The Patient's Guide to Hair Restoration - New Hair Institute

• Consider the short and total long-term cost for the patient
An individual’s goals must be realistic. For example, if a person has
significant balding (i.e., a Norwood Class 6 or 7 pattern) and fine hair, then he
should not expect a full head of transplanted hair. If he does, dissatisfaction will
be inevitable. With at least 65-75% of hair lost (the typical loss in Class 6 and 7
patients), a thin head of hair is a realistic and achievable goal. Although a thin
head of hair can dramatically improve patient’s appearance, if he were to
attempt to achieve his original density, he would run out of donor hair before the
process could be completed and an unnatural appearance would result.
Working within reasonable expectations, the total number of grafts
required for any one patient will depend upon hair and skin color, donor density,
scalp laxity the thickness of each hair shaft, the number of hairs in each graft,
and the character of the hair itself. The physician must consider these factors
and the expectations of the patient in order to calculate the amount of work
required. Even when these considerations are combined with the expectations of
the patient, the amount of work required to make a person satisfied is sometimes
difficult to predict.
Naiveté of the physician, even in those who specialize in hair
transplantation, seems to be more common than many care to admit. The failure
of the physician to establish realistic expectations often leads to an unhappy
patient. This can only be prevented by providing a clear explanation of the hair
restoration process, and specifically defining the benefits that the patient may
expect to achieve.
Hair Color and Skin Color Contrast
Hair color and its contrast to skin color is one of the most significant
factors that dictate the amount of work required for hair restoration. The lower the
contrast, the fewer grafts are required. Blonde hair against fair skin and dark hair
against dark skin are two examples of hair combinations that produce excellent
results with less work on the part of the physician (and less cost for the patient).
Dark hair against pale skin often requires the most hair in the restoration
process. Of course, a patient can simply lighten his hair to make the restoration
look more full. One of the (few) benefits of aging is that it will accomplish
reduced contrast between hair and skin all by itself.
Hair Character
Hair character is the second most important factor in determining the
amount of hair restoration work needed. Curly or wavy hair produces a full
appearance more easily than straight hair. African American hair in particular
curls so that a single hair shaft covers more scalp with less hair length than
straight hair. Strong, naturally curly hair that holds its shape tends to produce
fuller results more easily than thin straight hair that falls flat against the scalp.
Hair Bulk