Human hair has incredible aesthetic power. And as one of the most powerful innovators on the planet, Elon Musk wanted his image to be equally as strong and powerful.
Musk is one of many world renowned celebrities who have undergone hair restoration work. In our last post we covered Joe Rogan’s problematic hair transplant experience.
For Rogan, he was neither adequately consulted nor appropriately diagnosed. The hair restoration strategies put in place for him must have been highly disreputable and not coming from a decorated and experience clinic.
Musk’s hair restoration experience, on the other hand, is the opposite of Joe Rogan’s. It’s very clear that he almost certainly underwent multiple procedures and followed a highly tailored and personal medical therapy plan.
It is likely Musk started with FDA approved therapies such as Rogaine and Finasteride – as early as the 1990s – before doing his first FUT procedure. In the pictures below you can see his hair growth timeline was steady but slow.
Although his hair would continue to thin, his dense hair transplants (likely 4,000+ grafts in total) combined with strategic hair therapies led to one of the most handsome hair transformations for a celebrity in history!
Now at 51 years old, Musk looks incredibly youthful.
Was Musk a good candidate for hair transplantation?
A good candidate for a hair transplant is someone with a sufficient supply of donor hair. It must be enough to cover the balding areas as well as any other areas that might lose hair in the future. Individuals past the age of thirty, with non-aggressive hair loss, are generally good candidates for hair transplants.
By this age, their hair loss patterns are well-established compared to younger patients. Due to his age and hair loss patterns, Elon was nearing the ideal candidacy he so much desired.
looking at pictures of Musk from the past 20 years, it’s quite apparent that his hair has become far thicker and denser since he earned his fortune. Musk’s hair was noticeably thinning when he launched PayPal back in 1999, since then, though, he has miraculously recovered a full, thick head of hair.
Musk’s hair loss was a textbook case of male pattern hair loss (receding hairline and a balding area on the top of his head). This is a genetic condition that does not reverse course on its own. The only permanent solution to this type of hair loss is hair transplant surgery.
Botched Strip Hair Transplant NOT Conducted at Modena
Contemporary hair loss sufferers are quite spoiled for choices in today’s hair transplant marketplace, as surgical advances in FUE and FUT have resulted in much more refined and natural-looking outcomes. With the exception of black-market clinics, the potential hair transplant patient today faces a renaissance of robust procedural options.
But this was not always the case. Prior to the refined and exacting technical FUE advancements of the 21st century, the ‘plug’ method of hair transplantation was ubiquitously employed in hair restoration clinics across the world.
Hair plugs were widely used until they were replaced by newer transplant techniques in the late 1990s. The plug technique involves small, circular pieces of tissue – each containing 20 or more hairs – being removed from the back of the scalp using a clunky punch tool. Slightly smaller circular sections would then be cut out of the balding areas of the scalp, before the hair plugs were transplanted into the holes.
There were several flaws with this technique. For a start, when the plugs of hair were removed from the back of the head, the patient would often be left with tell-tale circular scars. Worse still, the hair plugs would grow in an unnatural pattern, often clustered together in bunches, not unlike dolls’ hair.
In every case regarding an experienced and skilled hair transplant, the end result ought closely to align with what was discussed during the initial consultation between the doctor and patient. It is also during this time that the doctor will be able to outline any potential issues that could arise due to circumstances unique to the patient. A relative lack of available donor tissue, for example, could make it difficult to deliver the appropriate degree of coverage in the recipient site.
Modena Hair Institute’s Corrective Treatments
The best way to address and repair any problem with a previous hair transplant is to seek out the assistance of an experienced and reputable hair transplant surgeon who possesses a substantial track record of successfully performing hair transplant repairs.
This includes problems associated with a lack of adequate coverage or problems associated with a failed hair transplant in which far too many grafts failed to take root in the patient’s recipient site.
Patients with inadequate coverage but sufficient donor tissue available can easily address their hair transplant issue with additional sessions of FUE or FUT. Needless to say, patients requiring multiple sessions of hair restoration should have been informed of the need for more than one transplant right from the outset during the initial consultation process, but, unfortunately, this is not always the case.
Finally, patients who are dissatisfied with the result of their hair transplant due to the failure of the grafts to take root can also undergo additional sessions to achieve the coverage they initially sought, provided, of course, that there is sufficient donor tissue still available for use in future sessions.
Dr. Amir Yazdan, MD, is an internationally renowned hair transplant surgeon, expert guest on Dr. Phil and The Doctors, creator of the GroMD hair restoration product line, ISHRS member, accredited member of the IAHRS and a visceral advocate for patient care. Learn more about Dr. Yazdan or read rave reviews from his patients.
In the modern era of hair transplants, there have been few innovations as exciting & vital as the development of hair transplants using the FUE method, with the acronym being short for follicular unit extraction. Even though the traditional FUT (follicular unit transplantation) procedure only leaves minimal scarring, those who wear their hair shorter are hesitant toward it, and for a long time it was their only option. As FUE has become increasingly popular, though, peoples’ desire to get a hair transplant has skyrocketed, and keeping people informed about it has become nothing short of vital.
There are quite a few differences between it & the traditional procedure, but the most distinct differences involve how the follicles are taken from the donor area. With the FUT transplant procedure, also known as the strip procedure, a strip of skin with the donor follicles is removed from the back of the head. From there, they’re extracted from the strip & carefully placed into the donor area. With the FUE transplant, however, no strip is required, as follicles are removed directly from the back of the head & placed into the transplant area. While it’s not a “scar-free” procedure, the scars are essentially undetectable by the human eye due to the small diameter of the punch Dr. Yazdan uses during the procedure. Even those who wear their hair in a trimmed buzzcut would show no visible signs of a procedure having taken place.
