair transplant performed by a highly experienced medical team including a board-certified hair restoration surgeon. The surgeon will be with you for every step of the process from consultation, surgery, and follow-up. At SureHair, we provide individualized care and are sensitive to the needs of our patients ensuring safety, quality, and satisfaction. Each of the staff has been with the clinic for at least 15 years and the team has performed thousands of procedures together as a team, in fact, the medical team at Sure Hair International posses over 100 years of cumulative hair transplantation experience. We use the latest technology available anywhere. The clinic is dedicated to hair transplants and does not perform other cosmetic procedures; we specialize in just hair transplants!