Hair Restoration Blog

The modern hair restoration surgery is still a fairly novel procedure in the world of cosmetic surgery even though it helps to retain a youthful appearance. Among the few known hair transplant practices around, there is great competition to appeal to the many patients who come each year to seek advice for their hair thinning and balding. The question in the back of many minds is “who is the best hair transplant company?” Or “how one should find the best hair transplant company?”

Although we at US Hair Restoration take pride in meeting the needs of all our patients, it’s our aspiration to provide the best hair transplant in Los Angeles, as well as to be one of the first choices for hair transplantation in the USA. Yet we want all who inquire about hair restoration to make an informed decision and be satisfied, even if they choose to see a different surgeon.

Reviewing all available information about a Hair Restoration practice is very important in order to make a fully informed decision. The questions to ask oneself should be, what are the doctor’s surgical technique expertise, experience, training, compassion, and results? Do these results show true value for the cost of a hair transplant? Do they place a high standard on honesty and integrity? These are all questions which will help navigate through the different options available to make a satisfied group of patients throughout the process of their hair transplantation.

Giving the fact that hair transplant has been rapidly growing in last few years, it is good to know whether or not the hair transplant surgeon you chose is involved in any studies, innovations and improvement of the field of hair restoration.  Being on the cutting edge of the industry is critical in an evolving scientific field which sets its aim of constantly improving in quality.

Finally you need to meet your doctor and interact with him or her.  Hair transplantation is a long process and it is important that you feel comfortable with the doctor before you proceed.  Make sure you have the proper questions during your consultation and that you don’t leave the doctor’s office before all the questions are answered.  At the end of the day you need to understand the results of a hair transplantation stay with you for the rest of your life. Take your time and find the best hair transplant surgeon for you.

Hair loss in men is a very common condition.  However, it may affect a man’s life style, career, self confidence and sex life. It seems a bit shallow, but this is the reality of how many men describe their experience.

Today, modern hair transplantation can help millions of people who have been struggling with hair loss. Many people who suffer from hair loss may hesitate to restore their hair due to hair transplant costs which seem outrageous! Should it really cost an arm and a leg to have a new and improved hair line you ask?

Hair transplantation costs can vary from $3,000 to $18,000.This is solely determined by the extent of hair loss, type of hair restoration procedure, and skill of the hair transplant surgeon. It is important for a hair loss sufferer to educate him or herself regarding the available options for hair restoration – transplant. It is also very important to learn about the procedure and find a knowledgeable hair transplant surgeon to proceed with the process of  hair restoration.

The truth of today is, despite the wide range for the cost of hair transplant surgery, you might find a doctor who offers an affordable hair transplant, who doesn’t charge an arm and a leg, and still maintians a quality standard. The surgery will be cost effective, and the results should last a lifetime!! 

Check our site regarding further information on our affordable rates  for hair transplants with our “standby” list option.

Faculties: Drs. Suddleson, Mohebi and Perez in OLSW-17

Orlando Live Surgical Workshop (OLSW 17) of International society of hair restoration surgery (ISHRS) was held one more time in beautiful city of Orlando last month.  Hair transplant surgeons participated from different parts of the world.  We had many great lectures from the leaders of hair restoration surgery to cover basic information about hair restoration methods for new hair transplant surgeons and to refresh and update the more experienced ones.

We had lectures every morning and in the afternoon went to surgery center for hands on procedures to teach the techniques of hair transplant surgery.  I have to congratulate the the whole staff involved with this workshop for the great work they have done this year, coordinating a large group of doctors from all over the world and putting together a great set of lectures to cover a wide variety of subjects about modern hair restoration procedures and medical treatments.

Dr. Mohebi and Dr. Leavitt in OLSW-17

We had lectures about new methods of hair restoration surgery such as robotic hair transplant surgery.   The most updates on robotic surgery was shown to the audience.  There is a hope that the practical model of robotic hair restoration be available within a few months.