Understandably, your next question might have to do with whether you’re eligible for a FUE transplant. Luckily, the criteria have become wider & wider as the process has become more refined, but there are still a few to keep in mind. It depends on some key factors, such as how you wear your hair (as we discussed earlier) & what the progression of your hair loss looks like. For someone who’s caught their hair loss early & just needs certain small sections touched up, FUE might be an excellent option.
For example, Dr. Amir Yazdan’s patients at Modena Hair Institute (located in Beverly Hills, Las Vegas & Newport Beach) can have about 2500 or so transplanted follicles at most with the FUE method. The limit is set here due to the patients overall donor density and spacing of follicular units. However, with FUT, that acceptable number can go past 3000 & beyond, allowed for by the removal of the aforementioned strip from the back of the head.
Before & after a successful FUE procedure performed at Modena Hair Institute.
There was also a time when FUE would be restricted to white patients & those with similar hair types. However, with the extent the technology has developed, as well as the proprietary tools Dr. Yazdan has developed, African American patients have also become able to reap the benefits of this revolutionary procedure. With those restrictions out of the way, it just comes down to what you’ve got on your head already & how you want to look afterward.
No matter what you’re looking for in that regard, however, you can come into a Modena clinic & receive world-class treatment from one of the most renowned hair restoration surgeons in the industry. Dr. Yazdan, who personally performs every hair transplant procedure at our clinics, is assisted by the same team of assistants that’s worked with him for years, and we utilize some of the most specialized & advanced technology on the market to make sure your hair transplant is done right the first time around. Learn more about both FUE & FUT procedures on our website, and schedule your consultation to see what we can do to help you reclaim your hairline.
A botched hair transplant can be traumatic to say the absolute least. At best, the scalp is scarred & the distribution of hair looks less natural than ever before. At worst, serious infections can occur & have a major effect on one’s health. The emotional fallout should be considered as well; for people who pursue a transplant to tackle self-image issues, there’s no worse feeling than ending up in a worse position with less money as a result of trying to fix it.
For people in that situation, things might seem hopeless, as though they’ve been removed from their old selves & placed away from them at an unreachable distance. We understand that fear better than anyone, which is why we’d like to let you know that there’s a way to not only undo the damage, but obtain the refreshed look you were searching for in the first place.
Many of the cases we see at Modena Hair Institute in Orange County are repairs, and they come in quite a few varieties. One major type of case we see is people who went to clinics being operated by inexperienced surgeons & assistants at a low cost. As we’ve written about on this blog before, going to a cheap clinic will always cost more in the long run, and you’ll have to pay with your confidence & appearance along with money. Many of the most serious cases come from patients who received a botched FUE transplant. Often times this is due to inexperience and obsolete technology and surgical tools; while an experienced hair restoration surgeon like Dr. Yazdan will use small punches ranging 0.7mm – 1.0mm in diameter today, older varieties used by inexperienced clinics are far larger, sometimes reaching a massive 2mm. These outdated punches will very often lead to the area surrounding each follicle sustaining great damage. Issues also tend to arise when inexperienced assistants, rather than a trained & licensed physician who specializes in hair restoration surgery, perform the procedure, since the skills required to competently perform these operations only come with years of training & education. Whether it’s one or the other, a mix of these, or other issues, it’s an unfortunate situation to say the least.
The other types of repair cases we see involve patients suffering a large donor scar from an FUT transplant that fails to properly heal. Whether it’s an error in the closing technique itself (a typical result of an inexperienced surgeon’s work) or an aggressive harvesting of hair to force results, these scars are understandably devastating for our patients.
Dealing with any of these fallouts is an arduous task, and reversing them requires heavily trained hands, knowledgeable minds, and attentive eyes. This, as a matter of fact, is exactly what we offer at Modena, whether you come into our Newport, Beverly Hills, or Las Vegas offices. Through countless hours of time spent with these procedures, we’ve developed a wide range of methods to tackle botched transplants of many varieties.
To start, we’ve found that patients dealing with damage from outdated procedures achieve significant results after we perform our repairs. As described on the Modena site, “…new, natural follicular units can be transplanted to soften or camouflage the old plugs and restore a natural appearance. In some cases, if the plugs were placed incorrectly, we can re-transplant the hair from the plugs to the correct area & [set them] in the correct growth direction.”
A patient of Dr. Yazdan who suffered a scar at an outside clinic. These images (left-right) show this patient before, immediately after, & eight months after the repair procedure.
Our years of experience also come in handy when repairing botched donor scars. Above is a photoset showing the steps in this process. A patient of ours was dealing with a scar along his posterior scalp after a botched FUT “strip” hair transplant performed at an outside clinic. To assist him, Dr. Yazdan took hairs from the undamaged parts of his donor area, transplanted follicles directly into the scar, and completely camouflaged it as a result. In less than a year, virtually nobody would be able to tell that there was any procedure done to begin with.
Even if the donor area in the back of your scalp can’t be used in a repair, which is unfortunately the case for quite a few of our patients, you still have a chance to regain your hair. When the patient in the video below came in with notable scarring & an unusable donor area, Dr. Yazdan, with the help of his longtime team of assistants, was able to extract donor hairs from the beard & chest, placing them in a way where they were indistinguishable from natural hairs from the scalp. No visible scarring resulted, and the patient gained a far denser hairline in turn.
