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What If A Hair Transplant Fails?

hair transplant failureA hair transplant failure is incredibly rare, especially if the doctor and patient have discussed pre- and post-operative care and have evaluated the risk factors unique to the individual patient. Even so, it is helpful that a patient understands all of the potential reasons a hair transplant might fail and what can be done to correct a failure in hair transplant under the rare circumstance that this occurs.

During the actual procedure, the most common reason for the hair transplant failure of an individual follicular unit graft is desiccation, which is the result of the graft spending too much time outside of the body from the time it is excised from the donor area to the time it is transplanted into the recipient site. This is why a hair transplant surgeon will work with a team of medical professionals that includes nurses and surgical assistants, as this ensures that each and every follicular unit is viable when it is transplanted into the recipient site.

In the pre-operative stage, hair transplant doctors in New York City; Greenwich,Connecticut;Chicago, Illinois; Washington D.C. and Northern Virginia; Houston, Dallas, Texas; Manila, PhilippinesDubai, Abu Dhabi,U.A.E.; and Karachi, Pakistan, will evaluate the health of the patient’s remaining hair and its potential viability for transplantation. The doctor will then discuss the likelihood of the hair transplant procedure is a success based on the volume of healthy donor tissue available. It is unlikely that any reputable hair surgeon would proceed with a hair transplant without the availability of ample donor tissue likely to yield the results the patient is seeking.

Of course, the transplantation of donor tissue from the donor site to the recipient site causes a fair amount of stress to the follicular units being transplanted as well as some of the follicles in the surrounding areas. This is why the follicles in the recipient site are expected to fall out within a few weeks of the actual procedure, with regrowth of new follicles occurring within four months or so. In some cases, natural hair follicles located near the recipient site will also fall out due to the stress of the transplant process, but this is not permanent and regrowth can be expected along the same timeline as the transplanted follicles.

If a hair transplant fails, determining the cause of failure is a critical initial step. Once the cause has been identified, the patient can then begin the relatively straightforward process of correcting a failure in  hair transplant and addressing their thinning hair or hair loss with a permanent and natural-looking solution.

Steps to take in hair transplant failure

Obviously, no one wants to endure a situation in which a hair transplant failure occur and must be corrected. For the patient, undergoing a hair transplant procedure to address hair loss or thinning hair is supposed to be an entirely positive and exciting experience, so a failure in hair transplant can be especially demoralizing. Hair transplant surgeons feel the same way and do not wish for their patients to endure a failure of hair transplant, which is why a great deal of time and energy is devoted to the planning process so that the likelihood of a failed hair transplant is minimized to the greatest degree possible.

hair transplant clinic near you maximIn the rare instance in which a hair transplant fails, the patient should first take steps to identify the cause for the failure. Certain behaviors or health conditions could play a role in causing a hair transplant failure, but the hair transplant doctor should have discussed any potentially adverse issues with the patient during the initial consultation process. This is why it is so critical for the patient to be forthright while discussing a hair transplant procedure with the doctor.

If a hair transplant has failed, the patient should contact a reputable hair transplant surgeon or hair transplant clinic near them with the goal of determining the cause of the failure on procedure and developing a course of action for correcting the issue once and for all. Whether the transplant was performed in the past year or was performed over a decade ago, skilled hair transplant surgeons at a reputable hair transplant center in New York City; Greenwich, Connecticut;Chicago, Illinois; Washington D.C. and Northern Virginia; Houston, Dallas, Texas; Manila, Philippines; Dubai, Abu Dhabi,U.A.E.; and Karachi, Pakistan, understand how to correct a failed hair transplant and can ensure that any future procedures are successful and yield a permanent solution for the patient.

How to find a reputable hair surgeon who can correct a bad hair transplant?

It is easy to understand why a patient might be hesitant to return to the hair transplant clinic responsible for a bad hair transplant, so a patient looking to correct a bad hair transplant will have to find a new surgeon capable of correcting a bad hair transplant once and for all. A patient in need of a corrective procedure should seek out a skilled and experienced surgeon who has access to the most advanced medical technology and performs the most innovative hair transplant procedures, especially FUE and FUT.

Since there are quite a few methods available for correcting a bad hair transplant, the patient should select a hair transplant doctor with a versatile skill set and a track record of success in correcting a bad hair transplant. A good doctor should be able to provide specific examples of successful corrective procedures and should be willing to meet with the patient to discuss the different options that might be available to them.

