Female Hair Transplant
Conveniently located to serve the areas of San Antonio, TX
Although most people think of men with male pattern baldness when thinking about hair restoration and hair transplantation, the truth is that many women also suffer from hair loss and seek hair restoration services. This is especially true because women, in general, find thinning hair to be much more distressing than their male counterparts. (1)
Additionally, while nearly all men suffering from hair loss suffer from male pattern hair loss specifically, women suffer from hair loss for many different reasons, including female pattern hair loss. For this reason, when women seek hair restoration services, the best practice is typically to look into the cause of hair loss, as many medical causes of hair loss will improve with the treatment of the underlying cause. For other women, such as those with female pattern hair loss or with disorders that cause scarring of the hair follicles that have been adequately treated, a hair transplant may be appropriate.
At Premier Hair Restoration, our team of experts can help each individual restore both their thinning hair and their confidence. Dr. Colin O’Dea is a hair restoration surgeon and member of the International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery dedicated to providing each of his patients with consistent, stunning results.
To schedule a consultation and find out the root cause of your hair loss, please call our San Antonio office at (210) 642-2291 or contact us online.
Contents
About Female Hair Transplants
Female hair transplants are performed in much the same way as hair transplants in men, with special care taken to approach the transplant in a way that minimizes shaving of the hair. Traditionally, this has been done using the follicular unit transplantation technique, also known as the FUT technique, and involves shaving a strip of hair in the donor area on the back of the head, followed by surgically removing that strip of shaved scalp and closing the scalp back together. This leaves only a minimal area on the back of the head that has been shaved, which is easily covered by hair from above. For the creation of the surgical sites and transplantation of the grafts, a combination of wetting and combing the hair is used to expose small areas at a time to allow both site creation and graft placement without the need to trim or cut the hair. Once the procedure has been completed and after an initial healing period of one to two weeks, the recent transplant will be minimally noticeable. Once fully healed, the hair will grow just like the rest of your hair and can be cut and styled as you please.
Benefits
The benefits of hair restoration in female patients are myriad, as many women feel very self-conscious about their thinning hair. Thicker hair, provided by a hair transplant or by medical hair restoration, can resolve the self-consciousness associated with thinning hair, leading affected women to feel more confident and more attractive after having had a hair transplant. A fuller head of hair also contributes to a more youthful, healthier appearance.
Candidates
Not all women with thinning hair are candidates for hair transplants because different causes of hair loss have different appropriate treatments. Many cases of hair loss in women can be treated medically by treating the underlying cause of hair loss, such as iron deficiency, vitamin D deficiency, hypothyroidism, or other causes. In these instances, by treating a separate medical issue that is causing hair loss, the hair loss itself can be treated. Other patients suffer from medical conditions that can cause the hair follicles to scar. In these patients, medical treatment alone will not cause the hair to grow back, but adequate medical treatment is required before performing a hair transplant to ensure that further hair, including transplanted hair, is not lost. Once the underlying condition that is causing hair follicles to scar has been treated, Dr. O’Dea can successfully perform a hair transplant. Additionally, patients with female pattern hair loss are great candidates for hair transplantation.
To determine if you are eligible for a female hair transplant, we recommend that you schedule a personal consultation with Dr. O’Dea at our office.
Personal Consultation
If you are suffering from hair loss, please contact Premier Hair Restoration for a complimentary consultation regarding both medical and surgical treatment of your hair loss. At your personal consultation, Dr. O’Dea will sit down to discuss your experienced symptoms, medical history, and ideal treatment goals before performing a medical examination.
After examining the scalp, Dr. O’Dea can start crafting your custom treatment plan alongside any necessary preoperative and postoperative instructions. To determine the underlying cause of your hair loss, Dr. O’Dea may recommend that you be evaluated for any potential deficiencies or conditions. A full, written quote will also be provided for you at your consultation appointment. We encourage each patient to prepare questions and address any concerns at their consultation, as we want each patient to feel comfortable and informed about their hair restoration treatment.
To schedule a personal consultation at our San Antonio office, please call (210) 642-2291 or contact us online, and a member of our team will respond as soon as possible.
Preparation
Once any underlying medical conditions that may be causing hair loss are properly evaluated and treated and it is determined that you are a good candidate for a hair transplant, preparation for the transplant itself is fairly minimal, involving only picking up prescriptions before the procedure and beginning some of the medications the day before the procedure. If you have other medical problems or take other medications that do not affect hair loss but may affect the ability to undergo a hair transplant treatment, we can discuss alternatives.
Dr. O’Dea may recommend a few lifestyle changes if they apply to you, such as wearing looser, gentler hairstyles, and adjusting your medication regimen.
Procedure
FUE is the standard surgical approach for women undergoing hair transplantation, as this does not require shaving a large portion of the back and sides of your head. Only a small shaved strip will remain where the strip of the scalp was harvested, and this is easily covered by the hair above. More recent developments include follicular unit extraction (FUE) devices and punches that allow for the harvesting of long hair without the need to shave the back and sides of the head. This effective treatment method provides patients with stunning results and barely noticeable scarring.
Recovery
Recovery after a hair transplant involves spending two to three days resting in a reclined position to avoid accidentally pulling out the grafts before they’ve healed in place. After around three days, the grafts will have healed in place to the extent that they are much more difficult to pull out, and you will no longer need to take the same precautions to avoid dislodging the grafts that you have taken up to that point. The transplanted grafts will form a small crust around four to five days after transplantation, which will subsequently fall off around seven to ten days after surgery. Once the crusts have fallen off the grafts, you can resume full normal activity.
Results
The results of a female hair transplant will become gradually more noticeable over several months. Once the grafts have healed and the hair begins to grow, you will have a fuller and more natural-appearing head of hair. Many patients can start noticing visual improvements in the treatment area between three to six months after their initial appointment, with full results appearing six to twelve months later. (2) This is your very own hair, and you can cut it and style it as you see fit.
Cost of a Female Hair Transplant in San Antonio
The full cost of a hair transplant for women is often similar to the cost of an FUT hair transplant for men. These procedures are typically priced per graft, with the overall price depending on certain variables.
Long-hair FUE transplants, which involve no shaving, no linear scar, and no sutures, may be available shortly. The cost of a long-hair FUE transplant is to be determined; it would be more difficult and more time-consuming than a more traditional FUT.
To get a price quote for your hair transplant, contact our office by filling out our online form or giving us a call at (210) 642-2291.
FAQ
Is a hair transplant permanent?
For most women, a hair transplant is permanent. However, some women with significant hair thinning on the top of their heads may develop thinning on the back and sides of their heads in the future. If this is the case, then grafts from the back of the head that were destined to fall out in the future may fall out after they have been transplanted to the top of the head as well.
Can my hair transplant be combined with another procedure?
Yes, we can perform female hair transplantation alongside another treatment, such as a regenera activa, to provide a deeper level of restoration.
Are these procedures safe?
Yes, when performed by a qualified medical professional. Your safety and comfort are our top priorities.
References
- Piccini I, Sousa M, Altendorf S, et al. Intermediate Hair Follicles from Patients with Female Pattern Hair Loss Are Associated with Nutrient Insufficiency and a Quiescent Metabolic Phenotype. Nutrients. 2022;14(16):3357-3357. doi:https://doi.org/10.3390/nu14163357
- Zito PM, Raggio BS. Hair Transplantation. PubMed. Published 2021. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK547740/
