Most people realize that there are a number of medical professionals out there who are referred to as hair restoration surgeons. They effectively treat men and women who are losing their hair with the most appropriate restoration procedure possible in order to target their personal needs. Basically, the hair restoration surgeon should have undergone a lot of education and training before they ever performed their first surgery. So what all is involved when a person endeavors to be a surgeon of this nature?
Hair restoration surgery is a form of micro surgery since the elements involved in these procedures are very small, namely the hair follicles. The potential surgeon must be accustomed to and familiarize themselves with the devices, materials, and tools that are necessary for the surgical procedure. This is critical since this type of procedure is completely different from other procedures in the medical and surgical field. Another key factor here is the fact that normal surgical tools are not used in these procedures.
The education that is involved in becoming a hair restoration surgeon is nothing short of intense. It is an extremely [click to continue…]
For many individuals suffering with hair loss, hair restoration surgery is their only option. However, finding the best restoration procedure is sometimes a difficult endeavor. It is also challenging when it comes to finding the best hair restoration clinic and surgeons for having the procedure performed. The following are three suggestions to consider once you begin searching.
Cutting costs might mean sacrificing quality – granted, everyone today operates on a budget or at least tries to stick with one. However, trying to cut costs where any hair restoration procedure is concerned might mean that you will be skimping on quality and then being unhappy with the outcome. The cheapest is not necessarily the best and by the same token, you don’t need to go with the most expensive in order to be assured of quality results. You need to be aware of how the clinic accrues the charges for the procedure as well as if there are any hidden fees to deal with. [click to continue…]
The International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery (ISHRS) released numerous statistics regarding hair loss and the restoration procedures used to correct it through 2009. The categories are broken down in a number of areas in order to explain how prolific hair restoration surgeries have become.
Statistics on worldwide hair restoration procedures
As of 2009, roughly 220,500 hair restoration procedures had been performed worldwide with the breakdown as follows:
- nearly 79,000 in Asia
- just over 3,100 in Australia
- nearly 5,300 in Canada
- over 32,300 in Europe
- over 13,100 in Mexico/Central and South America
- nearly 21,000 in the Middle East
- just under 99,000 in the US
Money spent on hair restoration procedures
Based on the number of hair restoration procedures performed and then multiplied by the average fee for that procedure, the following statistics were revealed:
- $1,760,994,136 in Australian Dollars (AUD)
- $1,536,263,299 in Canadian Dollars (CAD)
- €971,501,957 in Europe (EUR)
- $1,268,590,668 in US dollars (USD) [click to continue…]
Unbeknown to a lot of individuals, hair restoration address more issues than a balding scalp and receding hair line. Today, these restoration procedures can be used to correct other areas of the body including the eyebrows. The right hair restoration procedure can correct growth defects in this area just as easily as it does on the scalp and other areas of the body such as the arms, chest, and legs.
For the most part, eyebrow hair restoration procedures were developed to correct certain growth disorders. The eyebrows play a significant role where the safety of the eyes is concerned. Most people don’t realize that they protect the eyes from airborne contaminants and dirt, and if there are hair growth disorders present, the safety of the eyes could be jeopardized. A restoration procedure can help to correct this so that no further risk of eye damage is possible.
In some cases, eyebrow disorders are genetic in nature. These disorders lead to the decline in eyebrow hair growth and the deterioration of them. This typically attributed to an inactivation or a lack of genes involved in the production of eyebrow strands. When eyebrow deterioration is present, the gene that stimulates the growth and production of hair is lacking in the individual. [click to continue…]
Depending on the extent of the condition, hair restoration surgery may or may not be initially recommended by your family doctor. They may discover that one of the three following elements of hair loss may exist in the course of their examination in order to determine whether a non-surgical or surgical approach to restoration will be wise:
- the condition has not progressed far enough to warrant any type of surgical hair restoration procedure
- the procedure should be considered in order to correct any further hair loss and thinning from continuing
- the condition has progressed to such an extent that there is no longer a sufficient quantity of healthy donor hair remaining and which can be transplanted to the recipient area of the scalp
In the case of the first and second aspects above, medical hair restoration may be recommended in order to either prevent further progression of the hair loss or as a pre-requisite prior to the surgical procedure. [click to continue…]
Why aesthetics come into play
Where any type of design process is concerned, aesthetics typically plays a significant role in that process. The same holds true when it comes to a hair restoration procedure as this can largely determine the outcome. When a person is losing their hair and is considering a restoration procedure to correct the condition, the goal is to achieve the most natural looking hairline possible and promoting healthier re-growth. This is one of the primary reasons why a hair restoration surgeon needs to be aesthetically inclined.
