Here is a question from a previous patient of US Hair Restoration:

I was wondering if there is any limitations on performing a second hair transplant surgery for me who have one surgery with you before.  I am experiencing more hair loss on the top and I also want to make it even denser in the front. I need to know when is the best time of doing a second procedure and what will be the cost of hair transplant for my second procedure.

A:

The best time for your second hair transplant is around six months from the first hair transpalant is you want to add density to an already transplanted area.  If the transplantation is to be done on any other areas it could be done as early as 2 months as long as the donor is healed properly adn allows a second round of removal of strip.  In FUE cases anytime after the first 2 weeks when the inflammation is over the second procedure could be done.  We have done 2 FUE procedures as back to back but occasionally in some patients the swelling of tissue minimize our success in the first few days after surgery.

The cost of a second procedure in US Hair Restoration is based on the number of grafts and the current cost of hair transplant.  However, we have 10% discount on our rates for our previous patients so your future hair transplant procedure will always be discounted with USHR.

Here are a few frequently asked questions we have for your general inquiry:

How do you relocate hair grafts once broken down into follicular units?

The hair grafts (or follicular units) are transplanted based on the individual needs of the patient. The doctor will draw the hairline at your initial consult and right before the procedure and discuss it in detail with the patient. Designing the hairline has to do with the degree of baldness in each area of the scalp and the patients’ preference.

How are the hair grafts placed?

The follicular units must be immersed in a special solution in cold temperature once they are taken from body. When the sites are completed by the surgeon, the hair technician will gently insert the grafts one at a time. This is a very meticulous process and typically takes a few hours.

Does Dr. Mohebi perform the hair transplant surgery himself?

All surgeries are performed by Dr. Mohebi. He will get assistance from a surgical team of hair technicians during dissection and implantation of the follicular unit grafts.

Am I put under sedation while I get the procedure?

You will be put under sedation during the procedure but you will still be conscious. You will become more alert and aware as the surgery goes on, in which you will be sitting in an upright position in a surgical chair most of the time. You can watch a movie, read a book, listen to music or you can sleep (if you choose to) during your hair transplant surgery.

How long before the transplanted area doesn’t look like a procedure has been done?

Redness and swelling after hair restoration surgery is not uncommon and may last a few days following the procedure. Most patients generally recover from surgical swelling and redness after day 4 or 5. A loose fitting hat can be worn to prevent direct sunlight, which will protect the grafts and also keep your swelling or redness from being seen by others, if that is your concern.

Where can I find before and after photos of Dr. Mohebis’ work?

Before and after photos as well as video testimonials of previous hair transplant patients can be found at our facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/pages/US-Hair-Restoration/148987321796051, which we will keep updated as much as possible on a regular basis.

Swelling in the forehead and transplanted area is a very common side effect for a majority of people who receive hair transplant in the front and top areas of their scalp. The swelling (or skin edema) is due in most part to the inflammatory reaction of healing incisions. Application of anesthetic solutions by intra-operative injection is unrelated to this common side effect. Some patients may not experience swelling for the first day or two after hair transplant, but may start to notice swelling 3 to 4 days after the procedure. In most cases the swelling disappears 4 to5 days following the hair transplant.

Swelling can be minimized by:

• Diluted steroid solutions infiltrated into recipient area during surgery (this method may be used on a select few).*
• Keeping your head above chest level can significantly minimize the amount of swelling so sleeping in a semi-upright position for the first few nights is recommended.
• Wrapping your forehead with an elastic bandage (do so, only under the instruction of the surgeon).
  Systematic anti-inflammatory medications such as steroids can be prescribed for a short period to most hair transplants to minimize swelling post op.

*Dr. G. Abbasi has conducted a recent study on the effect of diluted solution of steroids to minimize the rate of swelling after hair restoration surgery. Results of the steroid injections on swelling after hair transplant can be found in the Journal of Aesthetic Surgery (Hair Transplantation: Preventing Post-operative Oedema). US Hair Restoration offers this option to patients who are prone to swelling.

Hello all,

I had a patient ask me a few good questions about limitations after having the hair restoration procedure done and I thought you might be interested in knowing the answers to them as well. I hope this information is useful to you!

When is it ok to start using the sauna (Jacuzzi) or pool?

One week after hair restoration surgery, is the suggested amount of time that you wait until you fully immerse the newly transplanted hair into water. What you want to be careful of though, is sun exposure. You should be wearing a hat or using sun block, to protect your scalp if you must go into direct sunlight until about six months after the procedure.

How soon after having the hair transplant surgery may I start taking vitamins?

Vitamins and most medications can be started immediately in the first few days following hair transplant surgery, if for any reason they were discontinued prior to the hair restoration procedure. There will be instances that we will request for a patient to prolong or stop any intake of medications before the surgery, that contain blood thinners; i.e.-aspirin, or aspirin like medications, to ensure there will be no complications during the hair restoration procedure. Here at US Hair Restoration, we want all of our patients to have the best experience possible and educating our patients is top priority.