A patient who underwent a hair transplant procedure many years ago and no longer wishes to have the unnatural look of an outdated hair plug procedure can turn to a hair transplant surgeon capable of removing the original plugs and redistributing in smaller, natural-looking groupings in the recipient site. This strategy ensures the old hair transplant is covered up and camouflaged while making optimal use of available donor tissue during the corrective process. The same is true of a patient who underwent a procedure recently but is unhappy with the outcome, as a good hair transplant surgeon can artfully craft a new hairline that is much more natural-looking and restores confidence in the patient.

hair transplant happy guy maximAny patient who is dissatisfied with the outcome of their hair transplant should feel confident that they can still achieve a permanent solution to their thinning hair or hair loss. Selecting the right doctor is the most critical step in correcting a poor hair transplant. Patients should therefore exercise a great deal of caution and patience when meeting with a potential hair transplant surgeon, and it should be the patient’s goal to select an experienced and skilled doctor capable of addressing the patient’s unique hair transplant needs.

MAXIM Hair Restoration specializes in mega hair transplants of up to 4,500 grafts per session. Our plastic surgeons are experienced with hair transplant procedures and we attract clients from all over the world. We have locations in Dubai and Manila, Philippines, and have affiliate surgeons in Connecticut, New York, Chicago and other cities in the U.S. MAXIM offers free consultations for hair transplants.

Contact Us For More Information on hair transplant costs OR submit the Contact Form on this page to request your complimentary hair restoration consultation by phone, Skype or with a MAXIM hair transplant doctor or surgeon near you.

You can also Email your pics to MAXIM Hair Restoration to find out if you are a good candidate for an ultra-natural MAXIM hair transplant OR to obtain an estimate for your procedure and the approximate number of grafts that would be required to give you a great result.

What Percentage Of Hair Transplants Fail?

What Percentage Of Hair Transplant that Fail? The percentage of hair transplants that result in failure, the Fail hair transplant is virtually non-existent provided the patient is in good health, adheres to the pre- and post-operative guidelines outlined by the doctor, and that the most ideal procedure is selected. There must be sufficient donor hair available for transplant, and the number of grafts transplanted should be more than enough to achieve adequate coverage throughout the recipient site. A reputable and experienced hair transplant surgeon will take the time to evaluate each one of these factors to ensure that the hair transplant is destined to be a success for the patient.

failed hair transplant maximIn terms of the individual grafts that are transplanted from the donor site to the recipient site, there are many techniques employed by hair transplant doctors to ensure that the maximal number of grafts are preserved and successfully transplanted. Whether an automated system is used or the hair transplant is performed manually, every transplant doctor is keenly aware of the importance of preserving as close to 100 percent of the graft as possible.

Many doctors employ the use of advanced tools and a variety of other systems designed to preserve every last follicular unit for transplantation, but it is nonetheless the case that a small percentage of the follicular units will not result in growth after transplantation to the recipient site. This percentage is typically far less than five percent, and hair transplant doctors work with diligence and precision to ensure that the greatest percentage of follicles is successfully transplanted and not going to fail and to form a natural-looking hair restoration.

Why Do Hair Transplants Fail?

A failed hair transplant is very uncommon, and some of the reasons why a hair transplant might fail are often identifiable by the doctor during the consultation process. The health of the donor hair and the availability of sufficient follicular units can be easily evaluated by a skilled surgeon in advance of any procedure, but there are also some additional factors that may play a role in a hair transplant failing to deliver the results a patient is seeking through such a procedure.

Aside from the observable pre-existing factors that may increase the likelihood of failure, the actual hair transplant session itself is the single most important factor for determining the success rate of any transplant procedure, regardless of whether it is FUT, FUE or any other available technique. This fact should clearly underscore the importance of working with a skilled and experienced doctor who understands how to ensure a patient’s hair transplant meets or exceeds expectations.

During the procedure, the removal and transplantation of each follicular unit causes a fair amount of stress that can lead to the failure of an individual unit. This is why it is ideal for a hair transplant doctor to work in conjunction with a team of medical professionals who are able to efficiently perform the procedure while ensuring the preservation of each follicular unit. The doctor also carefully selects each donor unit according to its strength and vigor, as this greatly enhances the likelihood that the hair transplant will be a success.

What Are the Side Effects From a Hair Transplant?

