Protocols are in place to set standards and codes of conduct. In the performance and execution of a hair transplant procedure. On the face of it a hair transplant is the same wherever you go. But this is far from reality. You are not buying the same make or model product and just comparing prices. The quality and execution of a hair transplant can differ greatly. The goal is to make the greatest cosmetic improvement with the minimal impact to the hair and skin. Creating a natural look of hair growth and coverage. Whilst minimising any negative changes to your hair or skin. This is a fundamental of good hair transplant protocols and medical practice.
Did You Know?
Some Cosmetic Centres that offer a hair transplant as a service. The Doctor has little to no activity in the planning or performing of your hair transplant. The Doctor´s role and responsibilities, including surgical duties are substituted. Often with partially or non-medical certified or experienced workers. Especially in the field of surgical hair restoration. The reason. Low-cost workers are less expensive to employ, more plentiful and easier to find that trained medical Doctors and professionals.
There are business advantages to using lower-cost staff. To replace one person, the Doctor. With multiple less-costly employees. One advantage being production efficiency. The ability to perform many hair transplant procedures simultaneously. Allowing a centre to meet daily quota of clients. This can range from 5-20 clients per day. This is a large increase in client numbers. Especially compared to bespoke Hair transplant Clinics. Specialising in one or maybe two patients per day. This productivity rise is further assisted. With streamlined procedural protocols. As a result, a surgical hair transplant procedure is designed as a simple pre-planned treatment to fit all.
Risks To Streamlining Surgical Hair Restoration
Not everyone is a good hair transplant candidate. Not everyone can achieve the total hair restoration. Hair and skin characteristics need to be medically assessed. A medical appraisal will highlight any areas of concern. Especially in the natural hair and skin characteristics. This includes the candidates goals and expectations. Other aspects can be donor hair limitations. Hairline design. Progressive hair loss indicators.
A streamlined pre-planned approach to surgical hair restoration carries many risks. With short and long-term complications. For example, wider more visible scarring, over harvesting, and permanent shock-loss in the donor area. In the recipient area, loss of hair growth, incorrect hair angles and hairline placement and an overuse of donor hair.
PLANNING – Is the individual in possession of the reality to hair restoration. Do they understand the consequences of their actions. Have the pros and cons to ethical and unethical hair restoration been explained. For example, the affects of progressive hair loss on the planning. The affects of over-harvesting the donor area in one procedure. The often need to compromise. Have they been been refused if they are not a good hair transplant candidate.
DONOR AREA CARE – Without the correct protocols in place – The focus on graft numbers and speed. Not on ethical donor management. Inappropriate donor management will have a negative impact on the remaining donor area. Over-harvesting of the hair. Will result in thinning and patchy hair growth. Skin characteristics can negatively change. The donor area can no longer sustain more hair removal. This is known as an “open donor”. This impacts on treating future progressive hair loss. It often impacts on the individual’s appearance and hard to camouflage or disguise.
RECIPIENT AREA CARE – Without the correct protocols in place – Unnaturally placed hairs will not sit correctly amongst the surrounding hair. As a result, leave a man-made or cosmetically unnatural look. This will also restrict the hair styling and coverage from each hair. Scarring can occur around the hair shaft resulting in pitting or ridging to the skin surface. As a result, repairing incorrect graft placement is complicated and not always possible.
SCARRING – Without the correct protocols in place – Cosmetically visible scarring in the donor and recipient areas. Damaged skin quality that impairs future hair restoration. Obviously blemishes to the skin that cannot be easily hidden. Scarring can occur around the hair shaft resulting in pitting or ridging to the skin surface. Scarring can create the most demanding hair transplant repair cases possible.
Doctor Performed Hair Transplants
CUSTOM-DESIGNED HAIR TRANSPLANT PROTOCOLS
A hair transplant procedure is planned and controlled by the Doctor. Working alongside their hair technicians. They aid the Doctor in performing the procedure. Hair Technicians play an important role. They need to be well-trained. Able to work well as a team and be totally patient and result orientated. A custom-refined hair transplants the focus is on the patient. Often being the only patient of the day. With the Doctor at the centre and controlling the pace and procedures employed by their team of experienced hair technicians. Care is the priority over speed. Each Doctor will have their own set of protocols to work by.
The Doctor will perform a medical and hair loss consultation prior to the procedure. This is the time to ask questions and to confirm the procedural protocols again with the Doctor. These may include aspects such as the hairline design and how many grafts are required. This is often a dialogue and discussion. Leading to a final mutual agreement. Other aspects may include the Doctor confirming the process of the day. Who does what and when. An ethical Doctor and their team will understand that this is a big decision for you. Not one you have taken lightly. You will naturally have concerns even after you have made your decision. So, understanding and trust in who is performing your hair transplant is very important.
