The More you know about hair restoration the easier it will be to decide what is best for you. To assist you, we have composed a list of commonly asked questions with answers.
What does a consultation with HTCS entail?
Is hair transplantation for men only?
Does transplanted hair differ from "normal" hair?
Will the new hair be as strong?
Will the transplanted hair look natural?
Are Transplantation or Scalp Reduction extensive procedures?
What about pain?
How long will I spend at the Clinic?
What am I doing while my treatment is taking place?
Tell me about the after care, dressing, bandages, etc.?
What happens immediately following transplantation?
Explain steps of scalp reduction?
Do all hair restoration specialists perform Scalp Reduction?
Can Hair Transplantation and Scalp Reduction be done the same day?
Will I be upset by the appearance after the dressing has been removed?
Is it a good idea to keep scalp covered by a hat or hair-piece?
How soon can I exercise after treatments?
What about swimming?
How soon can I cut, dye, style or perm my hair?
Should I avoid exposure to sunlight?
When will the transplanted hair actually grow?
How many grafts are placed at each session?
Will all grafts grow?
What is the time interval between hair transplants if more than is required?
What is the time interval between scalp reductions if more than one is required?
Are all patients satisfied?
Can you predict hair loss?
What is the hair loss curve?
What is the Hamilton Classification?
What about the "toothbrush, doll's hair or picket fence" appearance?
How is the cost of hair restoration estimated?
What is the guarantee?
Are HTCS prices competitive?
What's next?
What does a consultation with HTCS entail?
At a private, confidential, consultation with Dr. Hause, you will be examined and given a complete explanation of hair restoration as it applies to you. Based on your individual needs and desires, a customized plan will be devised and discussed. You will also be quoted a fee for the treatment proposed. There is no fee for consultation. Should you decide on hair restoration your doctor will guide you at all stages from consultation to completion.
Top
Is hair transplantation for men only?
Not at all. Women achieve excellent results. Women seldom develop advanced baldness and it is relatively simple to thicken existing hair with the thicker better quality hair from the back of the scalp.
Top
Does transplanted hair differ from "normal" hair?
Transplanted hair is normal hair. It can be combed, washed, styled, permed, and dyed in the normal manner. No special care is needed.
Top
Will the new hair be as strong?
Initially, the new grown hair tends to be fine and slightly curled, but as the months go by the transplanted hair will become stronger and straighter.
Top
Will the transplanted hair look natural?
At HTCS, we pride ourselves on achieving a natural appearance. If you follow recommendations, you will be very satisfied with the results.
Top
Are Transplantation or Scalp Reduction extensive procedures?
No. Hair Transplantation and Scalp Reduction, as performed at HTCS, are minor procedures done under local anesthetic. Complications are rare and easily treated should they occur. Patients return home immediately after the procedure and usually resume work the following day.
Top
What about pain?
Once local anesthetic has been given the procedure is painless. At the Clinic special techniques are used to minimize the discomfort of local anesthesia. The majority of our patients comment on the ease with which the procedures are done.
Top
How long will I spend at the Clinic?
Length of time depends on the extent of treatment scheduled. An average time is about 2 1/2 to 3 hours per procedure.
Top
What am I doing while my treatment is taking place?
You may watch T.V, read, listen to music or engage in conversation. Each treatment room is equipped with TV., VCR, piped music and reading materials.
Top
Tell me about the after care, dressing, bandages, etc.?
Following treatment a light compression bandage is placed on the transplant site. This is easily concealed with the woolen cap provided. This bandage may be easily removed at home the following morning or by our staff should you prefer to come to the clinic. In the case of hair transplantation, we advise shampoo on the second day after treatment. An instruction sheet is provided relating to shower, shampoo, hair dryers, etc. Routine hair care can be resumed after 48 hours. Donor area sutures are removed in seven days.
Top
What happens immediately following transplantation?
In the course of the first 10 days following transplantation the hair in the grafts are shed and a fine scale or crust develops which disappears in about 10 days. Crusting is minimized by the application of ointment provided.
Top
Explain steps of scalp reduction?
Scalp Reduction is a simple operation done in a sterile operating room. A surgical gown is worn over your underwear. A premedication sedative is given via an intravenous line. The area of bald scalp to be removed is outlined. Local anesthetic is given using special techniques to minimize discomfort. A Central ellipse of bald tissue is painlessly excised in an approximately 40 minute operation. Scalp at the back and sides is mobilized and advanced to cover the deficit resulting from the removal of the central ellipse. The wound is then closed in layers. Minimal bleeding occurs. No complications of any significance have occurred in our collective experience of 20 years of scalp reduction surgery.
A light dressing is placed. Verbal and written instructions are given and you are discharged home or transferred to a hair transplantation room for further treatment. We advise not driving until sedation has worn off. Shampooing may be resumed the following day and the sutures are removed in one week. Depending on the scalp flexibility, between 6 to 10 square inches of baldness is normally removed. A further scalp reduction can be done as soon as the scalp regains flexibility in eight or more weeks.
Top
Do all hair restoration specialists perform Scalp Reduction?
No. In general, hair restoration practitioners comprise a wide spectrum of medical specialists some of whom have neither the training or surgical skills necessary to effect modern scalp reduction. Consequently, they rely exclusively on hair transplantation and hope the amount of donor hair available will be sufficient to finish the job.
Top
Can Hair Transplantation and Scalp Reduction be done the same day?
Yes. It is common to perform a Scalp Reduction initially and then proceed with hair transplantation shortly after the scalp reduction has been completed. Patients who wish to proceed as rapidly as possible with their hair restoration program choose this route.
Top
Will I be upset by the appearance after the dressing has been removed?