To sum things up, a botched FUT or FUE hair transplant is far from the end of the road. When you come into Modena for a consultation, we’ll stop at nothing to determine every option you have in your hands, and we’ll dedicate ourselves entirely to giving you the look you set out on achieving from the beginning.
PRP therapy, also known as platelet rich plasma therapy, is an increasingly popular technique for hair restoration. To give some context, a platelet is a cell particle without a nucleus, lacking DNA, and is responsible for proper blood clotting. What most people don’t know, though, is that platelets also contain a significant amount of healing factors and growth proteins. These characteristics, then, make it very effective in treatment for hair loss. This plasma, of course, can only be obtained by extracting it from a patient’s blood.
During a PRP treatment, patients have their blood drawn & stored in small vials. These are then brought to a separate room where they’re placed in a machine & rapidly spun in different directions. This multi-spin technique is a special touch by Dr. Yazdan & Modena Hair Institute, and it means that there’s a near-total extraction of PRP in the end, which is almost unheard of otherwise.
To fully understand PRP therapy, it’s also vital to understand two things: stem cells & ACell.
Let’s start with the former. As far as stem cells go, there are two types: embryonic and adult. The former are extracted from, well, embryos, and have many potential applications in medicine, but in this context we’ll focus on the latter. Adult stem cells are undifferentiated cells found throughout the body after development; they multiply by cell division to replenish dying cells, and regenerate damaged tissues in turn. This combination of platelets and stem cells creates a hair growth serum that can quickly promote strong, stable hair growth. As for the other version of this procedure, the additional factor that comes into play is a product known as ACell, which is made out of multiple carbohydrates, collagens, proteins, and other components that facilitate a regenerative process. It, like stem cells, is mixed in with the PRP to enhance efficacy.
While this procedure tends to be considered an option for people who need an alternative to a hair transplant, PRP can also be used in combination with FUE or FUT hair transplant surgery procedures. During an FUE procedure, the PRP is harvested and injected primarily in the donor and recipient zone. In FUT/Strip procedures, the PRP is injected in the donor scar as well as the recipient area. We have noticed that patients who undergo PRP with their surgery tend to see decreased graft shedding after the procedure, along with faster healing, improved strip scar outcome, and quicker visible results.
The procedure starts with the doctor drawing 100ml of blood, similar to a regular blood draw at the lab. The blood is then put inside of a centrifuge in Dr. Yazdan’s proprietary method which includes multiple spins at different RPM’s to separate the platelet rich plasma from the platelet poor plasma and red blood cells. The PRP is then harvested and injected with a microneedle by Dr. Yazdan in the areas where a patient is experiencing hair loss. The process generally takes about 45 minutes, and there is usually no downtime after having a PRP procedure; many patients are even able to have it done during their lunch break. Patients can sometimes experience some soreness in the scalp for up to 24 hours, which is normal, and resolves by itself.
A patient of Dr. Yazdan undergoing PRP therapy.
Dr. Yazdan, here at Modena Hair Institute, is one of the few doctors who actually performs the injections and PRP procedure himself, while other clinics will irresponsibly let technicians and assistants carry it out. Technicians may be cheaper and helpful to the doctors who don’t feel like doing their own procedures, but the fact of the matter is that they haven’t undergone the years of education and vigorous training that a board certified physician has. This inexperience can increase the risk of poor results, even including loss of hair after the procedure. It’s imperative to search for a licensed physician, such as Dr. Yazdan, who specializes in hair restoration and hair loss, bringing the experience to help you achieve your desired results.
If you are interested in learning more about PRP procedures, you can find Dr. Yazdan at one of our offices located in Newport Beach, Beverly Hills, and Las Vegas.
The art and science of hair transplantation continues to progress after nearly a century of practice. African and Asian hair transplants continue to prove more difficult than those of a Caucasian heritage.
Hair transplants have become an increasingly valid option in restoring one’s hair, and it’s safe to say that there are quite a few people who are keen to figure out how well the procedure will work for them. For Caucasian patients, including those of other ethnicities with similar hair, this has rarely been an issue as far as hair type is concerned. They’ve had the FUT procedure (also known as the “strip” procedure), along with the newer FUE method, open to them for as long as those options have been around. Rather, their eligibility has always been an issue of specifics.
African American & Asian patients, however, were in a different situation for a long time. Their hair follicle & skin types, for reasons we’ll dive into soon, once made them virtually ineligible for either type of hair transplant procedure. Now, however, as the technology has developed & hair restoration surgeons have gained further experience with those procedures, the door has begun to open up for them as well.
These advancements have been astounding, to say the least. To help you understand why, let’s go through some of the particular factors a surgeon must navigate in performing a procedure on a African American or Asian hair transplant patient.
An Asian patient at Modena Hair Institute before & after their transplant.
Hair Density
For Asian patients, the issue boils down to them having generally lower hair density across their scalp, meaning that there are less options for follicles in the donor area. This decreased margin for error means that a trained eye is especially vital in carrying out the procedure, lest the results end up looking thin & unnatural.
With African American patients, the density factor comes into play a different way. Specifically, it’s a combination of their hair density being higher than average, along with the fact that their follicles are curled (more on that later). As a result of this, the challenge comes with placing the non-linear follicles in close, natural groupings. This isn’t an issue at Modena, however; we have the experience to know what a natural hairline looks like, and we have unique tools that allow us to bring that ideal, natural hairline into reality.
Scarring
African American patients are at special risk of a particular healing issue known as keloid scarring. People of any skin color can get it, but it’s been noted as affected darker skin patients the most often. Essentially, it refers to growth of extra scar tissue upon post-injury healing, and the issue is even believed to be passed on across one’s family.
