Many patients concerned about hair loss come to see Dr. Thompson to discuss hair replacement surgery. Hair loss typically results from a combination of normal aging, changes in hormones, and/or a family history of baldness. Baldness is not caused by poor circulation to the scalp, vitamin deficiencies, dandruff, or excessive hat wearing, despite some of the myths you may read or hear. Other myths that are not true are that hair loss can be determined by looking at your maternal grandfather or that if you have a full head of hair by age 40, you’ll never lose it. It is true that the earlier the hair loss begins, the more severe the baldness will become.
Hair transplantation at Thompson Facial Plastics involves removing small pieces of hair-bearing grafts from another area of the head (donor site) and relocating them to the bald or thinning area for a completely natural result. This can be done through a variety of techniques, most commonly Follicular Unit Grafting (strip from the back of the head) and Follicular Unit Extraction (individual grafts). They are both very successful and specific to each individual patients needs and concerns.
Patients who decide to undergo hair replacement surgery come in for a consultation with Dr. Thompson to determine the best course of treatment and how many grafts are needed for the desired result. Sometimes prescriptions are given to maximize the results of hair replacement surgery.
Surgery typically takes a full morning or afternoon but does vary  in time depending on how many grafts are needed. Patients are awake during the procedure and given something to help them relax while the procedure is done under local anesthetic.
It is completely normal for the hair contained within the follicles to fall out before establishing regrowth. There is always a small amount of risk of the skin plug dying and then surgery must be repeated. Dr. Thompson sees all of his patients repeatedly for the first month to evaluate the process and for up to a year as regrowth comes in. Some patients decide after sometime that they would like additional grafts for a fuller result while many are beyond satisfied with their initial procedure.
As an experienced facial plastic surgeon and hair restoration specialist, Dr. Thompson is known for amazingly natural results. Patients appreciate that others notice improvement but cannot tell they’ve had a hair restoration procedure because the hair grafts have been placed to the thinning area in a way that is completely natural. Patients report greater confidence and self assurance following hair replacement surgery.
For more information regarding hair restoration surgery, call (801)776-2220 for a free consultation with Dr. Scott Thompson.