How to Choose the Right Hair Transplant Clinic

Choosing to have a hair transplant is a major step toward getting back not only your hair but also your confidence and how you see yourself. However, the success of your journey to become a hair transplant patient rests almost entirely on one important decision: choosing the correct hair transplant clinic including the surgeon who will perform it. Finding an honest and trustworthy hair transplant provider is often difficult because there are so many companies and clinics with flashy marketing campaigns, large discount offers, and frequently misleading statements about what they do. One key fact to remember is that in the United States there are no state licensing requirements for a physician to perform hair transplant surgery, meaning any licensed physician can legally perform this surgery without having had any formal training. As a result, patients are faced with the sole responsibility for determining whether or not a hair transplant clinic is legitimate. To ensure a safe and successful hair transplant, patients must do more than rely on an impressive-looking website; instead, patients should thoroughly investigate and learn about each surgeon’s qualifications, clinic’s requirements, and actual patient results for the procedure done at that clinic.

Evaluate the Qualifications of Your Surgeon
The Importance of Specialized Training

The first step of the process for selecting a hair transplant provider is to thoroughly investigate the qualifications of your surgeon, as the surgeon’s skill is the most important factor in how well you will do with the hair transplant. Although a doctor may claim to have decades of medical experience, there is a vast difference between being a generalist in medicine versus being a specialist in hair restoration. For example, if a doctor has years of experience in genecology or neurosurgery, that alone will not provide the skills necessary for an aesthetically natural-looking hair transplant. A successful career in hair restoration begins with the profound understanding of the underlying anatomy of the scalp, hair follicle biology, and the aesthetic design principles.

The premier level of professional achievement for hair restoration specialists is certification from the American Board of Hair Restoration Surgery (ABHRS). The ABHRS provides the only independent psychometrically validated test that measures competency and skill specifically in hair restoration; it is recognized as the highest standard for competency by the International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery (ISHRS). To become a Diplomate of the ABHRS, surgeons must complete a minimum of three years of performing hair restoration surgeries with a documented safe history, present at least 150 case log submissions, provide 50 operative reports with before-and-after photographs as proof of skill and successful outcomes, and take both a written and an oral examination. There are currently only about 270 Diplomates of the ABHRS throughout the world, making this designation extremely rare and a true testament to a surgeon’s commitment and level of skill. When choosing a hair restoration clinic, always confirm that the physician has ABHRS certification and check the ABHRS website for independent verification of the physician’s status.

Patients looking for the ultimate credential combination in a surgeon should seek out a surgeon who possesses double board certifications. Surgical specialists who hold Diplomate status with the ABHRS Board and also hold a certification with the primary surgical board, most commonly the American Board of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (ABFPRS), are the surgeons patients should seek. The ABFPRS credentialing process consists of extensive training, including a minimum of one year to two years doing a fellowship in facial plastic surgery, to establish the advanced knowledge of anatomy and aesthetic principles directly related to hair restoration surgery. When a surgeon has completed the advanced training needed to do this procedure, he/she will have an extensive understanding of the scalp anatomy, how to design a natural-looking hairline, and how to maintain facial harmony with the rest of the features on the patient’s face. This will ensure that the transplanted hairs blend seamlessly with the patient’s own natural features. (Again, as you begin to narrow down the list of surgeons by examining their credentials, be cautious of vague terms like “board certified” without additional information, or “board eligible,” meaning that this particular surgeon has not completed the certification process.)

After you have identified surgeons who have the appropriate credentials and experience, the next step is to review the standards and procedures of the clinic and the before-and-after portfolio of the surgeon. The consultation is an important opportunity for patients to evaluate the professionalism of a particular clinic and the consultation process of a particular surgeon. An experienced surgeon should take a significant amount of time to evaluate the scalp of his/her patients, ask questions about the patient’s medical history, and set realistic expectations for results, rather than use the consultation as an opportunity to attempt to sell patients on a procedure. If a clinic rushes through the consultation, avoids asking detailed questions, or promises guaranteed results, those clinics should be avoided. A thorough consultation will include a scalp examination, an overview of the patient’s hair loss patterns and the progression of hair loss over time, and a frank discussion regarding what is realistic based on the patient’s donor hair supply and overall physical health.