To avoid any suffering from this issue, when patients visit Modena Hair Institute, those with a known history of keloid scarring in their family will go through a very minor test session to determine whether they’ve got it as well. Thankfully, however, even if you see that type of scarring happening on other parts of your body, the vascularity of the scalp means it’s generally less likely in that area. Furthermore, even if it does happen, Modena’s Dr. Amir Yazdan offers his Newport, Beverly Hills & Las Vegas hair transplant patients a special medication to combat it during the procedure, dramatically minimizing it as a result.
For Asian hair transplant recipients, It’s less an issue of specific potential issues (although keloid scarring is still possible), and more an overall increased risk of scarring. If there are genetic issues that might affect this, patients receive the same sort of minor tests mentioned earlier to determine how they’ll react to the full transplant.
Hair Follicle Shape
Lastly, as mentioned in the first point, the hair follicles of African American people are curled in the scalp, leading to the typically very curly nature of their hair. The extraction process changes accordingly, and a punch with a slightly larger diameter than normal has to be used to fully capture the curled follicle, without damaging the surroundings of course. Dr. Yazdan, for example, uses a 0.8-1mm punch to fully capture each follicle while avoiding the surrounding area in turn.
Overall Eligibility
Given the different factors we’ve discussed here, especially with scarring in mind, we at Modena Hair Institute generally perform FUE transplants on African American patients, especially males, since FUT (“strip”) procedures leave minor scarring as a result. Asian patients, however, are eligible to receive either depending on the doctor’s analysis of each particular case.
Why Modena?
Yes, it’s more than possible for African American & Asian patients to get the hairline of their dreams, but as we’ve suggested, it’s only possible if the procedure is being done by someone with years of experience & knowledge on their belt. That’s exactly what we provide here at Modena Hair Institute.
Our practice has had years of experience handling these specific types of transplants, and that’s exactly what it takes to do it right the first time. Sure, other clinics offer these transplants, but many of them have rarely performed procedures on non-white patients, especially Asians & African Americans. Because there are many different nuances in how their procedures are done, this simply won’t do; you’ll be far better off with a clinic like ours that’s spent quality time working with cases like yours.
It’s not just down to procedure experience, either; without the right tools, the best possible results are that much further out of reach, and risk comes creeping that much closer. That’s why, instead of the tools used for the majority of our patients, Dr. Yazdan has highly specialized tools at his disposal for his African American patients. By taking this vital step, he’s able to offer them a full, natural head of hair, an even hairline, and properly-healing donor & transplant areas in turn. Other clinics simply don’t offer this level of specialization, and it’s for that reason why their attempts at performing the procedures are loaded with risks that no patient should ever have to face.
Dr. Yazdan examining Countess Vaughn on The Doctors.
Lastly, at Modena, Dr. Amir Yazdan, a board-certified physician, personally performs every transplant at our clinics, with no assistants handling the procedure itself. The time he’s spent perfecting his craft & practicing case-specific methods makes him more than qualified to handle patients of all backgrounds, and the results he’s achieved speak for themselves.
Learn more about African American hair transplants here, check out more info on Asian hair transplants here, schedule your consultation, and be sure to visit our website to learn more.
As hair restoration options grow more effective and varied, FUE & FUT transplants continue to be permanently significant. Yet there are some factors that can limit one’s hair restoration options. For instance, if your available donor areas don’t have enough follicles for your transplant area, you’ll have a hard time getting either type of procedure done. People suffering from alopecia areata, otherwise known as spot baldness, also find themselves unable to receive a transplant due to their condition. These, along with other factors we haven’t mentioned, mean that effective alternatives to a hair transplant are an absolute must.
Thankfully, they’re not only out there, but they’ve already helped scores of people change their life & get their hair back. These treatments, known as PRP hair regrowth therapy, scalp micro pigmentation, and low level laser therapy, are often used as supplements to hair transplants, but they’ve also been extremely helpful as standalone procedures. Let’s go through them one by one so we can show what makes them as important & effective as they are.
If you aren’t familiar, PRP is short for platelet-rich plasma, which exists as part of one’s blood & has a wide range of natural healing & growth properties. To obtain its benefits, a hair restoration surgeon like Dr. Amir Yazdan of Modena Hair Institute will begin the procedure by drawing some of your blood & preparing it for PRP extraction. Here at Modena, Dr. Yazdan uses a specialized process unique to his Las Vegas, Beverly Hills & Newport clinics. Specifically, he performs what’s known as the “multiple-spin technique”, which involves rapidly spinning the vial of blood in different directions at high speeds until nearly all the PRP in the sample is separated. From there, proprietary growth factors & activators are added to maximize the growth & healing potential of the plasma.
Once that’s completed, the PRP is lightly injected into the scalp & begins its work to shift follicles from what’s known as the “telogen” phase of their life cycle (when hair loss occurs) to “anagen”, or the growing phase. This, along with the assistance it offers the immune & endocrine systems in tackling hair loss, begins to show in as little as three weeks, fully manifesting in a matter of a few months from there.
With the combination of our unique extraction system, the state-of-the-art technology at our clinics, and the years of expertise Dr. Yazdan brings to the table, PRP hair regrowth therapy has become a treatment choice for countless Modena patients, whether they’re receiving it on its own or getting it in supplement to a FUE or strip hair transplant.
Before & after a SMP procedure at Modena Hair Institute (performed by Dr. Yazdan)
Like PRP therapy, scalp micro pigmentation, known as SMP for short, is quite common as both a standalone procedure & a supplement to others. Unlike PRP though, there’s no drawing of blood involved, and the needles being used are attached to tattoo guns, rather than syringes.
