It’s now been 12 months since I had my hair transplant at Modena Hair Institute and Dr. Yazdan and his team kindly asked me if I could detail my thoughts and feelings about the entire process. I happily said yes. If I help just one person feel understood and comfortable with going in for hair restoration I will have succeeded.

First let’s go over cost. 

The number of grafts I had done was around 1,500. The price I paid was close to $8,000. This is alot of money, but if you know anything about hair transplantation, you get what you pay for. I had done plenty of research (believe me, it was a headache) before I chose to go with Dr. Yazdan. My hairline had been thinning and receding for years, and it was going quickly, I knew if I wanted to keep my hair and not go bald, I had to get a procedure that was no-nonsense and highly specialized.

Second, let’s look at the results!

• Many people ask me, “Ray, are you happy with it? Are you happy with the results after a year?” My answer immediately is, “Yes! Just look at it.” I tell them. Compared to what my hair was like before, the 1,500 or so grafts that Dr. Yazdan spread across the crown and hairline practically revived my masculine look. Compared to what my hairline was like before (see ‘before’ picture below) it wasn’t looking good – it was almost impossible to style and my widows peak was so deep that I couldn’t hide it behind any comb style I could try.

• As for the new hair transplant, the only downside I would site is it took close to 8 months for my hairline to look like it’s most natural and grown-in self. The results are not instant, but this is hardly a downside considering the results are permanent and gorgeous. You do have to be patient – the truly beautiful results won’t show themselves for 6-9 months afterwards (results may vary).
• Let’s talk follicles. Going in I had no idea about the importance of what’s called ‘follicular units’. A follicular unit can contain up to five strands of hair. At the lowest count, however, one follicular unit can contain one strand of hair. 

Part of the job of Dr. Yazdan during the surgery was so survey which units or grafts had the best and most numerous strands, and how they would best suit my new hairline. I had the impression that FUE hair transplantation was simply taking one unit from the back and placing it in the front. Dr. Yazdan would take the richest follicular units and place them aesthetically and strategically to form the new crown. This is another instance where you get what you pay for. Clinics usually charge per graft, and therefore come to the same rate, but the outcome depends entirely on the strategy, eye and expertise of the surgeon.

• During my post-surgery consultation, when I asked Dr. Yazdan about the potential for more hair transplants in the future, he assured me that I was safely prepared to have more if I wanted to, because there were plenty of good grafts remaining at my donor site for future harvesting.

Let’s talk about styling

• Choosing a hairstyle that adds more volume to your hair is always best if you are thinning or bald in any area of your scalp. A common hair style after a hair transplant is combing the hair forward (if you have a large widows peak) or backwards (if the crown is thinning).
• The longer your hair grows, the more coverage you will have. When hair is combed backward, it can be helpful in covering the thin areas behind the transplanted hairline. Using gel or wax to hold your hair in place is a good choice. Also, finding a hairstyle that involves blow drying your hair is a great way to make it seem like you have more hair than you do. 
• A great way to add more to your hair thickness is scalp micro pigmentation. I will be returning to Modena Hair Institute next year for a full scalp micro pigmentation session to add the appearance of thickness! (It also alot cheaper than a hair transplant, and requires no recovery time, so I’m excited for the quick tune up).

Finally I want to emphasize: do your research!

• Make absolutely sure that you’ve gone through both online and offline records for the clinic, their credentials, reviews and look at case studies done by the surgeon who would be treating you.
• I started by talking about why the high price tag for the procedure (in my eyes) was worth it. I am so happy with the results and with the level of detail and expertise Dr. Yazdan provided. I can’t believe I will feel confident with my hair for another decade to come.