Diagnosis: FUE Transplant – Age: 35 – Follicles: 1,560 – Sex: Male
Case study of a 35 year old male with Norwood 3 male pattern baldness. After a detailed dive into their hair loss history and proper examination of their scalp, patient was advised regarding a hair transplant of approx. 1500 grafts using the FUE technique. Photos below are 7 months apart.
‘How will my new hairline look?’ is one of the most important questions patients ask us when they begin our consultation. ‘Will it look rounded, symmetrical, asymmetrical, more defined or less defined?’ It is a deep desire to want to know how the cosmetic procedure will look finished before it starts. People have a strong opinion and idea of how they want their new hair to look and move.
The truth of the matter is there is no one size fits all hairline that Dr. Yazdan, or any top hair transplant surgeon for that matter, tries to create. What looks good for one patient may not look good for another – what makes sense for a young patient with progressive loss may not make sense for an older patient with more ‘stable’ and limited hair loss. In other words, hairlines must be carefully considered and customized for each patient.
A close examination of the direction, sway, swirl and grouping of a patient’s hair will tell us how most naturally to design the new hairline. Let’s look at a few case studies which show the quite different, but equally successful, ways in which hair restoration manages to rejuvenate a person’s hairline. All examples are done by the careful and skillful hand of Dr. Yazdan himself.
For this patient, who likes to wear his hair short and based on his age, level of hair loss, hair-type and forehead shape, we decided to design a flatter, more defined, less irregular hairline. Dr. Yazdan use a very calibrated small punch during the FUE procedure to minimize scarring and maximize a natural look.
For this older patient, with lots of wispy strands and excessive hair loss who wears his hair longer, Dr. Yazdan decided to design a slightly more conservative, soft, broken-up, irregular, and feathered hairline. Patient had arrived at Modena Hair Institute more than a year ago with a poorly performed punch surgery and lots of scarring. He had also received scalp micro pigmentation work which turned blue. A notorious problem among inexperience or purely cosmetic clinics, SMP pigments can turn blue if it is too dark and the wrong pigments are used.
Conclusion
As you can see, these patients were about as different in hair type, age, density and shape as you can get. The first patient had coarser, darker, denser and a more limited hair loss experience. The second patient had softer, wispier hair and a greater degree of hair loss. Designing a hairline shape for both patients requires a very different aesthetic and scientific approach.
Patients must visit clinics who are able to showcase a wide variety of hairlines, not a ‘stock’ hairline done time and time again on each patient. The hair transplant doctor must take your entire history and shape into account, digest the information, and create a plan that fits you and you alone. If you do this, your hairline will look like one thing and one thing alone: a natural hairline which fits you.
When considering clinics, make sure to ask the doctor what they plan to do for your hairline specifically, why they recommend this approach, and to see examples of other, similar hairlines. Otherwise, you may end up in a situation where you are asking a second doctor what your hairline should have looked like, and whether or not they can make it look like this with a second procedure.
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.
When somebody looks you straight in the face your hairline is one of the first things they’re bound to see. We all know that first impressions often exert a significant influence on subsequent interactions. Now unfortunately, given its prominence, the hairline is often one of the first regions of the scalp where thinning is observed in men with genetically patterned hair loss. For these reasons, surgically rebuilding the hairline is a matter of special attention and importance for our hair transplant specialists.
Given its central importance for the overall aesthetic effectiveness of the hair transplant procedure new patients are almost universally inclined to ask what their restored hairline will look like. Some of them haven’t had a hairline to speak of for years and the questions of shape and symmetry are important. Hairlines can be flat and well defined, symmetrical, asymmetrical, staggered, feathered, and may or may not involve a widow’s peak. The truth is that, in the face of such bewildering options, there is no “one size fits all” when it comes to restored hairlines. Aesthetics are highly individual and what looks good on one patient may not flatter the facial features of another. The treatment that would be called for in the case of a young patient with progressive and uncertain loss would often not be the same as that required by an older patient with more stable and limited hair loss. To put it briefly, hairlines must be carefully considered, designed and customized for every patient individually.
Now, let’s talk about some of the specific ways Dr. Amir Yazdan goes about restoring our patients hairlines. The ancient Greeks were fond of saying that beauty lies in harmony and proportion. Therefore, in designing the curve and overall shape of your hairline our specialists will carefully take account of the general shape of your face. For example, people with wider faces tend to have better results with a wider arching hairline. Conversely those whose facial features are more narrow often find that ideal results are achieved by designing a narrower curve for the hairline.
