Who Can Have A Hair Transplant?

What is a hair transplant?

A hair transplant procedure is a minimally invasive surgery to restore hair loss permanently. Most people will experience hair loss issues at some point in their lives. Although there are a variety of different treatment options to enhance and restore hair, many of them provide temporary effects as well as limited results. Because hair means a sexually appealing look for many people, they would like to get the best hair look they can. So they opt for surgery even if it is more invasive than such treatments as PRP, medications, and wigs. However, not everyone is eligible or a good candidate for a hair transplant procedure. You and your doctor should first make sure that you will benefit from this surgery or your risk of complications is not high.

Who can have a hair transplant procedure?

Actually, anyone who would like to restore their hair can have a hair transplant procedure. There are no certain limits to this type of procedure; but still, there are a variety of factors that will make you a bad candidate for such a medical procedure.

Age is still a factor

However, a good candidate for a hair transplant procedure is generally 25- 65 years of age. If you are younger than 25 years of age, you had better postpone this procedure because your hair loss pattern can change over time or your hair can regrow with medications and other treatments. Also if you are older than 65, you may not get full benefits from a hair transplant surgery as people over the age of 65 tend to have thin hair and very little hair on the donor area.

The cause of hair loss is an important factor, too

You cannot have a hair transplant procedure if you have autoimmune skin conditions such as alopecia areata. Alopecia areata may flare up in the future, leading to bald patches. So you will have to have a hair transplant procedure many times with only temporary effects. Also, if you have hormonal issues and nutrient deficiencies, you should not have a hair transplant procedure as you will get your hair back as soon as these issues are treated. You should first correct all of your health conditions that may be the underlying cause of hair loss to decide if you will benefit from this procedure.

How healthy you are matters a lot

Even though a hair transplant procedure is pretty easy as compared to difficult and invasive surgeries, it still is a medical procedure. So you need to be in a good health condition, you may be at risk of complications from the surgery. Patients with chronic health conditions such as heart disease or cancer and those who have to take medications are not eligible for a hair transplant procedure. So your doctor will first listen to your medical history, conduct a physical examination, and run some tests to make sure that you are healthy enough for this procedure. After all, a hair transplant procedure is a type of surgery and your doctor will make small incisions on your scalp, if not deep cuts.

You need a healthy donor area

A hair transplant procedure is basically taking hair follicles from the donor area and transferring them into the balding areas of your scalp. The donor area is usually behind your neck as the hair follicles in this area are resistant to the effects of DHT hormone, which is responsible for the most common hair loss, namely, male-pattern hair loss. If you do not have a sufficient amount of hair follicles in the donor area, you will not be satisfied with the results of the procedure.