Category: Hair Transplantation

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2 Weeks After a Hair Transplant (with Photos) – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

I have some hair in the frontal area but it is thin. I want to know how would I look after a transplant? I must be in the public view within 2 weeks. Is that possible and still be undetectable?

The pictures below are from 13 days after this patient’s hair transplant of 2,710 grafts in the frontal area. He also had some hair present, just as you asked. This photos below show typical healing with small wounds, good post operative care, washing any scabs off within the first day or two and good overall planning. Your doctor should tell you what to expect, as each doctor’s work differs on the post operative course.

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Propecia and Body Hair (with Photos of Hair Transplant) – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

This patient had a very nice result from one hair transplant procedure. An interesting item to me was that he reported that when he started to take Propecia, the hair from his chest and back (which was very heavy) returned to his barely hairy 18 year old body’s hairless appearance. In addition, he also reported a reduction of nose and ear hair. So this patient shows not only the benefits of a good hair transplant, but also a rare but good side effect of Propecia (I have rarely seen been made aware of this loss of body hair). I only have photos of his head, as I didn’t think people needed to see photos of the inside of his nose or ears (and so I didn’t take any).

The first set shows his before photos. Click the images to enlarge.

And this set shows his results after one hair transplant procedure of 2,073 grafts.

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How Many Donor Grafts Does an Average Person Have? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Dear Dr. Rassman,

I have been researching Male Pattern Baldness and Hairloss for about 7 years.I am 28 and a Norwood 4. My question concerns how much donor supply the average person has over their lifetime to transplant to balding areas.

I know that currently some clinics have performed, 6,000 and 7,000 strip/graft procedures in a session and that even more has been transplanted over several sessions. How much donor hair does the average person have ? It would seem that the average would have to be well over 10,000 and close to 12,000.

Thanks for taking the time to answer my question.

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The answer to this question relates to a few things:

  1. Your donor density (average is 2 hairs/mm2)
  2. The laxity of your scalp (looser scalps should supply more donor hair)
  3. The balding pattern (Class 7 patients lose up to 70% of all of their hair so if this is a possible balding pattern then 1/3rd of the remaining hair number may be the maximum donor supply available to you over your lifetime)

The degree of scarring and how your body handles the movement of large amounts of donor hair may be the determining factor on your overall supply. Generally, a person may easily get 5-7,000 grafts (10,000-14,000 hairs) and that number can be pushed upward with good healing, minimal scarring, return of scalp laxity and good donor densities. On the high end, I have transplanted up to 25,000 hairs in some people (10,000+ grafts) with unusually good healing and a good scalp laxity.

Patient ZU is in his mid 60’s and had multiple procedures totalling 6,036 follicular unit grafts transplanted. The “after” photo on the right shows the results after only 6,036 grafts, but he actually had another procedure after this, bringing the total up to 8,300. Once I have photos of the results of his last procedure, I’ll post them. In the meantime, please see the photos below and click them to see full size.



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My Hair Doctor Told Me To Wait For Transplant – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

Hi Dr. Rassman,

I’m a 22 year old male. In the last two years I’ve noticed more hair falling out in the shower and if I run my hands through my hair, as well as a decrease in volume and more visible scalp. Although others haven’t said the same, I feel like I know my hair pretty well. I have mild temporal and frontal recession, a widow’s peak that was never there before, but most worryingly I noticed that individual hairs falling out are much thinner.

I saw a transplant/hair loss doctor and he took global photographs, but told me I have to wait. He said my small recession is just called ’sculpting’ and that looking at my head you can’t see any pattern of loss.

My question: Why do I have to wait until its clear I’m losing my hair visibly to take action? My father has lost some of his hair (class III?), my mother has pretty severe hair loss, and one of my uncles as well (father’s side).

You always refer to miniturization, and I understand this process, but the doctor made no mention of mapping it in my case. Does every good hair doctor map for miniaturization? Is it right to pursue in my case?

What should I do?

Please respond, my hair is my confidence!

Thanks and all the best

Good measurements are the heart and soul of good science. That is why I map out the scalp in all of my patients. I generally do not like to transplant a 22 year old, but if you are in the early balding process you do need your scalp mapped out for miniaturization to understand what is happening to you. The science of measurement (metrics) is the back bone to diagnosis in your case. Where are you now with regard to miniaturization and where will you be in a year? If your hair is miniaturizing, why are not not taking Propecia? You need to have some good solid measurements to define where you are and where you are going. Then, with those good measurements over time, it will be easy to answer your questions. Please remember that what you do now will impact you for the rest of your life, so timing is critical.

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Am I Too Young For Hair Transplants at Age 28? – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

I am a 28 year old man. I have been losing hair since my late teens. It has been mentioned to me as male pattern baldness by doctors I visited. Over the years, the baldness has become more visible and I now comb my hair staight down. I am getting increasing uncomfortable with my baldness. I am wondering what the best option for me would be. I recently visited HairClub and they said that I should not consider hair transplantation at such an early age as I might exhaust the donor area supply and would have permanent bald spots down the line when male pattern baldness takes full effect. Also, I am scared at the idea of having an incision on my head. What advantages does your organization have over a place like others (honestly I don’t even more of any other reputed transplantation shops)? Please provide advice as to the best course of action for me. Thanks

It does not sound like good advice you got. You need a diagnosis and a good doctor who will map out your scalp for miniaturization. With this done, at age 28 you may be able to predict much of your future hair loss. Then you and a good doctor will be able to develop a Master Plan, which will incorporate medications and transplants (if needed). I suspect that the person you visited wanted to sell you a hair system (also known as a wig), so the financial interests were driven by the salesman’s agenda. If you saw a doctor and he did not evaluate you as I said above, then he/she would be no more value to you than a used car salesman. If you are in California, come visit me. Otherwise, send me photographs and lets talk. I do offer telephone consultations as well.

