Frequently asked questions

The most common cause is inheritance: men and women inherit the gene from either or both parents. In men, testosterone activates the genetic program that causes follicle loss. Age of onset, extent, and rate vary from person to person, and severe illness, malnutrition, or vitamin deficiency can accelerate it. Incorrectly applied permanent color and chemical relaxers can also cause permanent loss. Hats, shampooing, blood flow, and clogged pores are not causes.

Yes. Other factors make small contributions, but heredity is the primary cause: your genes determine whether follicles are susceptible to the DHT hormone that shrinks them until they die. Contrary to popular belief, baldness is not inherited only from your mother's side. Either family branch can affect your response to DHT.

Most hair loss physicians encourage addressing the issue early, before it becomes more visible, so the work can be camouflaged while transplanted hair grows in gradually and unnoticed. There are no age limits (patients range from 21 to 85), and you do not have to wait until you stop losing hair to start.

Yes. Hair is moved from a donor area to the recipient area, and because it is your own tissue it is never rejected. Transplanted hair keeps its own color, texture, growth rate, and curl after regrowth. Hair naturally grows in groups of one, two, and three follicles; by transplanting these small follicular units very close together, we achieve a denser and more natural result.

Most people are surprised at how little pain there is. Some discomfort is expected as the anesthetic is injected into the scalp; once the skin is numb there is no pain, and if the numbing medicine wears off during the procedure, more is injected.

It depends on the area of scalp treated, the number and size of grafts, the density you desire, and your individual hair characteristics (coarse hair reads denser than fine hair). Your surgeon will estimate this at your consultation. Our single-day efficiency often accomplishes in one procedure what takes others several.

A follicular unit is a group of one to four hairs exactly as it occurs naturally on the scalp. Preserving these natural units maximizes your donor supply and contributes to the finest, most natural-looking result: virtually undetectable, with optimal density, without compromising the donor area.

At your consultation you will be educated on the causes of hair loss and available treatments, then evaluated by a physician who analyzes your individual hair loss, discusses expectations, and outlines your options. Candidacy factors include the grafts needed to produce the result you want, availability and density of donor hair, hair color, skin color, texture, and potential future hair loss.

Small scabs form at the graft sites and generally disappear in 4 to 7 days. Shampooing can resume 24 hours after the procedure. It is advisable to take at least two days off work and avoid strenuous activity for at least five days; a baseball-style cap can be worn at any time. Grafted hair typically sheds in 2 to 4 weeks, new growth begins in 3 to 4 months, and length increases about half an inch per month.

The grafts form small scabs in the days after the procedure. With enough surrounding hair, the scabs can be camouflaged with creative styling; if visible, they do not attract much attention. By keeping the scalp moist, the scabs usually come off in about a week.

Depending on the type of procedure and the work you do, it is often possible to go back the next day. Your surgeon will discuss this with you during your consultation.

A hair transplant can require a larger upfront investment than a hair system or nonsurgical treatment. However, those alternatives often come with ongoing product, replacement or maintenance costs. A hair transplant uses your own natural hair and is designed to grow for life, making it a one-time investment for many patients rather than a recurring expense. Financing plans start as low as about $122 per month for qualified applicants.

$122 per month example: $4,500 financed through CareCredit over 60 months at 20.90% APR, for qualified applicants on purchases of $2,500 or more. 0% APR plans are available for 6 months. Financing is offered through third-party lenders (Cherry, Happen Bank and CareCredit), is subject to credit approval, and lender terms and disclosures are on our Financing page.

Hair restoration is more affordable today than ever. Some surgeons charge by the graft, others by the hair or the session, which causes confusion; our goal is to cut through it with transparent pricing so you can make an informed decision. Unlike other treatments, the cost is a one-time expense tailored to your circumstances and budget, and financing is available.

No. While prescription hair loss medication has been shown to regrow some hair, it will not grow all of your hair back; its greatest benefit is slowing down hair loss. Our doctors can consult with you and prescribe it if you desire.

If you stop taking a DHT-blocking medication, you would gradually lose the hair preserved by treatment until you reach the point where you would have been without it. The loss is not sudden; it takes several months to a year after stopping. That is why missing a day or two, although not recommended, is generally not harmful.

There are no known harmful effects of the common hair loss medications when used as directed. The oral medication would be potentially harmful to a developing male fetus only if the drug entered a pregnant woman's body, so she should not handle broken or crushed tablets. The amounts in a man's semen are insignificant, so stopping treatment during conception efforts is not necessary.

No difference has been noted between ethnic groups. Oral DHT-blocking medication is most effective in crown hair loss, less effective at the front, and has not been shown to be effective at the temples.