A hair transplant is the most permanent form of hair restoration currently on the market, however, it is a common misconception that once you’ve had a hair transplant you won’t need to have any other hair restoration treatments. This is not the case for everyone.
For some people, a second hair transplant will be needed further down the line. Today we’re discussing hair transplants and if a second hair transplant is something you need.
Does hair replacement really work?
There are a variety of different hair replacement treatments on the market, at the Harley Street Hair Clinic, we offer FUE hair transplantation, which, is the most successful hair replacement option.
An FUE hair transplant works by removing hair follicles from a donor area of the scalp, this is usually on the back and side of the scalp where the hair characteristics are different. These hair follicles are then transplanted to areas of the scalp where hair loss is prominent – such as the hairline and the crown. The transplanted hair will continue to grow for years due to the donor area hairs having better characteristics.
An FUE hair transplant is one of the most successful, long term, and, natural-looking forms of hair restoration current on the market with a great success rate for the right hair transplant candidate.
Will I need more than one hair transplant?
For some people, a single hair transplant will be enough to ensure your hair looks full and natural for your lifetime. However, it is not uncommon for patients to need two hair transplants procedures during their lifetime. Each patient is different and they will experience hair loss in different patterns and at different rates which can determine if a second hair transplant will be needed.
At the Harley Street Hair Clinic, we always have full consultations with our patients to ensure they are suitable hair transplant candidates. During this consultation we will be able to discuss hair loss and how your hair has changed over the years, this allows us to gain some idea of how we expect your hair loss to continue over time, even after your hair transplant. You can see what happens in a hair transplant consultation, here.
For some of our patients, you might be too young, or not yet experienced much hair loss which can make your future hair loss pattern quite unpredictable – and with these kinds of cases, it is hard for our doctors to future proof your hair transplant which would result in a second hair transplant being needed sooner than we would have hoped.
What does it mean to future proof a hair transplant?
When our doctors plan an FUE hair transplant they consider future hair loss in order to future proof your transplant. This means that they’ll start by planning a hairline that looks natural and realistic but also does not use too much donor hair. We ensure that our patients have some usable donor hair after their first hair transplant in case a second hair transplant is needed.
As you continue to age, your hair loss may continue meaning that you’ll have an intact hairline from your hair transplant but behind this hair loss could start to worsen. When our doctors plan a hair transplant they will also plan to add grafts further behind the new hairline to help your hair look as natural as possible for as long as possible. However, over time, as hair loss worsens you could need a second hair transplant.
How many hair transplants can you get?
If you visit a reputable clinic, you should need no more than two hair transplants in your lifetime and reputable clinics will ensure you’re able to get a second transplant. There are some times where a person may need a second hair transplant but unfortunately due to a bad hair transplant in the past, they’re not able to. Some cheaper hair transplant clinics, often found abroad will not consider the need for future hair transplants when planning the original hair transplant. This could mean you do not have a good amount of donor hair left for any future hair transplants.
If you would like more information on hair transplantation, whether this be your first procedure or if you’re considering a second please contact us today for a no obligating consultation.