PLANNING – This can involve time and compromise. Time to ensure the individual is happy and ready to move forward. Compromise on what can realistically and medically be achieved. Understanding that an ethical approach ot hair restoration may restrict the procedure on the face of it. But are in place to ensure your short and long-term well-being.
DONOR AREA CARE – FUT and FUE donor hair harvesting differ. Each have their own technical surgical aspects for the Doctor to consider. The emphasis must be on safe and ethical donor management. Rather than being influenced by cosmetic or financial reasons. Not to damage the remaining hair and skin in the area. To remove healthy hair follicles. To not over-harvested the donor area.
GRAFT CARE – Performed under magnification. Normally performed by the Hair Technicians. Being supervised by the Doctor. To clean and trim the hair follicles. Separate them into the natural hair groupings. From one to four hairs per group. Ensure they are not damaged in any way. That may impair the hair transplant result. Prepare for being placed.
RECIPIENT AREA CARE – Making of the custom-designed recipient sites. Is performed by the Doctor. Normally from the hairline back. Correct depth, angles and orientation including the site sizes changing depending on the size of the follicular units to be placed. For example, the hairline is made up initially of single hair units. Packed close enough together to create a fine feathered, natural hairline. Behind the multiple hair units are strategically placed. The Hair Technicians place the hair follicles into the pre-designed slit made by the Doctor.
Responsibilities and Duties During Your Hair Transplant
DOCTOR RESPONSIBILITIES
- Consultation & Planning – Doctor Performed
- Donor Management – Doctor Performed
- FUT & FUE Donor Harvesting – Doctor Performed
- Doctor-Planned Recipient Sites – Doctor Performed
- Constant Monitoring – Doctor Performed
- Post Op Care – Doctor Performed
HAIR TECHNICIAN RESPONSIBILITIES
- Graft Care & Cleaning – Hair Technician
- Assisting the Doctor – Hair Technician
- Hair Placement – Hair Technician
- Patient Care – Hair Technician
No Surprises On Your Big Day
IN OUR OPINION. A HAIR TRANSPLANT IS A PERSONAL DECISION. WITH SOMETHING AS IMPORTANT AS YOUR APPEARANCE YOU SHOULD NOT RISK CUTTING CORNERS. ESPECIALLY WITH A SURGICAL PROCEDURE AND YOUR WELL-BEING.
A hair transplant may not be the most complicated surgical procedure to perform. But the ability to perform a hair transplant to the highest standard rests on a number of factors. Creating a natural look of hair growth and coverage. Whilst minimising any negative changes to your hair or skin. This is a fundamental of good hair transplant protocols and medical practice.
A custom-made hair transplant the focus is on care and attention to detail. Certainly not on speed. Or the number of patients performed daily. Or meeting unrealistic or unethically demanded expectations by the patient. A due care to the patient is demanded at the highest level. As not everyone is a good hair transplant candidate. At times, this may mean refusing a candidate. This decision is taken on ethical medical, surgical and with a social responsibility.
With hair loss being such an emotive issue for many men and women. Often our desire to want hair can over turn our natural common sense good judgement. The desire to believe in something is possible can be a powerful persuader at the time.
Custom hair transplants are about a refined result. Being a custom made and executed medical procedure. Although they can be made to sound very similar they are poles apart in the ways they are performed. With many things in life. When the cost drops so does something else. In this case it is precision, how refined your hair transplant is. From planning, to ethics, to execution to expertise and the final result. The input of the Doctor is removed. The speed of the procedure is increased to maximise the number of procedures that can be performed by the low-cost staff members.
The choice is yours obviously. But, always ensure you understand the service you will receive. The differences between each and who performs your hair transplant. The social and importantly medical responsibility if you are unhappy. It is responsible to undergo multiple consultations during your research period. Cross check the data. Ask questions. Ask who will be performing your hair transplant. Not the person who signs your medical forms and documents. But to speak to the individual performing your hair transplant.
FREE NO-OBLIGATION CONSULTATION
The next step is having answers to your questions. With an online consultation, we want to make that as easy as possible for you. Not to mention, free and without obligation.
Your personal assessment is designed to answer your questions. Are you a good hair transplant candidate. What is your hair loss stage? Are your goals and expectations realistic? How many grafts, which technique and the cost.
For an online consultation and request a quote use the consultation form and complete the details. Alternatively, request more information on a hair restoration treatment by sending your contact details to us.
