Tag Archives: propecia

Hair Transplants for Trans Men and Women

hair transplant transFor many people, the outward expression of their gender identity isn’t something they’ve ever put much thought into. If your physical appearance has always matched how you feel on the inside, it’s easy to understand why. For many trans men and women, however, it’s something they’ve had to think about their entire lives. At Modena Hair Institute, our goal has always been to help every single person who walks through our door look and feel their best—whatever that means to them.

We’ve specialized in hair transplants and non-surgical hair restoration techniques with the best available technology and the most compassionate team of experienced personnel you’ll ever meet. We know that transforming your appearance is a big decision for anyone to make, but it’s an especially important decision for many people in the trans community.  No matter how you choose to express your gender identity, we’v helped thousands of men and women achieve some incredible results. Whether our patients are trans or cisgendered, our approach is always the same—focus on the hair. Here are a few things that anyone looking for a masculine or feminine appearance may want to consider when it comes to their hair.

Notable Female Characteristics

When compared to men, women traditionally have a much lower frontal hairline, a rounded hairline, and thicker hair throughout their scalp and crown. For anyone looking to achieve this look, we typically remove hair follicles one-by-one from the back and sides of the head (where hair is generally much thicker) and transplant them individually throughout any areas of temple recession and frontal hairline or crown thinning. This technique is called a Follicular Unit Excision (FUE). Dr. Amir Yazdan has pioneered this modern technique and employs cutting-edge instrumentation to execute surgeries that are as minimally invasive and painless as possible.

For our trans patients who have undergone gender reassignment surgery or take female hormones, common male hair loss patterns will, fortunately, slow down or stop completely. For those who choose not to go down that route but also want to keep as much of their hair as possible, we recommend taking topical solutions like minoxidil (Rogaine) or an orally administered daily medication like finasteride (Propecia). These non-surgical solutions help slow down hair loss and improve thinning hair.

Notable Male Characteristics

At the other end of the spectrum, men are commonly known to have receding and/or thinning hairlines whether they like it or not. So, if you’re after a more traditional male look and have a full head of hair, style it to your heart’s content! Another common characteristic found on many cis men is, of course, facial hair. For anyone hoping to achieve a beard, goatee, mustache or sideburns, no matter how thin or wispy their current facial hair is, a facial hair transplant can help deliver permanent, natural results. These transplants work very similar to hair transplants on your head. We move hair from the donor area (usually the back and sides of the head) to parts of the face where hair is missing. For our trans patients, this procedure has helped enhance the results of testosterone therapy alone. And don’t worry, the donor areas on your head won’t look any different than it did before the procedure. With approximately 100,000 hairs on the human head, your scalp won’t miss the 1,000+ needed to fill in facial hair.

We all deserve to feel comfortable in our own skin, and thanks to modern advances in hair restoration, you can. Contact us for a thorough discussion about your best options. We can’t wait to set you on your journey of transformation.  

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.

Shedding Hair After a Hair Transplant

As you’ve probably learned by now, the newly implanted grafts a hair transplant patient receives will typically shed between two weeks and two months after the procedure. The follicles on the scalp will be in what is called a ‘resting phase’, appearing dormant and minuscule, so patience is required. Aesthetic splendor is only a few months ahead. Also known as “shock loss”, it is perfectly normal to shed your transplanted hair following an FUE hair transplant. New hairs will quickly grow in their place over the coming months. Why does hair shed after surgery? Hairs have a growth cycle, split into 3 stages – growth, transition and resting phases. The resting phase is the time when the roots shed their hairs. Hairs can move into the resting phase following the trauma of surgery. The main traumatic events the hairs goes through during the course of hair transplant surgery are: the hair follicle being cut away and disconnected from blood supply, the hair follicle being re-implanted back into the scalp, and lastly, the surrounding hairs being affected by incisions and anesthetic.

After a hair transplant, the implanted follicles and the attached hairs will stay in their new place for 1- 2 weeks. The follicles in this period will start to switch into a resting phase and will then begin to shed their hair. This shock loss can start as early as 10 days following transplantation. It can last up to 12 weeks. This process of hair shedding is expected and does not represent the scalp “rejecting” the implanted hairs.