The most natural looking results occur when the hairline compliments the natural shape of a patient’s face; therefore, a hairline placed too high or too low on the forehead will lead to unappealing results. Individual hairlines are also seldom perfectly straight and our specialists have found that often angling the restored hairline up or down is necessary for achieving the most natural looking results. Here at Modena Hair Institute Dr. Yazdan implements the latest digital imaging software to determine the ideal position of your restored hairline.
Besides a general consideration of facial aesthetics Dr. Yazdan can work from any older photos you may have to recreate a hairline very much like the one you used to have. We find that consulting photos of a patient before balding to be an invaluable point of reference for achieving optimal results. These old photos will be studied to achieve a better idea of what your hairline was like. Consulting reference photos are a great help in producing natural results and in convincingly recreating your appearance.
Doing the exact same hairline on two different patients almost never happens. Hair transplants are carefully personalized procedures and the way one patient’s hairline ‘ought to look’ is always unique and highly individual. This is because transplanted hairlines must be customized. Patients must be careful to select clinics who are able to showcase a wide variety of hairlines; not a single stock hairline that gets slapped, assembly line style, onto the head of every patient who comes through the door.
Your surgeon must take all the relevant aspects into account and, after careful deliberation, craft a plan that fits your individual case as precisely as possible. A carefully personalized hairline can only turn out one way: natural and flattering. When considering clinics, be sure to ask the doctor what he or she plans to do for your specific hairline, their reasoning for recommending such an approach, and ask to see examples of other similar hairlines if available. Otherwise, you may end up in the awkward situation of asking a second doctor what your hairline should have looked like, and whether or not they can possibly salvage it with a further procedure.
For more information about restoring your hairline or to discuss any questions you may have regarding our available procedures, be sure to contact our hair restoration center today. At Modena Hair Institute we pride ourselves on consistently providing our patients with the highest standard of custom hair restoration treatment available, directly tailored to their individual needs. We are eagerly awaiting your visit or digital consultation. Contact us today!
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.
Great stoic philosophers like Seneca liked to point out that moderation was the key to attaining harmony in the self – ‘a sound mind in a sound body.’ This tidbit of ancient Roman wisdom also holds true for hair transplants. One of the more common questions that our patients tend to ask during consultations is: “Doctor, can we do more?”
We understand you completely. Hair transplants are a big deal for our patients, most of whom (very understandably) want to do as much as possible in a single session, obtain optimal results, and then never have to undergo another surgery again. So back to the question: is more better? Would a massive single transplant of, for example, upwards of 5,000 grafts ever be a good idea? Does having more grafts indicate a better quality transplant? Would using more grafts than recommended and packing them closer together produce thicker, more aesthetically pleasing results? The answer to these closely related questions is- not necessarily. As often happens in medicine, and in life, the answer isn’t always that simple.
Technically speaking, most patients simply don’t need 5,000+ grafts in one go. To give you some perspective, it would take about 5,000 – 6,000 grafts to cover every inch of an entirely bald scalp with adequate density. Most patients end up in our clinic far before that level of hair loss has set in. Most common cases of hair loss involve isolated thinning restricted to certain portions of the scalp. The standard recommended treatment of such cases tends to call for around 2,500 grafts to 3,000 grafts.
Consider this, if it takes 5,000 grafts to cover the entire scalp, we shouldn’t need more than 2,500 or 3,000 to treat thinning of the frontal scalp. Anything more would be simply unnecessary. In fact, it would be very undesirable to force in twice as many grafts as required into a given area; just as it would be highly medically inadvisable to take such grafts from the donor area and then not use them. The donor area only possesses a limited number of grafts and when they’re gone, they’re gone. Hair transplants only address areas of the scalp that are currently thinning or balding. The grafted hair, under normal circumstances, will remain in place for the rest of your life; however, hair transplants do not prevent hair loss in untreated areas of the scalp. Therefore, you may very well want to save some of those extra potential grafts for later.
