Finding a Qualified Hair Transplant Surgeon

Locating a Qualified Hair Transplant Surgeon

After you have made the decision to consult a physician and begin the initial steps to having hair transplant surgery, it is extremely important that you find a fully qualified medical professional. Unfortunately, there are a number of individuals who set up shop and claim to certified and knowledgeable in hair transplantation techniques and procedures, when in truth they have no such certifications at all.

It is well worth the effort for any patient to take their time, do their home and conduct some research regarding a prospective health care practitioner. First, you should insure that the individual you select has the necessary medical license to practice. Sadly, many individuals and families find out after the fact that a doctor or surgeon they trusted turned out not to be licensed to practice medicine at all or else had lost their license due to malpractice. A diploma hanging on the wall doesnt necessarily mean the individual is licensed to practice. Take the time to check out the facts with the American Board of Medical Specialties. This organization will be able to tell you whether or not that person is in fact licensed to practice medicine and furthermore if they are certified for hair transplant surgery. You should also make a point to investigate how much experience the surgeon you select has in performing hair transplant surgery.

Besides safety and cost, results are one of the number one factors concerning most people who choose to have hair transplant surgery. Obviously, patients want the surgery to result in natural looking hair and not hair that appears to have cornrows or doll head plugs. Many of the transplants performed in the very early history of the practice, unfortunately, produced such results. Today, however; technology and procedures have advanced to a point where it is quite possible to achieve natural looking results without tale-tale signs.

Prospective patients should take the time to check out before and after photographs of any hair transplant surgeon they are considering. All reputable surgeons keep a portfolio containing such photos and will be happy to share them with prospective patients. These photos cannot guarantee specific results, because the final effect is based on many individual characteristics, however; before and after photos will be able to reassure a patient regarding the techniques used by the surgeon.

With the advanced technology available today, there is no reason to settle for the choppy appearances so common in the 80s. With todays transplants no one should suspect youve had a transplant surgery unless you tell them.

One of the first steps in locating the right hair transplant surgeon; is for the patient to find someone with which they feel comfortable. Hair transplant surgery is generally an on-going process that may last anywhere from between a few months to a year or more in order to achieved the desired results. For maximum results, the patient and the doctor will need to become a team. This will be difficult to accomplish if the patient does not feel comfortable working with his or her surgeon.

Of course, one of the best ways to locate a reliable and trustworthy hair transplant surgeon, just like any other doctor, is to ask around. Many individuals feel uncomfortable doing this, however; due to the personal nature of the procedure. If an individual is hoping to maintain confidentiality regarding their upcoming hair transplant surgery and do not wish to broadcast the fact, there are a number of on-line health directories that can point individuals in the right direction. One of these directories is from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. The Societys website includes a doctor finder search engine that will assist prospective patients locating board certified surgeons in their area. This site can be accessed at:

http://www.plasticsurgery.org/find_a_plastic_surgeon/index.cfm

Our hair and the loss of it, is an extremely personal and intimate subject. Selecting a surgeon to handle the hair transplantation surgery is something that should be handled with great care. Below are a few questions patients may wish to pose to prospective surgeons in order to determine if they are the right surgeon for the job:

Do you think I will need multiple sessions?

How many grafts will I need?

Where on the scalp will the transplants be placed?

Taking the time to find a qualified, certified hair transplant surgeon with a reputation for producing cosmetically appealing results and with whom the patient feels comfortable will go a long way in helping the patient achieve pleasing results.

Summary

In order to undergo hair transplant surgery, patients should be in good health and not prone to easy bleeding or heart problems. Those individuals who take blood thinners may be at an increased risk for bleeding during the procedure. This situation will be discussed in detail with the surgeon in the pre-operative consultation. Individuals who have already lost a significant portion of their hair, or who are particularly young, may not be suitable candidates for hair transplant surgery either because there is not enough donor hair left to work with or because they may have unrealistic expectations. Prospect hair transplant surgery patients should take the time to find a surgeon they feel comfortable with performing their procedure.

Experience is the comb life gives you after you lose your hair

Judith Stearn

Next: Hair Transplant Risk Factors

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Finding a Qualified Hair Transplant Surgeon