This is far from a tattoo you could get at a shop across the street, though. How, you ask? Well, simply, it’s medical-grade. With SMP, every aspect, including ink, tools, and the person performing the procedure, falls under the strict supervision of the state’s medical licensing board, while the inks, processes & tattooers at conventional shops are entirely unregulated from a medical standpoint. Even professional tattoo artists acknowledge infections as a potential danger with their work, and an ink-related infection in the scalp area could be disastrous for future hair growth. Besides that, even just from a cosmetic standpoint, a tattoo artist with no knowledge of hair groupings would be bound to fumble in the pursuit of creating a natural look. In short, not just any tattoo or tattooer will do. Whoever performs this procedure for you needs to know your hair growth pattern like it’s their own first name, along with needing to stick to strict medical codes & keep your safety at the forefront of their mind.
When you come into a Modena clinic, you can be sure that’s exactly what you’re getting. Dr. Yazdan, a licensed physician, has dedicated much of his time to perfecting the SMP procedure, and his patients’ results show that he’s done the necessary work to achieve optimal results in the safest possible way.
Lastly, having become an increasingly popular phenomenon in the past few years, low level laser therapy, known as LLLT or simply “laser hair therapy”, has shown to be very promising for a significant amount of people. So how does it work? Well, as told in the name, in LLLT, a series of low level laser diodes is distributed evenly surrounding the scalp, firing off periodically to kick follicles into the “anagen” stage of their life cycle. This, as we mentioned before, is when hair growth takes place.
As it goes with these promising technologies, not all iterations live up to the hype. For instance, many companies making LLLT devices have cut costs with their products by making them far too weak to be effective. Others are just low quality through & through, merely made to cash in on a rising trend.
There is one, however, that we’ve found to stick out beyond the rest in a big way. Known as the CapillusRX, its first strength comes in the amount of diodes it boasts compared to the competition. Rather than sticking in the 100-200 range like much of the competition, it comes packed with 312 diodes that cover the entire scalp with little to no blank space. Its second advantage comes with convenience; rather than needing to come into a clinic for treatment, CapillusRX owners can carry out their anti-hair loss therapy in the comfort of their own home, with the device fitting on one’s head like a regular cap. Lastly, this devices rises above the others with the virtue of saving time; patients only have to wear it for six minutes each day, and results start appearing within a few months of starting treatment.
If you already opened a new tab to order it to your door, slow down. Unlike the standard, less effective alternatives, you can’t order this from a store; it’s only available via licensed physicians who offer it out of their practice. Fortunately for you, Dr. Yazdan offers the CapillusRX out of every Modena location in California & Nevada, and all you need to do is reach out & stop in for a consultation to see whether LLLT is the right hair loss treatment for you.
Learn more about PRP therapy, SMP, and LLLT, along with the many other services & treatments we offer, by visiting our website.
Given the current state of medicine, we understand why people want to save money everywhere they possibly can. The price of a typical hair replacement surgery is understandably prohibitive, and we understand that the promises made by discount clinics can be tempting. A cheap hair transplant is one of the tragedies of modern medicine history
However, you need to understand that their procedures are cheap for a reason. Whether it’s because they’re inexperienced, working with inadequate tools, overbooking their schedule, or letting assistants perform critical parts of the surgery, they’re always cutting costs somewhere. You won’t pay as much money in that moment, but we’d argue the price of going the cheap route increases from the moment the procedure is over.
The first way you end up paying is with your scalp. One only need to search for images of botched hair transplants online to see the consequences of anything less than expert care & attention. Scarring, infections, and more are common for patients of inexperienced surgeons & their assistants, and ingrown grafts resulting from these procedures will need a whole other operation to be removed.
Pictured: A botched procedure performed at an outside clinic.
That brings us to the second way you pay: money. Even though you might have gone to a cheaper clinic to save a few bucks, you’ll likely have to pay as much as you would have for a professional FUE or FUT hair transplant just to fix what they did to you. That being said, there’s no guarantee that hair restoration surgeon would be able to fix it for you. If you have insufficient donor areas or other insurmountable issues with your scalp, there’s simply nothing they can do but turn you away.
Furthermore, consider what your life would be like living with a botched hair transplant. It’s the third way you pay for a cheap transplant: your self-esteem. Hair loss & baldness are big enough confidence killers, but walking around with a scarred or infected scalp can be downright torture to those self-conscious of their appearance.
Pictured: Successful procedure performed by Dr. Yazdan.
With all of that in mind, you’re likely wondering how you can tell whether the hair restoration clinic you’re visiting will get the job done right. Thankfully, there are a few key ways you can figure this out for yourself.
For instance, here at Modena Hair Institute, located in Newport, Beverly Hills & Las Vegas, Dr. Yazdan limits his schedule to one procedure per day. This allows him the necessary time to properly perform a successful hair restoration surgery, unlike cheaper clinics that will book 2, 3 or more patients in one day & fail to give them true attention. Along with offering patients his time, he also gives them his full attention. Dr. Yazdan is the only person that performs hair restoration surgeries at all three of the Modena clinics, having his assistants handle appropriate tasks in the process instead of the procedures themselves.
Perhaps most importantly, he has the experience & knowledge to make sure he gets the job done right. You should always make sure that the person performing your hair restoration procedure, whether it be an FUE or FUT transplant, is a licensed medical professional with experience in these types of surgeries. That’s exactly what Dr. Yazdan is, and he utilizes that experience to make sure all his patients walk out of the door looking younger & feeling more confident than ever before.