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I Had a Hair Transplant, But I Want the Corners Lower Than “Normal” – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

Hello, I had 1200 grafts last year, and they have done well, but the hairline is too far back in the corners. It is probably just fine for most men, but I wanted a more rounded hairline. I think that I got the male “template.” I have a widows peak, it does not, nor the area of about 1 inch to either side, need to be lowered, just the area in the corners. I have heard of hair line advancement, could this help? Most literature says that all men should look the same, as it comes to hairlines, its just not what I want. I travel to Sacramento and San Jose frequently. Hope to hear from you.

Picking a hairline is a negotiation between you and your surgeon. I have restored the original hairline in men and if this is part of your Master Plan, then it can be done. Be sure to get a great doctor, because these rounded corners can be a difficult part of the art of hair restoration.

Here’s Patient NU, whom I have featured on this site previously. The corners of his hairline were lowered dramatically and the patient wanted his central frontal hairline to look like actor Andy Garcia. Each of us has a different look and different taste, thank God. If we did not, then the world would be farily dull. The patient shown below had let his hair grow out to shoulder length for a number of years, and then recently cut it to crew cut length. He clearly enjoys the freedom of having his hair just the way he wants. Also, it is worth noting that he had temple transplants many years ago, and his results are available here and here.

Other examples include patients EO, KB, and IU.

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Hair Loss InformationI’ll Be Bald By 25 – How Can All I Get All My Hair Back? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Hello Doc,
I have a very vague question for you. Im a 20 year old male who is thinning very fast and probably will be completely bald by about 25 (Class 6). What would you have me to get all my hair back to the way it was in high school in the best method possible.
I understand i can’t get it back completely, but what would be the best possible recommendation from your standpoint. I have been on propecia a bit over a year now and I feel it has done nothing for me, and Im looking to buy minoxidil to help me, but I’m also considering Dutasteride. What do you say?

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I want to have the body I had when I was 40, but at 60 I can’t get there. Reality is that everyone loses youth and I accept that for myself. You need to stop gambling and start being smart about your hair loss. Once your hair is mapped out for miniaturization, you can be checked for the change of miniaturization over time. If the Propecia does not work, then transplants with a Master Plan is the right way to go, but you need a good doctor first and foremost. Following the advice in this blog site will at least help you to become a smart buyer.

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Is a Photo Consultation Enough Before a Hair Transplant? – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

Dr. Rassman,
2 questions please:
1) A while back you answered a question about a substance that some doctor in another country claims to use to prevent transplanted hair from falling out as is common. Do you have any more info on that? Is there any truth to it or is it just unsubstantiated claim? I certainly hope that it is true.
2) Is it ever justified in getting a hair transplant from a doctor without actually visiting with him in person first? For example, I live in Texas. It would be a big expense to go there for a consultation and then return later for the operation. If a doctor seems to have a very good reputation (like yourself) would a photo consultation be enough for someone to have confidence in the outcome? Thanks so much for your time in doing this Blog.

  1. Some doctors recommend FDA approved drugs such as topical minoxidil or oral 1mg finasteride (Propecia) for hair loss. These drugs may benefit recently transplanted hair from falling out. In my opinion, to claim that a drug or a product will be prevent the natural shedding of recently transplanted hair seems too good to be true.
  2. A photo consultation is certainly a good start and in healthy men, I have been known to draw conclusions on the course and take on a patient coming in from a distance. Generally it is a good idea to meet with a hair transplant doctor and establish a patient-to-doctor relationship first. You should feel comfortable and 100% certain that your hair transplant doctor will meet your expectations. I appreciate your trust in my reputation. I will be more than happy to start a phone/photo consultation with you. Anything is possible from there.

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Hair Loss InformationMedications or Transplants? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Dear Doctor Rassman,
Since the medications Propecia and Rogaine will eventually lose their efficacy, would it be advisable not to take them and address hair transplantation instead?

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I believe that we have no way to determine if and when the medications that are working will lose their effectiveness. Sometimes it will last a very long time and if the medications are not producing problems for you, then it would be generally my preference to stay on the medications and exploit them until they become less effective. Supplementing the benefits of the medications with hair transplants may be appropriate in some situations.

There is also the issue of how far the hair loss will progress if you stop the medication and start losing hair very quickly. If that progression gets very advanced, then transplants may not be something that will solve the problem either. I discuss the supply/demand balance between your donor source and the advancing balding pattern. When the pattern exceeds your donor supply’s ability to give up the hair, you will not look normal unless you and your doctor had a Master Plan devised when the process started.

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Hair Loss InformationTransplanted Hairline at 3 Months (with Photos) – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

I am concerned about transplants in the front of my existing hairline. Will they be noticable if I lower my hairline 2/3rds of an inch?

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Here are some 3 month follow-up photos of a patient with dark hair. He had received about 700 grafts in front of an existing hairline. Since it is only a few months after the transplant, only some of the hair is growing and I expect much more to grow out in the subsequent months.

What is important to note is that the patient styles his hair forward so there is no way to tell that these little hairs are growing. Even if he did not do that, it was not clearly evident that these transplants are even there. The point is, it is easy to ‘hide’ transplants even in the front of the existing hairline, because these hairs grow from nothing (bald forehead) to something (fine hairs) very slowly. Most men are very sensitive to having their hair transplants seen by anyone, so I thought that these pictures would show a ‘worst case’ where the hair is growing directly from the forehead (its future home).




Please click the photos to enlarge.