Asking for and reviewing Before-and-After Photos

During the consultation, you should ask to see a complete portfolio of before-and-after photos from other patients of the surgeon and also focus on cases that are close to your type of hair loss. Look for indications of a natural-looking hairline with soft, irregular edges, high-density hair, and very little scarring in the donor zone. If a clinic will only show you a small number of “best case” photos or will not allow you to see results from patients with similar characteristics, this clinic should be considered suspect. Look for pictures taken from multiple angles and in consistent lighting to see the results of your hair restoration procedure. Results seen immediately after the procedure may not accurately represent what the results will eventually look like; therefore, ask for pictures of patients who had their procedures at least 12 months ago. This is when the complete results can be seen.

Get Clarification on Who Will Perform Your Hair Restoration Procedure

Ask the clinic who will be performing the important steps in the procedure for you–the physician or the technician. When you go to a reputable clinic, the physician should do all the surgical planning, extraction, and recipient site creation personally as they determine whether your procedure will be a success and/or safe for you. Don’t bother with these types of clinics if they are evasive on this issue or if they are staffed primarily by unlicensed/untrained people. Though technicians can assist in preparing and placing grafts but under the supervision of a physician, the surgeon should be involved in all major decisions during the procedure and at each step. It is critical to understand precisely how the work of the physician and technicians will be split to determine safety and quality.

Evaluate a Clinic’s Transparency and Costs as Well as Post-operative Care
Warning Signs in Pricing and Guarantees

A reputable hair restoration clinic should provide transparency in their pricing, techniques, and post-operative care. Be cautious of hair restoration clinics offering hair restoration at an outrageously low price–most likely due to inexperienced staff, inferior quality equipment, or unsafe practices. Of course cost is a consideration in making your decision, but as the saying goes, “You get what you pay for,” which is true in the world of hair restoration. Clinics that provide low cost services may not always provide quality service. Many times, these clinics rely on older techniques, staff who are not qualified to perform the services they offer, and do not maintain proper sterile conditions. Likewise, be wary of clinics that put pressure on you to purchase expensive packages or additional treatments that you do not need. An honest, reputable clinic will clearly outline the costs involved, giving you a detailed list of all expenses associated with the price of the treatment.

Facility Accreditation and Safety Regulations

Each procedure should be conducted in a sterile surgical facility that has been accredited to perform such procedures. A spa or relaxation type setting is not considered a proper place to conduct medical procedures. Check with the clinic regarding the accreditation process that the clinic followed in operating within the occupational safety and health administration (OSHA) guidelines and the infection control procedures they follow, and when they were last reviewed by the clinical commission for accreditation (CCA) or the national council for surgical technology and surgical assisting (NCSTSA).

Aftercare and Follow-Up

Your aftercare plan should provide for all prescriptions needed, clearly written instructions on how to care for yourself and where to go for follow-up appointments to monitor your healing and hair growth progress. You should also ask how complications are handled at the clinic and whether or not follow-up care is part of your initial treatment plan. The time after your surgery will be crucial to achieving your desired results, and thus, you will want a clinic that is willing to provide regular communication to you during this time period. Be sure to find out how frequently you will receive answers to your questions after your surgery and who will conduct your follow-ups. An organized clinic that is committed to achieving the best possible long-term results for you will have an established aftercare plan and will not disappear after conducting the procedure.

Conclusion

You can make an informed decision regarding your hair transplant by giving high priority to the verified credentials of the surgeon, reviewing their body of work, and adhering to safety and transparency recommendations. Remember that the most inexpensive option may not always be the best option, and the most expensive is not necessarily indicative of superior results. The best choice for you is to find a highly qualified, experienced and capable surgeon who possesses excellent credentials, great artistry, and a patient-centered approach to their work. Your hair, health, and well-being are worth the time, effort and investment to find the right clinic for your hair restoration project. After all of your research, trust your instincts, as the right clinic will restore your confidence and your hair for many years to come.