Procedure guide · Hair restoration and dermatologic surgery
A hair transplant moves hair from an area of thick growth to bald or thinning areas. MedlinePlus is clear that it cannot create new hair. It only moves hair you already have. Suitability depends on having enough donor hair at the back or sides of the scalp. More than one session may be needed.
What is a hair transplant?
MedlinePlus describes the strip method. A strip of scalp is removed from the donor area and closed with fine stitches. Small groups of hairs or single hairs are then separated, often under magnification. In follicular unit extraction (FUE), small units are taken directly using other equipment or robotic help. The hairs are placed into tiny cuts in the thinning area. Most procedures are done in a clinic under local anaesthetic.
Who may be suitable?
MedlinePlus says most people who have a hair transplant have male or female pattern baldness. Some with hair loss from injury, lupus or other conditions are also treated. Thick hair at the back or sides of the scalp is needed to supply the grafts. Good general health matters for safety. A doctor should check the cause of your hair loss first.
MedlinePlus lists risks. They include bleeding, infection, scarring, unnatural tufts of growth and grafts that do not grow. The result may not look as you hoped. Ask the doctor to explain what can realistically be achieved with your donor hair before you agree to treatment.
Check who does the work
Ask who will plan the hairline, who will remove and place the grafts, and what role the doctor plays on the day. The NHS advises checking a practitioner’s training and experience in the procedure.
What will a clinic usually ask for?
Send clear photographs of your scalp from the front, the crown, both sides and the back. Give a short history of your hair loss and any treatments tried. Mention medical conditions and medicines, especially blood thinners. If a doctor has diagnosed the cause of your hair loss, send the report. Tell the clinic about any previous hair transplant.
How do you plan the trip?
The stages are a remote assessment, a consultation to plan the hairline and the procedure day. A check of the scalp follows. MedlinePlus says the scalp may be tender and covered with a dressing for a day or two. It also notes that grafts may appear to fall out before regrowing. Ask for written scalp-care instructions to take home. Growth takes months to show, so follow-up photographs may be shared remotely. The NHS advises against treating a surgery trip as a holiday. Your doctor decides when you are fit to fly.
What should you ask the clinic?
- Is my donor area enough for the coverage I want?
- Do you recommend strip or FUE for me, and why?
- Who performs each step on the day?
- How many sessions might I need in future?
- What scalp care is needed after I fly home?
- How will you review progress remotely?
Questions people ask
Can a hair transplant create new hair?
No. MedlinePlus says a transplant cannot create new hair. It moves existing hair from thick areas to bald areas. That is why the amount of donor hair limits what can be achieved.
Is it normal for transplanted hair to fall out?
MedlinePlus notes that grafts may appear to fall out but then regrow. Follow the clinic’s scalp-care instructions closely and contact them if you are worried. Growth takes several months to show, so judge the result later rather than early.
Does a hair transplant need long-term care?
MedlinePlus says the transplanted hairs are mostly permanent and no long-term care is needed. Careful scalp care in the early period matters for healing. Follow the clinic’s written instructions and report signs of infection.
Sources
General information, not medical or legal advice. Rules change: confirm with the official source. Your treating specialist decides on suitability, treatment and length of stay. How we write and check.