Remember, going for the cheap option when it comes to an important medical procedure is never a good idea. You spend less money in that moment, but you end up paying far more in the long run, physically, financially & emotionally. Make sure you get it done right the first time, and make sure a real professional is taking care of your hair. Visit us online to learn more about our clinic & procedures, and be sure to get in touch to schedule your consultation today.
Over the past few years, the hype behind FUE procedures has been nothing short of overwhelming. If you aren’t too caught up on the development of hair transplant technology, this procedure eliminates a key issue people have had with the traditional method: the scar. Yet an FUT hair transplant remains a powerful option for certain candidates
To give some context, this method, known as the FUT procedure, involves taking a strip of the scalp from the back of the head, dissecting the follicles from it, and placing those in the problem areas on the patient’s head, creating more hair density and fullness to help them look younger and gain back their confidence.
This, of course, can end up leaving a small scar in the back of the scalp, although novice performers of the procedure can end up leaving larger & uneven scars due to a general lack of training & inexperience with the procedure.
Even when it’s minimal, those who wear their hair short will end up with a slight visible mark along their head, and we can understand why they would want to avoid that fate. For them, the FUE procedure, which we offer at Modena’s Southern California & Nevada locations, is a game-changer.
Breaking it down to basics, the doctor performing this will use a small circular blade called a punch to create individual incisions around each hair follicle, extracting the follicles from the donor area by hand. From there, the doctor creates the recipient sites on the patient’s scalp where those will eventually be transplanted.
What’s essential in all this, however, is that a doctor performs the procedure, not their technicians. Furthermore, the doctor needs to be capable of performing the surgery with many different instruments and devices, as not one device is compatible with every patient.
The other determinant of their success is the quality and size of the instruments the surgeon uses during the procedure. FUE can be done with different size punches ranging from 0.7mm all the way to 1.5mm. When a small diameter punch is used, such as Dr. Yazdan’s 0.7 millimeter punch, they can precisely harvest follicles from the donor area with minimal trauma to the surrounding follicles. Furthermore, harvesting small grafts allows them to be placed closer in the hairline to create a more dense & natural-looking procedure, while allowing the patient to heal much quicker.
When a large punch is used, it creates too wide of a hole, increasing healing time in the donor zone, while the end result is a larger graft that requires a larger recipient site to be created. This can lead to unnatural results & a delayed healing process.
Regardless of the procedure you want done, Modena Hair Institute has offices in Beverly Hills, Newport Beach, and Las Vegas which specialize in both FUE and FUT procedures. Dr. Yazdan performs these transplants himself at all three practices, using the smallest punches and the most advanced technologies available. His surgical team and staff has been the same for past 7 years, and their teamwork has resulted in real results for countless patients.
It seems, then, that getting an FUE procedure done by a professional is the only way to get this procedure done! Why bother with the strip method at all?
Well, we wouldn’t be so hesitant to knock down the traditional way of doing things. For starters, the FUE method doesn’t necessarily work for everyone.
If you need more than 2,000 grafts, or even 3,000-4,000, your other option would be to opt for the strip procedure. With the FUT transplant procedure, the doctor is generally able to obtain a larger number of grafts, reducing the need for the patient to undergo a 2nd surgery.
For patients undergoing the FUT procedure, especially those who need a larger number of grafts, we recommend you wear your hair a little longer in the donor zone, that way the small scar would never be seen. Besides that, we imagine you’d prefer to have one surgery that offers the maximum results. We also generally recommend the FUT method for women seeking hair restoration, as the FUE method requires the back of the scalp to be shaved.
If you visit Modena Hair Institute, Dr. Yazdan will bring his years of experience as a physician & hair restoration surgeon to the table, and you can be confident that only the most precise hands & tools will be put to work on your hair.
Visit our website to learn more, and be sure to getin touch with us today to schedule your consultation!
Although the finished result of a hair transplant is something to get very excited about, there is a lot of thinking that needs to be done beforehand – after all, this is a major aesthetic procedure, and one that should be conducted by a master specialist who shares your vision. Here are some key considerations to know, understand and process before undertaking a hair transplant procedure: FUE or FUT?
The more original form of hair transplantation is follicular unit transplantation, or FUT, also called the strip method. This involves taking a strip of hair from the donor site and implanting it into the thinning or balding area. The hair follicles or grafts are then microscopically dissected from the strip and placed in the recipient area. The area where the strip was removed is closed using modern trichophytic donor closure techniques. When done properly, the scar is very fine and easily covered by the existing surrounding hair.
The FUE method, or follicular unit extraction, works by excising one hair follicle at a time from the donor area using a very small circular scalpel. These follicles are then transplanted one by one into the recipient area. When done properly and using the proper tools, these incisions are so tiny that once healed cannot be seen with the naked eye. This is why the FUE method of hair transplantation is sometimes called ‘virtually scarless’. How Much Will It Cost?
The cost of a hair transplant varies depending on what the patient desires, the difficulty of the operation, graft extraction numbers, and whether additional treatments are needed. The best way to determine the cost for your hair transplant procedure is to meet with a hair restoration surgeon for a consultation. During the consultation, make sure to estimate a reliable graft and overall price quote. What If…?
The ‘what if’ question often goes unasked, but it is just as important as all the others. The ‘what if’ question relates to any risks associated with the procedure. Find out what they are, and what the clinic’s policy is regarding what happens if something goes wrong. It is a very rare thing, but every surgery has its risks, and hair transplantation is no different. What Happens Next?
You must be prepared to carry out an aftercare regime once your initial procedure has been carried out. This is very important, as it will aid in the healing process and optimize your hair restoration goals. Find out all the details and be sure that you can stick to the plan before undergoing surgery. What Will It Look Like?
