A hair transplant done today almost always leads to an excellent, natural looking result and a satisfied client; however there are times when a hair transplant may not be a realistic solution. This means that not everyone with thinning hair can or should undergo hair transplantation. There are many different times when a hair transplant is not optimal, and this should be taken into consideration by anyone who is planning to have a hair transplant.
One of the more obvious times when a hair transplant is not optimal is if the client is too young in age. While there are certainly doctors who will operate on anyone regardless of age, the vast majority of doctors will not undertake a client who is too young. While young can be defined in different ways, it is most often someone in their early 20’s. This is mainly because their hair loss patterns have not been established yet. What this means is that the client will most likely continue to loose hair, but in a unpredictable way. This could lead to the hair transplant being counterproductive, because it could result in a strange look, with for instance, the transplanted hair on the frontal parts of the scalp, but visible baldness right behind it.
Someone with a too tight scalp, or low scalp laxity as doctors call it, may not be able to undergo a Strip method hair transplant, because the doctor will be concerned about the wound not being able to heal up properly after surgery. Another time when a hair transplant may not be a good idea is if the client already has excessive scarring on the scalp, such as from previous hair transplants. In both of these cases, there is a possibility that an FUE (Follicular Unit Extraction) transplant can be an option instead.
An individual who have reached a high degree of baldness may not have enough donor hair to create a good look, and may want to consider a hair piece or toupee instead. The hair transplant doctor can only work with the hair that the client already has on the scalp. There is usually no way for the doctor to obtain hair from any other source. Artificial hair is not allowed for hair transplants, and transplanting hair from other parts of the body often leads to poor results and is something many doctors don’t perform.
And finally, when the client has unrealistic expectations regarding the outcome of the hair transplant, the doctor may not agree to do the procedure. After all, a doctor is not obligated to perform a cosmetic procedure on anyone, and can simply let the client know that a hair transplant is not optimal, considering their unrealistic expectations. It happens that clients, especially those who are still fairly young, demand a full head of hair, but the unrealistic expectations, in combination with lack of donor supply or other conditions, can make a hair transplant anything but optimal.