But what if yours is a case of advanced hair loss calling for around 5,000 to 6,000 grafts to treat? Can we do 5,000 in one sitting then? It depends on several factors. If such a large number of grafts can be safely harvested in one sitting, then certainly. There are some important caveats here though. Firstly, most clinics are simply not equipped to perform a surgery of this magnitude. Secondly, only the FUT (Follicular Unit Transplantation) procedure would be appropriate for such large cases. FUT also known as the ‘strip’ procedure is somewhat invasive and should only be attempted by highly qualified surgeons in a state of the art clinic. Attempting this level of FUT at a clinic which lacks the adequate experience and resources can only lead to disastrous results. Scarring, destruction of the donor area and of the highly sensitive harvested grafts, risk of infection and/or poor final results are all serious risks involved when practitioners and clinics are pushed past the limits of their facilities and expertise.
Moreover, when considering a massive transplant many factors also depend on the individual patient. The average patient is not physiologically capable of safely rendering 5,000+ grafts in one sitting. The laxity (that is, the potential for movement or the ‘stretch capacity’) of the typical human scalp and/or the donor area density often prevents this. Unfortunately, some unscrupulous clinics will go ahead with a 5,000+ graft transplant anyway. As mentioned above, more often than not the results aren’t pretty.
Certain rare patients do possess a broad donor area and excellent laxity. We can safely harvest a reasonably sized strip from them for use in large grafting procedures. The scalps of most patients, however, can only safely provide between 2,500 – 3,000 grafts at one time. Patients in need of 5,000 – 6,000 grafts to cover the whole scalp would simply need to undergo two procedures instead of one. For advanced hair loss, this eliminates the unpleasantness and many of the complications associated with massive grafting procedures and is how the vast majority of such hair restoration procedures are carried out. Anything else would be an exception, highly qualified by individual factors, and most certainly not the norm.
It is also important to let the scalp heal and not to push too much surgery on it at one go. Scalp laxity tends to return within 12 months of surgical recovery by which point it is perfectly safe to undergo a second procedure. As an added perk, due to our highly specialized grafting technique you will still only ever have one incision scar no matter how many times we harvest from the donor area.
Finally, to address the last question: ‘does putting in more grafts than required produce thicker and more aesthetically pleasing results?’ The short answer is a definite no. There are serious and potentially detrimental consequences associated with purposeful excessive grafting. Here at Modena Hair institute we practice dense graft packing to achieve a full and healthy restoration; however our highly trained and specialized professionals understand that the grafts can only be placed so close.
More grafts do not necessarily produce a better appearance and, furthermore, a region of the scalp subject to excessive incisions will suffer inevitable and irreversible tissue damage. In fact, such tissue damage can even lead to necrosis and infection killing the new grafts and leaving the unfortunate patient with some very nasty scars. There is also no guarantee that badly damaged tissue will be receptive to future grafting. So to go back to our Roman philosophers- moderation is key. A smaller number of judiciously placed and safely harvested grafts, in the hands of our experienced surgeons, will always yield better results than an ill-conceived and equally ill-advised ‘mega graft.’
Want to know how many grafts you may need or may be able to do in one sitting?
For more information about hair loss and cutting edge surgical treatments contact our hair restoration surgery center today. Here at Modena Hair Institute we always strive to provide our patients with the highest standard of custom hair restoration treatment available, directly tailored to their individual needs. Our specialists are eagerly awaiting your visit or digital consultation. Contact us today!
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.
A hair transplant will give you a beautifully restored head of hair, but does it last? Here at Modena Hair Institute we occasionally hear from concerned prospective patients who, while admiring the fine results of our finished hair transplants, are nonetheless concerned that, given enough time, their newly restored hair will eventually thin and fall out. The good news for you is that this is absolutely not the case. Transplanted hair follicles are harvested from a region of the scalp (called the ‘permanent zone’) that is genetically resistant to hair loss; therefore, most patients can expect their newly implanted hair to last forever.
The two most commonly employed hair restoration procedures — Follicular Unit Transplantation (FUT) and Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) are intended as lifelong solutions to hair loss. The two methods work like this:
Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) – In FUE individual hair follicles are removed from a donor area of the scalp and are transplanted to the area in need. No stitches or sutures are required for this minimally invasive procedure.
Follicular Unit Transplantation (FUT) – In FUT a strip of scalp tissue is removed from the donor area. The scalp tissue is then separated into individual grafts for the needed areas of the scalp.
The transplant should grow as hair normally. In both the FUE and FUT procedure transplanted hair is harvested from the permanent zones— also known as the donor area — on the back and sides of the scalp and skillfully transferred to the thinning and balding areas of the front, top, and crown.
