The decision to proceed with a hair transplant is one that is often given a lot of thought and we have many patients that attend us for years before deciding to proceed.
However, at many of our post operative appointments patients report wishing they had proceeded sooner. So, what holds patients back, we asked some of our recent surgical patients to tell us and this was their feedback.
Difficulty Timing Your Hair Transplant
Busy work/life schedules was the number one answer from our patients. However, most reported that in hind sight the time commitment was not as great as they thought, with the long-term benefits far out weighing the few days needed for their transplant.
Often the downtime following a procedure is not as onerous as some patients may think. Many of our patients return to work just 3 days following their FUT transplant with no one being the wiser.
Our doctors are happy to arrange a discreet doctor’s note for your work if needed.
Waiting for Hair Loss to Progress
Some patients said they delayed attending an appointment or starting treatment as they felt their hair loss needed to progress further before treatment could start. In fact, up to 50% of the hairs on your head can be lost before your hair loss becomes evident to those around you. The treatment options are also greater the earlier you attend.
Waiting for Medication to Work First
Often our doctors will recommend both hair transplant surgery and medical treatments for our patients. For these patients it is recommended that the two treatments are commenced at the same time as they work independently. The medical treatments will slow down the hair loss in your non transplanted hair while hair transplantation will address the areas where you have lost hair. Medical treatments unfortunately won’t regrow hair where it is lost completely.
Surgery Nerves
No one enjoys having a medical procedure so many patients are naturally a little nervous about the day itself. Will it hurt?
We are aware of this and have ensured that the procedure itself runs smoothly and causes you as little discomfort as possible. Local anaesthetic is used to numb your head so you don’t feel any pain. In addition, we give you something to relax you on the morning of the procedure with many patients actually sleeping part of the day. The remainder of the day you are awake and usually watching a few movies and enjoying a nice lunch. Consider the day like a long-haul flight.
The Family Budget
Some of our patients reported a feeling of guilt for spending part of the family budget on themselves. Interestingly though when patients bring their spouse, partner, family member etc. with them to post operative consultations the family member often reports the cost of the hair transplant as not being an issue as they see the benefits the hair transplant has had for the patient. The benefits of a hair transplant also last a life time, much longer than a new car!
Worrying What People Will Say
Most people now understand the upset that can be caused by hair loss and the affect it can have on someone’s life. HRBR has over 20,000 patients in our care, chances are that someone close to you is already treating their hair loss at HRBR.
About the Author
DR Maurice Collins
Consultant Surgeon
MB, B.Ch, BAO, DLO, FRCSI, FRCS, FRCSEd.
Registered with the Medical Council of Ireland
Dr Collins is Medical Director and Team Principal of Hair Restoration Blackrock. He was educated at Belvedere College Dublin and did his undergraduate medical studies at University College Dublin. After graduating as a doctor he trained in General Surgery and received his Fellowship (FRCSI) in this specialty from the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland.
Find out more about DR Maurice Collins and our team of doctors and surgeons.