If you are considering having a hair transplant, you will most likely have imagined and dreamed of what the final result will look like. Talk these ideas through with your surgeon and find out whether the look you want is achievable. You don’t want to be disappointed when you wake up from surgery, so this is an important discussion to have beforehand.
Dr. Amir Yazdan, MD, is an internationally renowned hair transplant surgeon, expert guest on Dr. Phil and The Doctors, creator of the GroMD hair restoration product line, ISHRS member, accredited member of the IAHRS and a visceral advocate for patient care. Learn more about Dr. Yazdan or read rave reviews from his patients.
Some individuals who are desperate to get a surgery or procedure done, but find themselves with a lack of funds, seek treatment abroad.
In developing countries, procedures and surgeries can be done for a fraction of the cost compared to here in the U.S. For some, the cheaper price tag outweighs their concerns about the risks of cutting corners.
Whether you’re in the U.S. or abroad, all medical surgeries carry risks. While the risks are usually relatively low, with the benefits far outweighing the risks, in the U.S. the patient is made aware of all potential outcomes prior to partaking in the procedure.
In other countries, things like lack of regulation, lack of sanitary quarters, lack of education and lack of expertise increase the risks of surgery dramatically. Regulation. In the U.S., we have strict regulations on doctors via the medical board of doctors. There are associations and government run organizations that outline and regulate strict guidelines for how medicine should be practiced. They also outline and regulate the areas in which medical surgeries and procedures can be done, maintaining sanitation. All of these regulations reduce risks of danger to the patient, such as infection and death. These regulations keep the patient safe and help secure the positive outcome of the procedure. In developing countries, they don’t have these same organizations that keep strict guidelines for medical practice. This lack of regulation means increased danger for the patient. Your risk of infection and having a botched surgery increases dramatically. Education. In the U.S., doctors go through intense training and schooling before being allowed to practice. Additionally, they have to get specific training and maintain current yearly training hours to keep up their knowledge and skills. In other countries, doctors are not held to this same high standard of continuing education. Because they may not be as skilled, they may not know the correct techniques for surgical procedures.
If you find yourself contemplating getting a procedure done abroad, stop and think about the risks that are increasing. While you may save money short-term, you’ll end up spending more long-term to correct a botched surgery. And most importantly, risking your health is not worth any dollar amount.
Congratulations on getting through your hair transplant procedure! Now comes the hard part – taking care of your scalp and grafts so you can achieve the best results possible.
While it can be tricky to adjust to the sensitivity and neediness of your newly transplanted grafts, there is no need to fret. Below, we’ve compiled a few tips for you on how to get through your hair transplant recovery period easily and successfully. Please make sure to follow your surgeon’s post-op instructions carefully.
It is normal to experience slight pain and discomfort for a few days immediately following surgery. This is normal and can be treated with over the counter pain medication such as ibuprofen and aspirin.
Bleeding or oozing from the follicle sites may occur during the night. This too is normal. Be sure not to scratch or pick the scalp at all. Your body is working hard to heal your scalp. Be patient and let it go through the scabbing process.
Applying ice to the forehead may help in reducing swelling and numbing minor pain. Be sure the ice does not touch the newly transplanted grafts.
You may begin shampooing your scalp a couple of days after the surgery. Be very gentle and use a mild shampoo such as baby shampoo. Do not use your nails or finger tips whatsoever, rather lather around the area and allow the suds to gently fall or sit on the scalp. Additionally, make sure the water is on a very gentle stream. We recommend using a measuring cup to gently pour water on the scalp. The pressure of the water straight from the shower head could cause damage to the grafts.
After approximately 1 week, you may begin to use your finger tips to wash your hair. Use very light pressure in circular motions to clean the scalp. Make sure the pressure from your fingers and water is very gentle and light. After 2 weeks, you may return to your regular hair washing method with regular pressure.
Rogaine and other hair products should not be used for 2 weeks following surgery. Hairpieces should not be worn for at least 1 month.
Exercise (even very light) should be avoided for 10 days. Moderate to intense exercise can resume after 14 days. This avoidance of exercise is due to the rise in heart rate causing pressure on the scalp and possibly dislodging the grafts.
If you have any concerns regarding your hair transplant or have noticed shock loss, excessive bleeding, prolonged swelling or pain, or any sign of infection, do not hesitate to call your hair transplant surgeon immediately. While these scenarios are extremely rare, you can’t be too careful.
It is very important you heed your doctor’s instructions very carefully. Detailed instructions are given to you after the surgery is completed. Please keep in mind the success of your hair transplant rests on how well you take care of it.
There are many factors that go into determining your candidacy for hair transplant surgery. For example, the density of the donor area, the strength of the surrounding hair, the involvement and efficacy of medical management, and the severity of the hair loss, just to name a few.
When all of these factors work together in a patients favor, we see great results like these.
This patient presented with severe receding and balding of the crown. Although the degree of his hair loss may make this patient appear much older, he was only his late 20’s at the date this picture was taken. Utilizing approximately 3600 grafts, Dr. Yazdan was able to restore this patients hair line and fill in the crown.
Results are shown after 1 year post-surgery. The patient now has an appropriate hair line with good density throughout the crown.
According to recent research by Psychology Today, hair loss is a major concern for the majority of men. Even though the study showed that almost 90% of women didn’t care about hair loss in men, men estimated over 50% of women wouldn’t find a balding man attractive.
This same study found that overall, men are more concerned with losing their hair than losing their sanity. Considering the seriousness of mental illness, this statement allows us to see just how important and relevant hair loss is to men today.