There is a woman behind every successful EVENT - Dr. Mohebi and Valarie Montalbano

I had two lectures that were both emphasizing on the techniques of removal of follicular units in hair transplants with large number of grafts using Laxometer.  I also demonstrated the applications of Laxometer in sequential strip removal techniques in live surgical workshop.

Technician training: Patrick Tafoya teaching hair transplant technicians

My second lecture was on Scalp Scars and the methods to revise them.  The lecture was focused on making surgeons more familiar with the proper techniques of scar revision and indications of each particular technique.

I went over trichophytic closure methods for a variety of different scars.  I discussed the implications of Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) to revise scalp scars.  I presented a variety of several scalp scars treated with FUE methods.  I went over the pros and cons of FUE to revise scalp scar and provided a guideline that hair transplant surgeons can decide what method should be used for each type of scar.

The growth cycle of hair follicles differs between each individual.  For that reason, transplanted hair grafts also may not follow a universal pattern.  We generally schedule follow up visits for our hair transplant patients on the day 1, day 10, month 5 and month 10 following their hair transplant surgery.  Our five month follow up is to make sure patients are having a smooth early growth without any problems or complications.  In most cases, early growth is seen at five months post op.   In some people who started growing hair earlier we may even see something close to their final result.  However, we have had some cases that we did not see impressive results at month five and patients experienced delayed growth of their transplanted grafts following the procedure.

Delayed hair growth after After a hair transplant procedure - Class VI baldness - Before (left), five months (middle) and ten months (right) after hair transplant with US Hair Restoration

Most of these patients do not have anything wrong with their transplanted hair and will only have to be more patient with their hair growth.  We bring all hair transplant patients back in month 10 after their surgery and the results at that time are much better.  This group of patients may see their final result more than 10 months from the time of their hair transplant and it may take 12 to 18 months to see full result.  If the results are still poor at month 10, more diagnostic tests such as a scalp biopsy may be needed to rule out other causes of hair loss that might have been involved with the growth of their transplanted hair.

Below are some responses to a few basic questions we received from a patient online:

How many grafts/hairs would I require for a good restoration? Could you please point to some examples.

Although for most cases with only frontal hair loss we recommend 1500-2000 grafts on average, your personal recommendation can be above or below that number depending on your eligibility, extent of balding area, history, donor density and scalp laxity.

An example of a female who received 1609 grafts with us can be seen here: http://www.ushairrestoration.com/hairrestorationbeforeaftergallery-view.php?album=93

What is the cost for hair transplants (including everything – procedural cost, fees, everything)? I understand you will not be in a position to get me the exact figures without a personal meeting but I need to have some rough idea to estimate my costs.

A hair transplant procedure performed at US Hair Restoration is calculated based on the number of grafts recommended to you. To determine what is recommended for your specific case, we recommend attending a free consultation with Dr. Parsa Mohebi at your earliest convenience. To view additional information on our general hair transplant costs please visit our hair transplant cost page.

There are times that US Hair Restoration offers Standby Rate discounts available to those with flexible schedules for booking the procedure.  Our stand-by option can offer you an additional discount (for discount rates and availability of this option please call 1-888-302-8747). You can also use our financing option in addition to that for your hair restoration.

Can the whole procedure be done in one sitting?

Yes. Overall, most hair restoration procedures performed by at US Hair Restoration will be completed in one day.  Occasionally patients may need more density that is not possible to create in one session or they have extensive hair loss that requires more than one hair transplant session.

Does FUE still have shock loss risks?
Yes, regardless of the technique of harvesting hair we recommend some sort of medication to prevent shock loss after hair transplant surgery.

In regards to your in-depth questions on exact number of grafts, donor hair growth, care after hair transplant, etc:
I recommend calling to schedule a free 30-60 minute consultation in which we can explain more detailed information to you personally and recommend an accurate number of grafts for your specific case.

