Hair Transplants for Curly Hair

A hair transplant is an efficient way to restore your hair, even if it’s curly. For years, available cosmetic techniques made hair transplants a risky and unreliable solution for patients with curly hair. Today, with the Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) technique, you can regain your head of hair regardless of your hair type.

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California Hair MD offers first-class hair transplants for patients with curly hair in Southern California. We have offices in four convenient locations: San Diego, La Jolla, Newport Beach, and Beverly Hills. For more information, call (800) 373-4773 or visit our contact page. 

About Hair Transplants for Curly Hair

With age, some hair follicles slow down and eventually stop growing new hair. It typically occurs as a result of androgenic alopecia, a condition that comes about with changing hormone levels. ⁽¹⁾ This can happen to people of all ages and hair types. 

Before the introduction of follicular unit extraction (FUE) in 2002, hair transplants were not a reliable option for curly-haired people whose hair had begun thinning or balding. Patients would often experience hair bulb transections- the irreversible damage of hair follicles during extraction or transplantation. When the bulb of a hair follicle has been damaged, it can never grow hair again. This would occur because curly hair follicles were simply too curly to handle with enough care. Luckily, manual FUE hair transplants are so precise that they provide high success rates for even the curliest of locks. 

Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE)

Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) is a hair transplant technique that involves extracting individual follicles of hair from the skin and implanting them elsewhere on the body. If enough follicles are moved to the new location, it can provide thicker-looking hair. The relocated hair follicles can actually continue to grow, as well. Patients typically receive this treatment in order to thicken the hair on their scalp, though it can be done on the arms, legs, genital area, and elsewhere. ⁽²⁾

Benefits of FUE

There are numerous benefits to FUE, especially in comparison to the hair transplant techniques that preceded it. For instance, in the follicular unit transplantation (FUT) technique, providers remove and relocate an entire strip of tissue in order to utilize the hair follicles. This would lead to highly-visible scarring and the notorious “plug” look, where patches of hair and skin don’t match their direct surroundings. With FUE hair transplants, providers only deal with the individual follicular units themselves, which often leads to minimal or no visible scarring. 

FUE hair transplants can make your hair appear thicker and healthier. This can have a profound effect on your appearance, as a full head of hair can help frame your face in a variety of ways. Your hair is an important aspect of your self-image, and increasing its thickness can seriously boost your self-esteem. 

Who is a Candidate for FUE?

A good candidate for a FUE hair transplant will have enough excess hair to relocate to the areas that need it. You should be in relatively good health so that your relocated hair follicles can take hold in their new location and you can heal properly. You may have already tried other avenues of hair therapy, such as topical and oral medications. If medication has failed to restore your hair and you are unhappy with your aesthetic appearance, a hair transplant is likely the right choice. You should have realistic expectations about what a hair transplant can do for you. The procedure can increase the thickness of your hair and improve your aesthetic appearance, but results will vary from patient to patient. 

Hair transplants are not ideal for patients under the age of 25. This is because the future of a patients’ hairline and other factors are unpredictable. Further balding may occur that can reduce the effectiveness of a hair transplant. 

Personal Consultation

At your personal consultation, Dr. Chaffoo will answer any questions you may have about hair transplants. He will ask you about your medical history and review your current condition. He will examine your hair and determine if a hair transplant is a viable option for you. With the information he gathers, we can create a personalized treatment plan for you. When all of the relevant details have been collated, we can let you know what to expect moving forward. 

To schedule your personal consultation at California Hair MD, call (800) 373-4773 or fill out this form.

Preparation

We will provide you with personalized instructions on how to best prepare for your hair transplant procedure. Properly preparing will increase the likelihood that your recovery goes smoothly and you achieve the desired results. Preparation steps may include:

FUE Procedure

On the day of your procedure, we will prepare your areas of treatment by shaving down your hair to a short and manageable length. Next, Dr. Chaffoo will use a specialized “punch” tool to extract the hair follicles and carefully collect them. He will then create tiny incisions in your skin where extra hair is needed- one for each follicle that will be implanted. He will insert the hair follicles into the incisions and prepare your skin for recovery. FUE procedures take several hours to complete. Dr. Chaffoo will provide an estimated procedure duration at your personal consultation.

Recovery

Recovery from FUE hair transplants is typically short, requiring little downtime. You may experience discomfort and swelling for about three days after your treatment.  If you can take time off work to rest while your scalp heals, which may speed up your recovery. 

We will provide you with personalized instructions on how to ensure a healthy recovery and optimal results. You should not shower or wash your hair for three days. When you do begin shampooing your hair, use mild shampoos for the first few weeks. Avoid combing your hair or placing any strain on your new hair while it sets in place for at least three weeks. This includes avoiding wearing hats or beanies. You should also avoid strenuous activity for a week after your procedure. 

Results

Some of the transplanted hair may fall out after your procedure. This is completely normal. You should start noticing the results when the hair follicles take hold in their new location and begin to grow new hair. This can take up to three or four months. Your hair will appear thicker and more evenly distributed. Everyone’s hair is different, and results will vary from patient to patient. 

Corresponding & Complementary Procedures 

NeoGraft

NeoGraft is a variation of the FUE hair transplant that utilizes cutting-edge technology for increased ease and efficiency. The procedure involves an automated process that harvests hair follicles in units of up to four individual hairs. A provider uses a special device that creates small incisions around each follicular unit, and then uses suction to remove them. This allows for the careful storage of the hair follicles in their optimal condition, making for more successful transplantations. The NeoGraft device uses focused pressure to insert the relocated follicles at a precise depth in the skin. At your personal consultation, we can determine if NeoGraft could be a good option for your hair transplant. 

Eyebrow Transplant

Eyebrow Transplants are hair transplants designed specifically to increase the thickness and fullness of the eyebrows. They involve a provider removing hair follicles from the scalp and inserting them into tiny incisions made on the desired eyebrow area. The FUE technique is typically used for this procedure. If you are experiencing hair loss on your eyebrows, or if you simply want them to appear fuller, an eyebrow transplant could work for you. 

To see what else we offer at California Hair MD, please see our blog. 

How Much Does a Hair Transplant Cost in San Diego?

To find out how much Hair Transplants for Curly Hair cost at California Hair MD, call (800) 373-4773 or contact us online. We offer hair transplant services at all four of our convenient locations: San Diego, La Jolla, Newport Beach, and Beverly Hills.

FAQ

References

1. Zito PM, Raggio BS. Hair Transplantation. PubMed. Published 2022. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31613520/ 
2. Dua A, Dua K. Follicular unit extraction hair transplant. Journal of cutaneous and aesthetic surgery. 2010;3(2):76-81. doi:https://doi.org/10.4103/0974-2077.69015