Just as the sculptor molds their clay or chisels their marble and strives to achieve these aesthetics, so too does the hair restoration surgeon. The end goal is the creation of a natural appearance for the client undergoing the procedure. Heredity and nature have usually created the “template” for density and distribution as well as the construction of the hairline. The closer the surgeon follows that template, the more natural the results will be once the procedure is performed.
No matter how densely or perfectly executed the hair restoration surgery is performed, it could be artificial in appearance if the end result is not natural looking. So the goal is to perform the procedure in such a manner as to make these results unnoticeable so that those around you have no clue that you had the surgery done. Just as the implantation of the follicles is supposed to mimic the natural growth pattern of your hair, the overall design of that pattern needs mimic the nature of it on a gross level. [click to continue…]
There are roughly 800 hair restoration surgeons today that are members of a non-profit medical organization known as the ISHRS. The organization was founded in 1993 as a volunteer entity to advance and promote both the art and the science of hair loss while providing continuing education in restoration procedures or techniques. In addition to ongoing education for licensed hair restoration surgeons, the ISHRS publishes a journal on a bi-monthly basis known as the “hair Transplant Forum International.”
The organization encourages the interchanging of experience, ideas, and knowledge amongst its members in order to improve the hair restoration industry. The ISHRS also operates as a public resource for the latest medical, non-surgical, and surgical procedures used to treat hair loss and related issues. They also hold Annual Scientific Meetings worldwide while supporting live surgery and regional workshops in numerous locations during the calendar year.
Research grants are offered to the members of the organization in order to promote hair restoration, medical, and surgical research. They have created and published the book, Core Curriculum for Hair Restoration Surgery to enhance the educational process of their members. Additionally, the ISHRS also publishes brochures for the purposes of patient education (in different languages) on a global scale. There are articles, photos, and testimonials available at their website http://www.ishrs.org. [click to continue…]
There are several hair restoration surgeries being practiced today which target the specific needs of the individual that is experiencing hair loss and a thinning hairline. Sometimes these restoration surgeries exhibit extremely high success rates. For instance, Follicular Unit Transplantation or FUT as it is referred to typically results in a re-growth yield of 95% to 99% in many patients. However, hair restoration surgeries that result in about a 50% yield are considered to be unsuccessful.
So why is it that hair restoration surgery works for some and not for others? There could be a number of reasons for this but by far the most common is that the procedure is done when there is not a sufficient quantity of healthy donor hair. The experienced surgeon will usually recognize this and may refuse to perform the surgery in your best interests. Just remember that there are those surgeons with little experience that are trying to build a name for themselves and their clinics and might ill-advise the surgery. [click to continue…]
If you are considering having hair restoration surgery or have recently had a procedure performed, your surgeon most likely stated some precautions that you should take so that the process is successful. You are going to experience a normal amount of “shock loss” wherein the transplanted hair will fall out once the restoration procedure has been performed. This is a normal part of the hair restoration process when surgery is done to correct any balding or thinning condition, so there is no cause for alarm.
However, the consumption of certain products can have a negative impact on the overall hair restoration process. You need to be aware of the potential effects that alcohol, herbal products, medications, and tobacco on the procedure and the negative consequences that you could be subject to when using these after your surgery. The following information will give you an idea of the risk factors involved. [click to continue…]
Many people today have discovered the benefits of hair restoration surgery and have successfully regained their original appearance and a full head of hair once they had the restoration procedure performed. However, there are still others who haven’t taken advantage of these procedures for a number of reasons. Granted, they have consulted with a hair restoration surgeon who recommended the procedure that they felt would benefit the individual the most. But still they procrastinate and don’t take action.
Despite realizing that this is their only option and knowing that they could benefit from the hair restoration surgery that their surgeon recommended, they are hesitant at going through with it. So, what are the reasons for this hesitation? What is it that stops people from having the procedure performed? From what we have discovered, there are three primary fears involved on behalf of these individuals that cause them to hesitate about having the surgery done. [click to continue…]