It is, however, important to remember that hair transplants (like any other surgical procedure) are not without certain caveats. The results furnished by a hair transplant may vary depending on a number of factors and limitations. Although the vast majority of hair restorations do provide natural-looking and healthy results, some limiting factors to consider include:
Choice of clinic: Techniques employed for hair restoration procedures have improved dramatically over the years and it is essential to find a clinic whose practitioners are well informed regarding all of the latest developments in the field. Top-rated clinics consistently achieve a large graft to growth success rate. Unfortunately, many sub-standard clinics exist. Moreover many so-called ‘bargain’ hair transplants, especially those performed overseas or by underqualified practitioners, can be downright dangerous and leave patients with severe scarring. Doing your own research, exercising good judgement and reading written testimonials of former patients is essential. Many surgeons consistently deliver effective and beautiful results; do your due diligence to ensure that you are in good hands before you go under the knife.
Biological Factors: We must accept that hair transplants do not work for everyone, nor are they a miracle cure. Advanced hair loss, for example, can be particularly difficult to address; patients whose hair follicles have remained dormant for two to seven years and/or those with particularly thin hair in the donor area will often experience less satisfactory results. Of course, this doesn’t mean that dramatic cosmetic results are impossible to achieve, just that initial expectations should be set lower. In most cases some well placed transplant hairs produce a far more pleasing, vigorous and youthful aesthetic effect than no hair at all.
Continuing Hair Loss: While the transplant itself should keep growing forever, the same can not necessarily be said about the rest of your hair. While hair transplants do not prevent future hair loss in regions of the scalp not covered by a transplant, they do help cover them. Effective treatments for continuous hair loss exist and our specialists are always happy to discuss any concerns or anxieties you may have regarding our treatment options.
Adequate Donor Area Capacity: The size of the permanent zones vary according to individual genetic factors. A larger donor area allows for more grafts to be harvested and furnishes our practitioners with a greater number of hairs to work with for the transplant. Patients with relatively small permanent zones should modify their expectations in regards to the amount of coverage that can be achieved. However, as mentioned previously, truly skilled transplant surgeons can still often produce impressive results even when confronted with sparse material to work with.
Shock Loss: Transplant hair may fall out due to shock shortly after surgery. This is a normal and expected physiological response and nothing to be alarmed by. The new follicles remain and you should expect to see significant growth within the course of a few months.
Both FUE and FUT are permanent procedures. The donor area of the scalp, from which hair follicles are harvested, isn’t called the ‘permanent zone’ for no reason. Hair harvested from this region of the scalp is genetically programmed to never fall out. However, while some patients who receive a hair transplant will later opt for another due to further thinning of non-treated areas, you can rest content knowing that, under normal circumstances, the direct results provided by FUE or FUT are there to stay forever.
For more information about FUE and FUT or to discuss any questions you may have regarding our procedures, be sure to contact our hair restoration center today. At Modena Hair Institute we pride ourselves on consistently providing our patients with the highest standard of custom hair restoration treatment available, directly tailored to their individual needs. Our specialists are eagerly awaiting your visit or digital consultation. Contact us today!
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.
World-renowned hair transplant advisor Spencer ‘Spex’ Stevenson (spexhair.com) will come to watch Dr. Amir Yazdan perform a live hair transplant procedure and consult with inquiring visitors and potential patients on Dec. 9th and 10th at our Newport Beach location.
If you are new to the world of hair restoration, we would love to have you visit for a one-on-one consultation with the best advisor in the industry.
As a dedicated hair transplant advisor known for his extraordinary patient care, Spencer has spent his life helping clinics and practitioners, and educating the public about hair loss. Spencer partnered with Dr. Amir Yazdan in 2019 to promote patient safety and raise awareness about the great virtues and potential vices of modern hair restoration.
In Newport Beach, California on Dec. 9th and 10th, Spencer welcomes all visitors and potential hair transplant patients to ask questions, address concerns and provide real guidance.
Guiding potential patients to the very best practitioners in the hair transplant industry, Spencer only partners with the most distinguished surgeons and hair loss specialists. As the only IAHRS member in the Orange County and Las Vegas regions, Dr. Amir Yazdan has consistently upheld the highest ethical and technical standards.
Dr. Yazdan is committed to the continual advancement of the art and science of hair transplantation, and has pioneered sophisticated hair transplant instruments and methods, specifically with regard to the Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) procedure.
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.
