4 Factors To Consider When Choosing A Hair Transplant Clinic
Having a luscious bed of hair is considered a symbol of beauty in both men and women. Unfortunately, a majority of us will experience hair loss at some point in our lives – most likely caused by hormones and genetics.
More men will experience hair loss as compared to women, with up to 95% of hair loss in Singaporean males being genetically influenced. Otherwise known as androgenetic alopecia, this type of hair loss is primarily associated with the dihydrotestosterone (DHT) hormone, which causes hairs to miniaturize and eventually stop growing altogether.
If that is enough to scare you, or you are experiencing telltale signs such as a receding hairline or continuous thinning of hair, you might already be coming up with a list of treatment options to restore your crowning glory.
The FUE hair transplant is the only permanent solution currently available to those who are experiencing androgenetic alopecia to help them regain a fuller hairline. But why do you need to be careful? This is because your hair resource is finite – meaning to say that if you have a hair transplant that is done under the wrong hands, there will be no chance of ever getting it back.
So, before you take the plunge, check out this essential list of factors to consider when choosing a hair transplant aesthetic clinic:
1. What is the hair transplant method they specialize in?
Every clinic will specialize in a specific technique, with the two most common being the FUT (Follicular Unit Transplantation) and the FUE (Follicular Unit Extraction) hair transplant. At The Clifford Clinic, our doctors are highly trained in performing the current gold standard: FUE hair transplant.
Our procedure follows these 4 key steps:
Step 1: Consultation and examination – our doctors will first seek to understand your expectations and meticulously examine your condition. On the day of surgery, your hair will be shaved and local anaesthesia is administered before the start of surgery.
Step 2: Extraction – individual hair follicles are extracted from the donor area using a minuscule punch. The pinholes left are barely detectable and will not leave a noticeable scar.
Step 3: Implantation – the hair grafts are prepared in a special bio-solution to increase their quality and survivability before transplanting them into recipient areas at a natural-looking angle.
Step 4: Post-surgery aftercare – our doctor will advise you on how to take care of your hair and scalp to speed up recovery and maximize your results.
The entire surgery will take anywhere from 4-8 hours depending on how many hair grafts you need, and side effects include scarring, numbness, bleeding and infection – most of which can be avoided when done with an experienced doctor who knows what he or she is doing. Most people should be able to return to their daily activities within a week, or in the case of our No Downtime Hair Transplant, 2-3 days.
On average, 80-90% of transplanted hairs will grow over the next 6-12 months, depending on how fast you heal and how well you follow post-surgery instructions.
2. Get to know the doctor AND technicians.
The hair transplant procedure is highly dependent on not just the aesthetic doctor but his or her team of technicians. This is because the FUE hair transplant is a manually tedious procedure that isn’t solely dependent on one person – during the surgery, the doctor removes the hair grafts from the donor area and is in charge of the implantation process; however, the team of technicians is responsible for preparation of the hair grafts and what happens in-between.
An FUE hair transplant takes a long time to master and become fully adept at such a manual and tedious process. At The Clifford Clinic, our doctors have years of experience under their belt performing hair restoration surgery, including the ARTAS hair transplant. In addition, our head technician has successfully completed over 2,000 cases and knows all the secret techniques to ensure the highest possible graft survival rate!
3. Check the advantages of getting it done at the clinic.
Every clinic will have a different set of techniques that their doctor has refined over the years after practicing the procedure. For instance, our doctors are dedicated to improving the tools and protocols used to continue optimizing results for our patients.
This includes the use of thin micro tips to minimize damage to the hair roots without disturbing their natural structure while ensuring almost imperceptible scars and increased comfort for our patients. In addition, our doctors have carefully selected the most advanced biotechnology solution that offers the greatest level of protection and the lowest level of stress on the graft for improved survival and growth of follicular units outside of the body. For those who require more coverage, we can perform a thickening technique known as “dense packing” or execute mega sessions without running the risk of overharvesting.
The best part is, for patients who do not wish to shave their heads or lead extremely active lives, we are proud to offer the unshaven-FUE and No Downtime FUE.
4. Check that the clinic offers other hair loss solutions and treatments.
Not everyone will benefit from getting a hair transplant, and there are a range of treatments that may be more valuable if you are experiencing only mild-to-moderate hair loss.
Both finasteride and minoxidil are tried-and-tested and FDA-approved medications that help to limit the effects of DHT and stop further progression of hair loss. The biggest downside of topical and oral medications is that it does require some time to work and continued usage to maintain your results.
At our clinic, we also offer the safe and minimally-invasive Regenera Activa that relies on capillary regeneration technology to stimulate blood flow and encourage hair growth. Starting at a general price of $3,000, it is an ideal choice for those who are not ready for surgery or those with a tight cost budget.
For those who aren’t dealing with androgenetic alopecia, we also offer Fraxel Laser treatment and hair serums that may be enough to reverse the first signs of hair loss.
Key takeaway: a good clinic focuses on quality, not quantity.
At The Clifford Clinic, our doctors have over a decade’s worth of experience in tackling hair loss and performing hair transplants and will thoroughly evaluate your condition to tailor the most suitable treatment plan for you.
Ultimately, not everyone is a suitable candidate for hair transplant surgery – a tailored approach is required for the best results, and a doctor should not be concerned with selling you the most “expensive” or “advanced” treatment. Instead, their focus should be on helping you attain an accurate diagnosis, assess your suitability for a hair transplant and doing whatever they can to maximize the survival rate of your hair grafts.
Given that a hair transplant costs anywhere from $5-7 per graft, and an average of 1,500 grafts are required, this is a decision that you want to get right the first time. Our best advice is to get a hair transplant with a clinic you can fully trust and feel comfortable with. If you have a burning question, feel free to drop us a message regarding your hair transplant or any of our acne scar and acne treatments today!