Some patients may notice that hairs that haven’t been transplanted can shed after a hair transplant. The risk of shedding non-transplanted hairs is increased if someone has a large number of thin or miniaturized hairs that sit in-between newly implanted hairs. Like transplanted hairs, these native non-transplanted hairs shed because their follicles also move into a resting phase following the trauma of surgery. Shock loss of non-transplanted hair can occur from 2 weeks following surgery but can also occur months later. This process, although rare, self-resolves. And all hair that has shed should regrow.

Unfortunately, there is no proven way to reduce the risk of shock loss following surgery. However, patients can safeguard against future loss via topical or medical management. The two most popular and proven non-surgical hair restoration modalities are Propecia (Finasteride) and Minoxidil. Propecia significantly reduces DHT, a key cause of hair loss, by inhibiting the formation of DHT in your scalp. This prevents hair loss and thickens hair in many men. Minoxidil is a solution or a foam you can apply to thicken areas of thin hair. It also helps to prevent hair loss and can be used to help quicken the growth of hairs that have shed during shock loss. You can read more about these two modalities in our medical hair loss treatments section.

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.

Finasteride Side Effects


Many have fell for the scare mongering online or in newspapers about the side effects of Propecia ® (Finasteride). Most recently, numerous headlines concerning Donald Trump taking the drug for hair loss management and experiencing libido deficiency, have taken the hair restoration industry by storm.
For those who don’t know, Finasteride is a DHT-blocking medicine that decreases the influence of DHT (dihydrotestosterone) on male pattern baldness. Research has indicated that approximately 65% of men who take Finasteride medication consistently experience a reduction in hair loss and even re-growth of miniaturized hair.
For those reading that Finasteride or Propecia causes sexual dysfunction and reduces libido consistently, know that this is simply untrue. It is widely recorded that a very exiguous fraction of Finasteride users, around only 1% in fact, relate experiencing such side effects. The most common side effects are sexual, specifically decreased libido or difficulty with getting or maintaining erections. However, these side effects, thoroughly researched and tested clinically, are not ‘consistent’ or ‘persistent’ as most tabloids will describe.
It’s commonly known in the field of hair restoration that normal sexual function ought to return to normal 2-7 weeks after stopping use of the drug. Moreover, if a patient decides to persevere with Finasteride, the body has a 60% chance of getting rid of any side effects without stopping use of the drug.
At Modena Hair Institute we’ve prescribed Finasteride for over 10 years – it’s one of the most common drugs that we recommend to suitable patients – and we have yet to receive a strong complaint regarding its side effects. Finasteride and minoxidil form an effective course for preventing further hair loss and promoting regrowth; supplementary hair growth products like groMD can also be used to manage hair loss.
We’re very much aware of the potential side effects and always advise patients accordingly before prescribing the medication. As we mentioned above, the reported negative side effects of Finasteride are limited to no more than 1% of patients, which include a drop in libido and occasional erectile dysfunction. If a patient experiences these side effects, we usually suggest taking half the dose, although this is rare.

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.

Finasteride (Propecia) for hair loss – what is it and who can use it?

Finasteride (or Propecia) is most commonly used to treat urinary problems that are the result of an enlarged prostate gland. Finasteride is considered a steroid reductase inhibitor and works by reducing the amount of dihydrotestosterone (DHT) in the body. Less DHT means a smaller prostate gland, which in turn resolves the urinary problems.
For individuals that have hair loss caused by an excess of DHT in the body, finasteride can prove useful. In these cases, the reduced DHT allows hair growth to increase and hair loss to slow.
Finasteride should be used by adult men only. While the drug hasn’t shown that it causes harm to women, it also hasn’t shown enough evidence that it helps them either. The most recent research still deems the efficacy of Finasteride in female pattern baldness controversial.
As with any medication, there are some important side effects that should be noted. The most prominent is a decreased sexual drive. Additionally, the drug may also affect fertility.
When deciding whether to start a medication, one should always weigh the pros and cons with an experienced and certified doctor. Together, you can come to a conclusion as to whether the benefit is greater than the risk of side effects.
Here at Modena, we specialize in the medical management of hair loss. Upon evaluation of your scalp and hair loss history by Dr. Yazdan, a determination can be made as to if you would be a good candidate for finasteride treatment.
If you’re experiencing hair loss and would like to explore your options, give us a call for a medical management consultation today.