Most men develop their confidence and self-esteem in their early 20’s, when most men happen to still have a full head of hair. As men age and lose their hair, that confidence plummets.
The tricky thing with confidence is that its about being comfortable in your own skin. Regardless of the issue, not feeling comfortable or like yourself can wreak havoc on your self-esteem.
Our hair plays a big role in our overall appearance. If you look at two pictures of an individual one with hair and one without, they would hardly look like the same person. A full head of hair equals youth, health, and confidence.
Interestingly enough, it’s been found that just attempting to do something to resolve hair loss positively effects self-esteem and confidence.
Luckily, thanks to advancements in hair restoration, there are many options available to help men restore their hair and in turn, restore their confidence.
Here at Modena, we specialize in the medical management of hair loss, alternative methods to re-growing hair, as well as FUE and FUT/Strip methods of hair transplant surgery. If your hair loss has caused your confidence to dip, do something about it today and schedule a hair loss consultation. The road to restoring your confidence is closer than you think.
Unfortunately, botched hair transplants are becoming increasingly common. Every week we see handfuls of patients for consultations seeking a corrective hair transplant or scar repair procedure done.
Botched hair transplant surgeries often leave the patient’s hair looking worse off than before. Botched can refer to the scar left by the Strip/FUT incision, extreme shock loss in the donor area, or a minimal-nonexistent survival rate of the transplanted grafts.
Don’t let this happen to you! There are many ways you can avoid ending up with a botched hair transplant surgery. I discuss two of those ways below.
First, and most importantly, do your research. Below is a list of useful questions to ask your prospective hair transplant surgeon:
How many years of experience do you have transplanting hair?
Do you use a machine or hand tools to assist you in extracting and placing grafts?
What size punch tool do you use?
Do you have any before and after pictures?
Do you have any testimonials?
Are you certified by the ISHRS?
Will you be the one actually performing my surgery?
What percentage success rate do you have for graft survival and overall successful outcomes for hair transplant surgeries?
Second, consider the cost benefit analysis. While a cheaper cost for surgery sounds ideal, its true what they say about getting what you pay for. Most cases of botched surgeries are a result of someone choosing a cheaper surgical option, whether that means going abroad or choosing someone with inferior credentials. Although you may save money in the short term, you end up spending more than you would have if you’d chosen the right surgeon the first time when you have to pay for a second surgery to repair your botched hair transplant.
While there are methods to correct a bad hair transplant or repair a bad Strip/FUT scar, not everyone is a candidate for these options. The best way to avoid this scenario is to take every precaution prior to your first surgery. It is much easier to do a surgery right the first time than it is to try and repair a botched one.
Here at Modena, we stand by every surgery we do. Feel free to browse our before and afters as well as our repair case studies. We would be happy to answer any questions you may have during a consultation. Save yourself the time, money, and stress of trying to repair a botched surgery and get it done right the first time.
Shock loss is a condition which can occur after a hair transplant surgery. The pre-existing hair in the recipient and donor areas fall out, causing new and increased hair loss. As you can imagine, this is upsetting for many people, as they feel they look worse-off than pre-surgery.
Why does the hair fall out? Anytime we put our bodies through the stress of a surgery, our bodies experience a degree of trauma. Our bodies have different ways of dealing with this trauma such as fatigue and pain. With hair transplant surgeries, the surrounding and existing follicles can be traumatized (or shocked) by the transplantation of new follicles and can respond by falling out.
For most individuals that experience shock loss, the condition is temporary and the hairs return during the next growth cycle. This can take anywhere from 2-6 months. But for others, the shock loss is permanent. This is the case when the hairs that have fallen out were on their way out anyways, meaning, they were due to fall out soon. The trauma of surgery gave them just the push they needed to fall out permanently and create new areas of hair loss.
There are many factors that play a role in whether you will experience shock loss. Firstly, the condition of your existing hair. Hairs that are weak are more likely to fall out. Secondly, the type of hair and hair loss you have. If you have hair that is thin and thinning throughout, you are more likely to experience shock loss. Those who are experiencing receding hair loss are less likely to get shock loss.
Regardless of your predispositions, a certified and experienced hair transplant surgeon can evaluate your hair and give their suggestions and expectations for surgery. Dr. Yazdan believes maintenance and prevention are two of the best tools in fighting hair loss. Treatments such as PRP therapy, laser therapy, and medications can work in conjunction with surgery to protect and nourish the existing and newly transplanted hair follicles and prevent future hair loss.
If you would like to learn more about surgical and nonsurgical hair loss options, give us a call.
Human hair has incredible aesthetic power. And as one of the most powerful innovators on the planet, Elon Musk wanted his image to be equally as strong and powerful.
Although his hair would continue to thin, his dense hair transplants (likely 4,000+ grafts in total) combined with strategic hair therapies led to one of the most handsome hair transformations for a celebrity in history!
Some individuals who are desperate to get a surgery or procedure done, but find themselves with a lack of funds, seek treatment abroad.
Congratulations on getting through your hair transplant procedure! Now comes the hard part – taking care of your scalp and grafts so you can achieve the best results possible.
According to recent research by Psychology Today, hair loss is a major concern for the majority of men. Even though the study showed that almost 90% of women didn’t care about hair loss in men, men estimated over 50% of women wouldn’t find a balding man attractive.
Shock loss is a condition which can occur after a hair transplant surgery. The pre-existing hair in the recipient and donor areas fall out, causing new and increased hair loss. As you can imagine, this is upsetting for many people, as they feel they look worse-off than pre-surgery.
