IT CAN BE OVERWHELMING FOR THE PROSPECTIVE PATIENT WITH HAIR LOSS TO FIND A REPUTABLE CLINIC TO PERFORM HAIR TRANSPLANT SURGERY. THERE IS A LOT OF INFORMATION AS WELL AS MISINFORMATION
on the internet regarding hair surgery clinics but little objective data exists to assist the public in choosing a hair replacement practice. What should I look for in choosing a hair restoration los angeles clinic? What questions should I ask the clinic about the procedure? Here are some take home “pearls” when looking for a hair restoration practice:
- What are the credentials of the physician who runs the clinic? Hair restoration is performed by many board-certified plastic surgeons. Look for a hair surgeon who is certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. This is the only recognized board that certifies surgeons in cosmetic surgery of the face and entire body. There are several self-appointed boards that are not recognized by medicine that use terms like “hair restoration”. Such boards are not legitimate and in many states are illegal for physicians to advertise as they can mislead the public into believing a doctor is board certified when he is not.
- Who are the staff on the hair restoration team? Hair transplant surgery is detailed, tedious, and time consuming. It requires a team of experienced hair technicians. Busy hair replacement practices have their own full time staff who are dedicated to their patients. Avoid practices that fly in techs as these practices aren’t busy enough to hire their own staff full time.
- How many cases does the hair surgery clinic perform each month? Busy practices will perform several cases each week. We all do well what we do most often.
- How many before and after photos of the practice’s own patients appear on their website. What is the quality of the outcomes from hair replacement?
- Does the practice offer the latest and most effective technology? Do they offer devices that perform FUE (follicular unit extraction) like Neograft, Smart Graft, or Artas (robot)? This allows removal of individual hair follicles with a tiny punch usually less than a millimeter in diameter. There is no linear scar allowing short hairstyles and a short recovery. The older or strip method of hair surgery is called the FUT (follicular unit transplantation). It often results in an unsightly scar along the back of the head and surrounding hair loss with a prolonged recovery.
Richard Chaffoo, MD, FACS, FICS
Attractive hair transplant results that look natural require the precision and aesthetic eye of a hair specialist. Our doctors personally plan and oversee every hair replacement procedure performed.