Following popular demand, we have now decided to post all of our patients success stories on this blog.  I love having the opportunity to see my patient’s post operative results and personally witnessing their life transformations. Here is one example of a patient who’s life was changed following his hair transplant procedure:

We will be sure to keep you posted with all future video testimonials at US Hair Restoration.

Best,

Parsa Mohebi, MD

Q:

I started the Propecia at the beginning of March (8 months ago), prior to the procedure last March. Should I still be on it?

A:

It is great to hear from you and I am glad you are happy with the result of your hair transplant. The final result of your hair may still get better up until one full year after your surgery if you allow your hair on the transplanted area to grow longer.

Finasteride as a hair loss medication was mostly prescribed for prevention of shock loss or losing native hair on the balding areas after a hair transplant. You have significant miniaturization on the front, top and crown area (90%-100%), which makes your preexisting hair on balding areas prone to further hair loss. Now that you had your transplanted hair grown, you can decide to stop Propecia. By doing that, you may risk losing your own hair on the balding area further (transplanted hair does not need Propecia for its growth) or you can continue taking the medication to increase the longevity of your preexisting hair on those areas.

One more note, I heard about doing scalp exercises prior to and after HT surgeries. What are they?

Sincerely,

-

A:
It’s commonplace to feel tightness on the side in which we took off the strip after hair restoration. The skin takes about two to three weeks to become accustomed to the wound and it gets stretched out to make up for the area that was removed. I strongly urge my patients to do scalp exercises before a hair transplant surgery in which I’ll be performing a strip technique. But I also tell them they ought to make sure to not do scalp exercises after a hair restoration procedure for the first few months.

I’d tell you to avoid any kind of exercise or movements that increase tightness in that donor area, up until you feel there is no more tightness whatsoever. When there is too much tension and stretching in that donor area after a hair restoration surgery, a patient may widen the donor scar, which isn’t desirable.

Thanks for your inquiry.

Q:

How long is the bleeding on my head going to last after my surgery?

A:

There ought to be no blood after a hair restoration procedure. The day after the transplant, there might be some bloody discharge from the donor area. But that ought to be the extent of it. Our policy is to wrap a gauze around the closed donor wound for a night. Then, the next day after your procedure, you’ll come back to our office and we’ll remove the gauze, after which we’ll wash your hair. Usually, you don’t have to wear the gauze on the donor area anymore after a hair wash, unless there are complications, which is rare.

Before and After Pictures; First Day After Hair Transplant

Well, on the first day we’re usually forced to kick out our patients from our office because they grow so fond of us and don’t want to leave! Well, not all the time. But our patients do like us, which is something we’re very proud of.

On a more serious note, I’ll say this: Transplanting hair is a very delicate and painstaking procedure. After a hair transplant is over, it is of utmost importance to constantly monitor and properly care for the transplanted area. US Hair Transplant’s policy is to book a patient for a hair washing the day after his or her transplant. The hair washing takes about half an hour. At our office, we use thick shampoo to clean the transplanted hair grafts. We make sure to be gentle and only spread foam and dab the transplanted area. After two minutes, we rinse off the shampoo with water.

During the first visit, another area we wash is the donor area. As a parting gift, we provide our patients with a sponge, which has a soft brush on one side. The brush is used to clean the donor area and the sponge for the transplanted area. When it comes to washing the donor area, a patient may use a bit of aggression as the wounds are stapled or sutured. The soft brush can be rubbed, ever so gently, on the back of the patient’s head to remove scabs and extra debris from the surgery.

Remember: hair washing ought to be done twice daily for first four days, after which it can be done once a day.

Because of dedication to patients, we teach them how to properly care for the transplanted area. The first four days are important, as the grafts in the transplanted area may dislodge if they aren’t washed with care. After the first four days, the patient can go back to washing his hair the way he did before surgery as the grafts, at this point, are most likely sealed and part of the person’s scalp even if the hair is moved. The remaining follicles are able to generate new hairs.

To prevent scabs, we urge our patients to wash hair using our particular technique. It’s important to note several studies have shown that scabbing may prevent transplanted hair growth. After seven days from day of surgery, there ought not to be any scabs. If scabs still appear after the seven days, it means washing wasn’t done the right way and the patient must start being a bit more aggressive in his washing technique.

After four days have passed, patients can wash their hair twice a day. In addition, patients ought to let the foam alone for ten minutes to let scabs soften. Afterward, patients can use the soft brush we provide to comb their hair in the direction of their other hairs.

Also we make sure to let our patients know to not dunk their head in water the first week after the transplant, and to try not to bend their head too frequently during the first month. Also, the first six months after surgery, we tell our patients to keep the transplanted area away from sunlight.

As time passes, the transplanted hair will grow and be able to protect the skin grafts from the sun’s ultraviolet rays.