What is alopecia?
Throughout history, man has always sought to prevent the loss of hair. This has been well documented in all civilizations. Different potions, lotions and formulas have been tried, with no effective result. Hair is man's (and woman's) only natural adornment. It represents beauty and youth, strength and sensuality.
Currently, the state-of-the-art technique for hair restoration is called the follicular unit procedure, where individual follicles (the "root" of the hair) are transplanted, giving a natural result that was not possible with previous techniques.
Medical consultation
Alopecia is variable between individuals, and depends on the patient's age. Young men (ie. under the age of 35 years) are particularly anxious about their thinning hair, and expect a large volume of transplanted hair. It is important to remember that baldness is progressive, and there is no known remedy to avoid the loss of hair in genetically susceptible patients.
Planning for surgery includes a close evaluation, to determine if there exists a tendency for a future class VI or VII type baldness, which means that there will not be enough follicles in the donor area to cover all of the current and/or future areas of hair loss. On the other hand, factors such as quality of the hair (thin or thick, straight or curly) and the density of the donor area are aspects that also determine the favorable - or unfavorable - prospect for a hair transplantation.
Choosing to undergo surgery is, of course, a very personal and intimate decision. The surgeon should present clear and honest information, explain his surgical strategy, answer all questions openly, and show many different cases that exemplify his own results. (PS: Photographs must be high-quality, with close-ups so that the patient may see the frontal hairline, assuring that no plugs are used).
Pre-operative exams include a blood test with the following: complete hemogram with coagulogram, glucose, urea and creatinine. Usually, an E.K.G. is requested, with a physical check-up signed by a cardiologist. Patients must not be taking medications that may affect their coagulation, such as Aspirin, Bufferin etc.