Hair Care Beverly Hills interview with Dr. Parsa Mohebi

Below is the second interview of Hair Care Beverly Hills with Dr. Parsa Mohebi.  Dr. Mohebi is the medical director of US Hair Restoration hair transplant centers in Southern California with offices in Encino, Beverly Hills, Orange County and San Diego.  Dr. Mohebi is the author of Hair Restoration Blog.  He also responds to the questions of many other resources of hair loss and hair restoration.  Her is his recent interview of him by Hair Care Beverly Hills for BuzyMoms.com.

• If a client has already had a transplant with another hair transplant doctor and is disappointed with the hair restoration results, can the procedure be redone?

Yes, hair transplant repairs are a good portion of our hair transplant surgeries performed in our Southern California offices (located in Beverly Hills, Encino and Orange County). Many people may have unnatural results from previous hair transplants due to the older techniques such as plug surgery, but some may even have problems with recent hair restoration procedures due to technical issues or lack of proper judgment on the part of the hair transplant surgeon. In most situations, the repair is easy and can be done in one or two sessions.

• Is there a minimum age for hair transplant surgery?

It was not unusual that a Hair transplant surgeon discourage a person younger than 24 for a hair restoration surgery.  However, nowadays microscopic techniques being used to evaluate the miniaturization of susceptible hair can assist surgeons in predicting the final pattern of hair loss. By being able to predict each patient’ s final balding stages, we are able to see where the pattern of baldness is heading and based on that recommend hair transplant surgery at an earlier age.

• Won’ t my bare scalp be showing in the back of my head once the donor hair is taken?

If you do not plan on shaving your hair after your hair transplant surgery, your donor wound will never be visible. However, if you plan on shaving your head for any reason, you may choose to have a FUE or Follicular Unit Extraction procedure done rather than the general FUT procedure through removing a strip from the donor area. FUE transplant eliminates the visibility of a linear scar on the back of your head and is the best option for patients who plan on shaving their head or keeping their hair very short in the future.

• Do you provide free consultations?

Yes, the initial consultation with me (Dr. Parsa Mohebi) is always free in any of our Southern California hair transplant offices in Beverly Hills, Encino and Orange County and San Diego.

• What type of information should be brought to the consultation?

Anything related to your hair loss and hair restoration, including family history of hair loss, other medical conditions that may have been attributed to ones hair loss, medical, surgical or even cosmetic changes that you like and may help you have a better result after a hair restoration procedure.

Discount for FUE Transplant – Limited Only for Study Participants

As a leader in hair restoration, US Hair Restoration is now conducting a study on different methods of FUE (Follicular Unit Extraction) hair transplantation in its Southern California offices.  Our main goal of this study is to compare the quality of grafts harvested by the most advanced hair restoration techniques.  Study patients will be entitled to a discount from our standard rates of FUE hair restoration. The study will be going on until the end of July 2010 and the results will be submitted for publication in world-wide medical journals.

Who is a good candidate?

Hair loss patients who does not want to have linear scar on the back of their head might consider this option most probable for their needs.  Also, any candidate should know that the number of grafts available to be harvested in one FUE session might be significantly less than what could be done through a traditional strip method.  Thus, in addition to those who want to avoid scarring, patients who does not need a large number of grafts for their hair restoration may also be relatively better candidates.  FUE could be used for treatment of male patterned hair loss with class III and IV, eyebrow hair transplants, or to restore the linear scar from a previous strip procedure. Applicants can call the US Hair Restoration office at 1 (800) 302-8747 to schedule a consultation with Dr. Mohebi.  If you are still unsure whether or not FUE is the right procedure for you, please read our website and in particular the page on Follicular Unit Extraction.

International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery (ISHRS) has done a nice work on its website.  The organization that is the most prestigious organization for hair restoration surgery has challenges people for the differentiating a transplanted hair to a natural head of hair without any hair restoration surgery done.

