Last week, I saw a patient with a failed hair transplant done by a hair transplant clinic located not too far from my office in Los Angeles. This patient received 4000 grafts (his report) and there was not one hair that I could find in the recipient area that reflected a surgery. I do not believe that I have ever seen such a complete wipeout of a hair transplant without even a trace of recipient site wounds. He did have a donor area scar, so I do not doubt his report of receiving a procedure that removed donor hair… but I couldn’t seem to find where those grafts went. He was undecided about what he wants to do next, so we just discussed options and his reduced donor supply.
I would be at a loss to ascertain the cause of the failure. I felt bad for him being victimized in his quest for hair. Over and over again, I tell prospective patients to do their research, and challenge the doctors you are considering with questions and observations that are covered in our selecting a hair transplant doctor guide. Our monthly Open House events show that our practice is an open book — no secrets, no bad press on the internet, happy patients who are proud to talk about their transformations. That is what you should demand of any doctor you are considering to be your hair restoration surgeon.
First, you need to know that almost every person with a Norwood class 6 and 7 balding pattern will see those patterns develop well before they are 30 years old. The older you are, the easier it is to predict future hair loss. At 22 years old, it might be difficult if you are not destined to be a Class 6 or 7 pattern, but in your late 20s, the job of predicting is easier.