A typical reaction to Scalp Reduction is astonishment that instant and great improvement can be so quickly and easily obtained. In hair transplant cases, initial appearances are accepted very well. Except in cases of extensive baldness, adjacent hair can usually be combed appropriately to conceal the transplant. A fine scale or crust forms over each graft which will fall off in the shower about 10 days later to expose a healthy area beneath.
Top
Is it a good idea to keep scalp covered by a hat or hair-piece?
Continuous use of hair pieces is not encouraged as the scalp needs to "breathe" in order to heal optimally. However, those who wear hair pieces may continue to do so until hair transplantation has grown, provided the hai r piece is not worn continuously. Caps or hats may be worn as desired.
Top
How soon can I exercise after treatments?
Mild exercise, such as walking and everyday activities may be resumed immediately. You may begin moderate exercise in 10 days. Strenuous exercise may be gradually resumed in 2 weeks. Common sense will dictate what can and can't be done.
Top
What about swimming?
We advise abstaining for about 10 days. Most water contains potentially harmful bacteria and should be avoided until healing is complete.
Top
How soon can I cut, dye, style or perm my hair?
About 3 weeks. Following treatment you will receive detailed printed information regarding hair care.
Top
Should I avoid exposure to sunlight?
No particular care is needed but you should avoid undue exposure,- i.e. suntanning - for about 3 months. Over-exposure to sunlight may pigment or darken the grafts. Sun blocking agents are recommended to prevent over-exposure in those who choose to spend a lot of time in the sun.
Top
When will the transplanted hair actually grow?
Bristle from the newly transplanted hair usually falls out in 10 days. Transplanted hair follicles lie dormant for about 10 to 12 weeks at which time growing hair can usually be observed. However, we have observed that topical application of Minoxidil 2% -Rogaine®- to the grafted areas results in accelerated growth. We recommend the use of Rogaine for one month following hair transplantation. Permanent healthy hair then grows at the rate of about 1/2 an inch each month for the remainder of life.
Top
How many grafts are placed at each session?
At your initial consultation, Dr. Hause will estimate the total number of grafts/scalp reductions necessary to effect comprehensive hair restoration. The number of grafts placed at each session may vary depending on the extent of baldness and the rapidity with which the patient wants to proceed.
Top
Will all grafts grow?
In order to ensure the survival of each individual graft, it must be surrounded on all sides by a space sufficient for blood circulation to provide adequate nourishment. This imposes limitations on how many grafts can be placed at any one time. Densely packed grafts may not grow. Expertly transplanted hair will always grow at HTCS we guarantee it.
Top
What is the time interval between hair transplants if more than is required?
At least 8 weeks should elapse between treatments to allow the scalp to become ideal for the next procedures. It's a good idea to allow newly transplanted hair to grow out for several months before the next procedure is done.
Top
What is the time interval between scalp reductions if more than one is required?
At least 8 weeks should elapse between scalp reductions to allow the scalp to become sufficiently mobile for the next procedure. You will be advised and instructed on how to massage the scalp between operations.
Top
Are all patients satisfied?
The vast majority are very satisfied. Occasionally, a patient's expectations may be unrealistic. If this lack of realism is detected by the doctor during consultation he will dissuade the patient from having hair transplantation.
Top
Can you predict hair loss?
Not precisely. The best guide is comparison with an older male relative, e.g. father or maternal grandfather. However, the gene for baldness may skip generations and/or individuals in the same family.
Top
What is the hair loss curve?
The Hair Loss Curve is of some value as a prognosticator of hair loss. Should the individual commence losing hair at about 20 years he usually will have experienced most of the loss by about the age of 40 vears when it will notably decrease. If, on the other hand, the individual commences losing hair later in life the whole curve may move to the right and rapid loss may occur well into his fifties and beyond. There is, however, no absolutely reliable guide to the rate and extent of hair loss which may be experienced.
Top
What is the Hamilton Classification?
The Hamilton Classification is a most useful tool for demonstrating patterns of hair loss. It additionally provides a basis for assessing its extent at a given time thus providing a definitive measurement against which further hair loss can be compared.
Top
What about the "toothbrush, doll's hair or picket fence" appearance?
There are a number of doctors who do not have the skills or experience to effect a first class hair transplantation treatment. At HTCS, Drs. Traquina and Seery are board certified, experienced experts who practice hair restoration exclusively. In their hands hair transplantation is carried out expertly with micrografts and minigrafts to give the best possible results. Doll's hair, etc. are relics of bygone times.
Top
How is the cost of hair restoration estimated?
At the time of your initial consultation the number of hair transplant grafts and/or scalp reductions you need is estimated. Cost is determined by these numbers. Drs. Seery and Traquina will give you an exact quotation in writing for the amount of work proposed. This quotation is guaranteed and remains valid for a stipulated period.
Top
What is the guarantee?
The Hair Transplantation Clinic of Sacramento guarantees each graft transplanted will grow permanent, natural healthy hair. We will replace any graft, free of charge, which does not grow healthy permanent hair.
Top
Are HTCS prices competitive?
Absolutely. We are confident we offer the best value available - anywhere. At HTCS, we prefer the technically more demanding bald area replacement grafting - which reduces the size of the bald area concurrent with its transplantation - because it gives more natural results and requires far fewer grafts to achieve excellence than the technically simple but wasteful slitgraft method. Because of this, the overall cost of hair restoration at HTCS is notably less than clinics where the rapid - fire slit graft procedures are done. An understanding of this is critical to your choice.
Top
What's next?
Having read the above you should now have a reasonable knowledge of who we are, what we do and how we do it. The next step is to call for a free consultation. You will be assured of a warm welcome.
Top