The site requires you to take a survey to see if you can detect which of the people in the photos in the site have had a hair transplant and to determine how important hair is to you. The survey will only take about 5 minutes to complete. Here is the questionnaire.  By responding to the hair transplant challenge survey you can help to add to the knowledge about hair loss and hair restoration surgery.

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Eyebrow hair transplant at US Hair Restoration - Top picture: Ten days after eyebrow transplantation.

I saw a patient who had an eyebrow transplant 10 days ago.  I thought it would be useful for our readers to get an idea of how a transplanted hair ought to appear about 10 days after an eyebrow hair transplantation.

For transplanting to the brow areas, scalp hair is being used. In this particular case, we have used around 600 grafts for both eyebrows (300 for each eyebrow).

After the hair transplant, transplanted hair shafts generally stay in place or may even grow for two weeks, but they almost always fall after the second week. It may take about two to three weeks for the newly transplanted hair to start growing after an eyebrow hair transplant, which is the same length of time as a scalp hair restoration.

After full growth, patients need to keep trimming their transplanted eyebrows because they have the same growth pattern of the scalp hair where they are originally from.

Recently, the Senate proposed a health legislation which includes a 5% tax on cosmetic procedures. The cosmetic surgeries include hair restoration procedures and many other surgeries for men and women.

The potential 5% tax on cosmetic surgeries is a no-win situation for American citizens and potential hair transplant patients. By levying a tax on cosmetic procedures throughout the United States, it may further cripple our stumbling economy and reduce the much-needed funding states receive from cosmetic surgeons in order to build, for example, a high-speed train in California, create more innovative after-school programs for teenagers, poverty intervention programs for inner-city residents, more efficient forms of public transportation (e.g. metro rails).

But, at the heart of the issue, I believe, is the obstruction of an American citizen’s right to the pursuit of happiness. Through an orthodontist, people have the right to get their teeth straightened out; by undergoing a vasectomy, a married couple no longer has to deal with an unwanted pregnancy; through the purchase of an electric hybrid Honda Civic, a motorist can fight sky-rocketing gas prices.

The government doesn’t tax citizens for making these types of decisions. People do them because they believe these things will improve their lives. But why impose a tax only on cosmetic surgeries? Where do we draw the line? Who can be the judge of whether a hair transplant is a luxury for a 25-year-old man who started to lose hair and looked less attractive, which led him to struggle with social anxiety and feel depressed a lot of the time?

I believe this young person ought to be given the same opportunities as the other non-bald peers in his life, especially when we are talking about dating, relationships, and employment prospects in this increasingly-competitive time. Who knows, if this legislation passes, maybe in the near future, people who wear contacts will be taxed an additional 5%.

At US Hair Restoration, we perform hair transplants for lots of patients who travel from other countries, such as Canada, Europe, and the Middle East. Many of these patients visit the United States because they want, for their cosmetic surgeries, to be exposed to the most modern techniques; but many of them may consider the cost of cosmetic procedures, too. Increasing costs for these surgeries may deprive us from a potential source of income and deprive them of potential patients.

Currently, some states impose a tax on cosmetic procedures. According to doctors who work in these states, the results haven’t been pretty. The plan has fallen 59% short of its projected revenue; it’s proven to be an administrative pain-in-the-behind, and it was forcing many prospective clients to obtain cosmetic surgery services in surrounding states, resulting in reduced tax revenue collected from plastic surgeons from cosmetic-tax-imposing states.

For myself, as the medical director of US Hair Restoration, I’m against this legislation for the simple fact that people ought to have the freedom to do what they think will make them happy–without imposing additional costs on them. Our motto at US Hair Restoration has always been: “quality hair transplants for everyone.” Some of my patients have told me that they have lost a lot of life opportunities because of their baldness. Why not allow these wonderful people to get back what they deserve: their hair.

Let’s be fair to all people. After all, we live in the land of liberty.

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Parsa Mohebi, MD
US Hair Restoration