Following the completion of the hair transplant procedure, the doctor should reiterate the post-operative care instructions with the patient in order to reduce the likelihood of any side effects or complications arising. The specific instructions will vary depending upon whether the patient chooses to undergo FUE or FUT, as the latter will require the patient to take it easy for a few days following the procedure while the former typically allows patients to return to normal activity just a single day after the procedure’s completion.

In the days following the procedure, patients may experience swelling around the donor and recipient sites, and some patients report the formation of a crust-like substance around the implanted follicular units. Neither one of these issues should cause concern, as the appearance of these conditions should dissipate within a short period of time. It is also common for the transplanted hair follicles to fall out in the weeks after the hair transplant, which is to be expected and is simply a part of the process. Hair regrowth should begin in the recipient site shortly thereafter, with the final outcome of the transplant realized about six months following the initial procedure.

If Fail, Do People Need Repeat Hair Transplant Sessions ?

Whether or not a patient will require repeat hair transplant sessions has everything to do with the personal circumstances associated with their individual hair loss as well as their own personal hair restoration goals. It is, however, quite rare that a patient will require a repeat hair transplant session due to nothing more than the failure of a hair transplant. Instead, a repeat hair transplant is often part of the initial plan outlined together by the doctor and the patient.

It is most often the case that a repeat hair transplant session is necessary for a patient seeking to achieve a great deal of hair density within the recipient site or for a patient seeking extensive coverage for a fairly sizable area of the scalp suffering from thinning hair or hair loss. Regardless of the goal, the potential need for repeat transplant sessions should be clearly addressed in great detail during the initial consultation process.

Since a single session of FUT is capable of yielding as many as 5,000 to 9,000 individual follicular units while FUE is capable of as many as 7,500  individual follicular units, a patient preferring the FUE procedure over the FUT procedure may find it necessary to undergo multiple sessions to achieve hair transplant density equal to that of the FUT procedure. If the patient is seeking to achieve a significant density level and has sufficient donor hair to achieve this goal, then repeat FUT sessions may be utilized to generate this particular result.

Does a Hair Transplant Prevent Hair Loss?

hair transplant maximAs it currently stands, there is simply no available procedure for hair loss prevention. It is possible to greatly reduce the incidence of hair loss and to even slow the rate of hair loss to a degree that closely approximates prevention, but a hair transplant itself cannot prevent future hair loss. This is why the age of the hair transplant candidate and the current extent of the candidate’s hair loss should be thoughtfully evaluated during the consultation process, as this is the best way to determine a course of action based on the patient’s individual circumstances.

While a hair transplant may not succeed in preventing future hair loss, the benefits of a hair transplant are such that future hair loss can be accounted for and obscured by the doctor performing the hair transplant procedure. This is due to the fact that hair loss tends to follow one of several observable patterns, which allows the doctor to accurately predict future areas of loss that can be successfully obscured by the hair transplant procedure.

In addition to crafting a hairline and placing follicular units in order to best address both current and future hair loss, it is also quite likely for a hair transplant doctor to recommend prescription medicine that contributes to the improved health of the transplanted hair as well as the naturally growing hair that may be at risk of future loss. If a patient is experiencing rapid hair loss, however, it may simply be most ideal to delay the hair transplant procedure until the full extent of the hair loss is completely understood.

Can a Failed Hair Transplant Be Corrected?

Fortunately, a failed hair transplant can be corrected regardless of the rationale behind its failure. A patient who underwent a hair transplant procedure many years ago and is unhappy with the unnatural appearance of the end result certainly has a wealth of options at their disposal. Corrective hair transplants can be performed in much the same way that the current procedures are performed, with many doctors able to cover up the appearance of unnatural-looking grafts by performing a hair transplant with the goal of camouflaging the old and out-of-place grafts.

The doctor has other options available for a corrective hair transplant, as it is possible to remove the unnatural-looking grafts for the purpose of redistributing them so they appear far more natural within the recipient site. This is often the case with outdated “hair plug” procedures, which can be corrected through the removal and division of the follicular units to achieve a result that is much more in line with current practices and standards. In instances in which the failed hair transplant was not the result of an outdated technique, it is nonetheless possible for a skilled and experienced doctor to correct whatever issue may have caused the initial failure.

Furthermore, patients who wish to conceal their hair transplant scars can do so with a non-surgical technique called Scalp Micropigmentation which is gaining popularity.

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