Balding Blog – Page 475

January 1, 2023

Hair Transplant Scars and Scalp Micropigmentation (SMP) (with photos)

I have had several transplants over the years and have lost about 30-40% of them due to thyroid related conditions. My main concern is if this continues will the transplant scars at the back of my head become visible. Some of the pictures posted on your blog shows promising ways of disguising these scars using SMP. Is this a one-time procedure or something that has to regularly undertaken?

nhi_smp_to scar

The photo here is an example of what is possible with SMP on hair transplant scars.
SMP is generally a one time procedure and the longevity is similar to any tattoo. As with any tattoo you may want to have it touched up after several years.
If you would like more information, you can always give us a call to speak to our surgical staff or one of our doctors.

January 1, 2023

Hair Transplant Safety and Efficacy Standards?

Dear Dr. Rassman,
I find your blog very informative. I am looking for answers to the following questions:

How is the success measured in hair transplant?

What is the life span of transplanted hair follicles? (without any minoxidil/propecia)

How does hair transplant compare to just minox/prop in terms of effectiveness and durability?

Is hair transplant surgery proven via large scale studies done in compliance with standards that you would like to see in any other hairloss treatment before you could accept them?

The patient and doctor have to have specific and attainable goals before any surgery. No surgery will make you look like Elvis… in other words, no surgery will replace all the hairs you lost. So the success of the surgery is measured by the patient with realistic goals in mind.
Transplanted hair has the same life span as the hair on the back of the head (the donor area), because that is where it comes from. As long as there is no disease present that would cause that area to lose hair (uncommon), the hair’s life span is until you die.
Transplanted hair is genetically “strong” hair that is not affected by DHT or genetic balding. Drugs (Rogaine and Propecia) are meant for balding and thinning hair that is affected by DHT (genetic balding).
Hair transplantation in one form or another has been practiced on a commercial scale since the 1950s! I have seen a number of patients who were transplanted in the 1950s and 1960s with the old hair plugs and they are still growing (for better or worse). It is in essence an autologous organ transplant, with each hair being its own organ, and it has been proven to work. Numerous studies exist that prove its success, but the cosmetic success and making it look natural is another issue that involves technique and artistry. I would argue the LARGE scale studies are right in front of you when you look at all the NHI patients in our gallery.

January 1, 2023

Hair Transplant Review of Norwood 5 Patient Before After Photos

This is a review of a hair transplant result performed at New Hair Institute by Dr. Jae Pak. This is a patient in his 60’s who looked 70’s before he had a hair transplant. His grey hair actually helped with the overall result. Grey hair on fair skin helps disguise the thinning by the low contrast between hair color and skin color. We think that the hair transplant makes him look at least 10 years younger than his real age!

He is currently thinking about another hair transplant versus a SMP procedure for fullness. There is no right answer or choice. Real hair is always better, but SMP is not surgery and there is no recovery with instant results! He may choose both like this patient HERE.

Before and After 2491 Grafts

Before and After 2491Grafts

January 1, 2023

Hair Transplant Review at New Hair Institute of Norwood 4 Patient Before / After Photos

This is a review of a hair transplant surgery performed at New Hair Institute by Dr. Jae Pak.

This is a young 30 year old professional who lost his hair in his 20s. He had a 2100 graft hair transplant surgery that gave him a non-balding “frame” to his face. He will continue to lose his hair on top and may need future surgeries but the transplanted hair in the front in permanent and he now looks his age and feels better about his new look!

Hair Transplant at NHI 2100 grafts

Similar results to the TV Reality show Jon Gosselin’s results in terms of number of grafts received and the balding pattern. Both patients did not have follow up surgery for their crown area (for their own reasons).

January 1, 2023

Hair Transplant Review for Face Lift Hair Line Scar

This is a review of a hair transplant to address scars from plastic surgery. This patient had a face lift scar on her hair line which also gave her a slightly high forehead. While the scar itself was not prominent, she wanted to wear her hair up without worrying about the scar. She also wanted a more rounder (feminine) hair line. She had about 600 grafts to accomplish her goals.

Hair Transplant for face lift scar

January 1, 2023

Hair Transplant Results of Man with 2415 Grafts (with Photos)

This is a college professor who saw a new man in the mirror with this single hair transplant procedure of 2415 grafts. He has fine hair, which often takes more than one session for a completely full look. He told me that no one ever noticed the transition in his appearance, because the change was so slow.

Approximately 2/3rds of the transplants were placed in the first 6 inches of the hairline, which was moved forward, and some grafts were placed in the frontal part of the crown area.

Click photos to enlarge.

After (2415 grafts):

Before:

2011-10-24 14:02:512011-10-23 16:35:18Hair Transplant Results of Man with 2415 Grafts (with Photos)

January 1, 2023

Hair Transplant Results Just Days After Surgery (with Photos)

I wanted to show some very early after from two patients that came in today. Both patients have given me permission to post their photos, and I appreciate them allowing me to do so. From time to time I post photos of patients just days or weeks after surgery, and I hope these types of posts help to answer one of the more popular questions I receive almost daily — “What will my head look like right after surgery?! I need to get back to work and I don’t want anyone to know!”

Patient 1 — 1 day after surgery:
This young man had around 1500 grafts placed in the crown and around 600 grafts in the front just 1 day ago. His skin is white and hair is blonde. There is almost no swelling and no sign of the surgery other than a faint pink hue which should go away for him in a day or two.

Here are two photos of his hairline. Click the photos to enlarge.

Patient 2 — 10 days after surgery:

This patient had frontal work to drop the corners of his hairline. Just 10 days out after 1040 grafts and you can barely see anything. Note that I had to hold his hair back on the left corner just to show the transplanted area. His hair naturally falls over that area, and as such, it provided him a perfect cover during the first day or two when his skin was pink in the transplanted area.

Click the photos to enlarge.

January 1, 2023

Hair Transplant Results After 4761 Grafts (with Photos)

This patient has had three procedures with a total number of 4761 grafts. The last procedure he had was a little over a year and a half ago, and the after photo was taken this week. He’s grown his hair long for the “rock and roll” look, and the results speak for themselves.

I realize that the quality of the before photos isn’t all that great, but they should still be clear enough to see what the transplants did for his hairline and the hair behind the hairline. The transplants were placed almost to mid-head and when he combs it in almost any direction, he has a full head of hair. The photos were taken previous to his first surgery 8 years ago and our digital camera back then was hit and miss, so I do apologize if the quality of those photos is lackluster. Click the photos to enlarge.

Before:

After:

January 1, 2023

Hair Transplant Result Shown on Reddit (Photos)

This is a nice result; however, the frontal area has a see-through look. He may have fine hair that is responsible for this or he didn’t get enough grafts or growth. A second hair transplant to double down on the fullness may be a good idea. In people with fine hair, this is common. The comb-over on the left shows how he handles the see-through look.