What Should I Expect During a Consultation for Hair Transplant Surgery?

posted on:
January 16th, 2023
posted by:
Dr. Thomas Bell, MD

Hair transplantation is an esteem-boosting procedure catered to each patient’s needs and goals. Having an experienced surgeon perform the transplantation makes all the difference – you will have a thorough initial consultation to evaluate your hair loss and health history, the procedure will be relatively quick and very effective, and your follow-up appointments will ensure you are healing properly and are on the right track!

During your consultation, be sure you fully understand your surgeon’s plan. There are many different types of procedures to choose from for hair transplantation and many factors to consider. Make your surgeon fully aware of all family health issues and genetics that could be relevant, as well as any allergies or reactions you may have. Lastly, ask for before and after pictures of others and yourself to see the true growth of your new hair.

Medical History: What Your Hair Loss Consultant Needs to Know

There will be a medical questionnaire portion of your initial consultation wherein the best treatment option for you will be chosen based on what’s most suitable and safest. You will need to make mention of medications you are taking, your skin type, and any previous operations or procedures you have had.

5 Tips to Prepare for Your Hair Restoration Consultation

To prepare for your hair restoration consultation, you should sit down with yourself first and set some realistic goals that will occur during your treatment, research the types of hair transplants available to you, look at before & after photos from the clinic you are planning on receiving your treatment in, prepare questions, and communicate fully with your doctor.

Set Realistic Goals

Hair restoration can be life-changing, but you want to make sure you have realistic goals in mind when understanding the treatment plan you’re receiving and the results that will occur. Some good points to discuss during your hair restoration consultation include the following:

  • Which areas of your scalp would you like to see hair growth occur?
  • How will you style your hair?
  • What are you expecting in terms of thickness/fullness and hairline?

Give your goals a lot of thought and allow reality to form them: you cannot immediately grow a full head of hair, and sometimes just smaller patches will grow to even out your already-present hair. Make sure you are doing this for yourself and for the right reasons – not because someone else has pressured you into doing it.

Research The Types Of Hair Transplants Available

After finding an experienced surgeon you trust with your hair transplantation, you will want to check out the types of hair transplant options they offer. Always make sure you choose a board-certified plastic surgeon like Dr. Bell, who has proper credentials and who you fully trust with your procedure.

Ask To See Before & After Photos

Take time to review the Toronto Plastic Surgeons website, check out Dr. Bell’s reviews, and look at any available before & after pictures for your chosen procedure. You want to ensure you’re choosing a treatment option that will give you the best-desired results.

Before your consultation, bring in before and after pictures of individuals you found on the TPS website or elsewhere who have a similar balding pattern and hairline to you – this will give Dr. Bell a great reference to make your hair transplantation process that much easier. You can even bring in pictures of celebrities with hair that you think can be achievable on your scalp after your procedure – but remember to remain realistic.

Communicate with Your Doctor

Ensure that Dr. Bell fully understands your expected results and goals, and ask whether he thinks your expectations are realistic and achievable. He will provide you with full transparency and a detailed explanation of how the procedure will be performed. When you communicate all the necessary information with Dr. Bell, you can feel confident knowing that he has crafted the best possible treatment plan for your situation.

Prepare Questions

Having questions prepared and doing your research always ensures full understanding from both parties involved. You should ask about the basics of your procedure, your surgeon’s credentials, and what will be required before, during, and after your treatment. You can then ask when your surgery date will be and discuss aftercare instructions.

Which Hair Restoration Transplant Procedures Does Dr. Bell Perform?

FUE Hair Transplant

A Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) hair transplant is a minimally invasive procedure designed to produce long-lasting and natural-looking improvements to hair loss and patterned baldness. FUE involves using robotic (Artas) and Automated (NeoGraft) micro-rotary punches to harvest hair follicles from the back of the patient’s scalp and implant them onto the designated area. Unlike older strip graft procedures, with Neograft and Artas FUE devices, patients can expect no scarring or pain.

While no specific traits dictate candidacy, proper physical health and realistic expectations can make the recovery process more seamless. Fundamentally, a candidate for an FUE hair transplant is someone who would like to reverse the effects of hair loss and patterned baldness. In addition, it is imperative that patients have a healthy set of hair at their donor site.

NeoGraft Hair Transplant

During a NeoGraft Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) transplant, the Toronto Plastic Surgeons utilize an automated rotary punch to harvest individual hair follicles before implanting them into a designated area. Due to the hair transplant new technology involved in the procedure, a NeoGraft hair transplant is completely non-invasive. As such, patients can expect no scars, scalpels, stitches, or surgical excision.

Fundamentally, a candidate for a NeoGraft hair transplant is someone who would like to correct the effects of hair loss and patterned baldness. In addition, it is imperative that patients have a healthy set of hair at their donor site.

Artas Hair Transplant

Just because you are suffering from thinning hair doesn’t mean you have to live with it for the rest of your life. The ARTAS hair transplant is a minimally invasive procedure offering a permanent balding solution by restoring thick and volumized hair.

The revolutionary ARTAS hair transplant uses an advanced robotic device to expertly extract healthy hair follicles before implanting them in a designated area. The robotic procedure reduces the human error associated with strictly manual techniques, has a faster recovery time, causes minimal scarring, and provides long-lasting results.

An ARTAS hair transplant is a procedure that will appeal to any man or woman experiencing signs of balding with visible areas of the scalp. Patients should have a healthy set of hair in their donor site (usually the back of the scalp), as these hair follicles will be extracted and implanted in the designated area.

Female Hair Translplant

Thinning hair is one of the most distressing changes women experience as they age. While primarily associated with men, hair loss affects nearly half of women by age 50.
Female pattern hair loss is generally thinning on top of the head, creating “see-through hair,” but, unlike men, it usually does not lead to baldness.

The latest automated, robotic devices, such as the NeoGraft and Artas systems, make modern hair restoration less invasive and more accurate, offering better results than the old skin grafting methods.

Patients should have healthy hair in their donor site (normally the back of the scalp) as these hair follicles will be extracted and implanted in the thinning designated recipient area.

Suitable candidates should be in good physical and mental health and lack medical conditions that will disrupt their recovery. It is also essential to have realistic expectations about the results.

Toronto Plastic Surgeons has a range of hair restoration options available for women experiencing hair loss. Our expert team creates a tailored plan with the latest technology to restore your natural hairline and improve density.

Why Choose The Toronto Plastic Surgeons?

Dr. Bell has dedicated his 25 years of practice to cosmetic plastic surgery of the face, body, and hair. He prides his excellence on the harmonious balance of vision, aesthetic appearance, and patient care. He and his team are known for their skill and personalized, respectful approach to patients. Contact Dr. Bell and his team today for a consultation!

Posted by:

Dr. Thomas Bell, MD

Dr. Thomas Bell has been one of Canada’s most renowned cosmetic surgeons for 25 years. He prides his excellence on the harmonious balance of vision, aesthetic appearance, and patient care.

More on Dr. Bell

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