Important Questions To Ask

Below are some of the questions people often ask us. If you do not see yours, just call or schedule a free consultation. Always ask many questions. Be very comfortable with managing your hair loss because it is an active process.

Ask – Will you get a full medical/laboratory evaluation, or are they just trying to sell you a procedure?

Ask – Are you paying a price per harvested hair graft, price per hair, or a price based only on what is actually used/implanted?

Ask – Anything and everything that may be of concern to you.

Ask – What is the procedure cancellation policy? These procedures book whole dates and for a busy clinic are hard to fill with less than a few weeks’ notice. Make sure to have your calendar ready to book prime dates. In our clinic, a non-refundable deposit is needed to schedule a surgery.

We believe it is your right- to have a high quality examination and restoration, without sacrificing your hard earned income for some far flung advertising campaign.

Offering medical help for patients experiencing hair loss and nail disease. Below are some Frequently Asked Questions about this common disorder.

Why am I losing my hair?

Hair loss is much more complicated than generally perceived. Over 10 different medical conditions could be causing your hair loss. Our clinic will work with you to give you answers and help you understand what is happening with your hair. Once you learn the hair transplant facts, you will feel better about your options in managing your male pattern baldness.

How serious is hair loss?

Hair performs many important functions. Hair loss can be due to a variety of reasons. Origins of hair loss may be genetic (such as common male pattern baldness), or a sign of local and systemic disease such as lupus, lichen planopilaris, tinea, alopecia areata, and others.

What treatment options do you provide and by whom?

You will be evaluated by a medical doctor (M.D.). While many training programs allow one to use the term “Doctor,” we will always make time for you and make sure you see the M.D. (Medical Doctor). Once the cause of your hair loss is determined, we will discuss the options that may best fit your condition. You may require an over the counter medication approach, behavioral modification, prescription topical/oral medications, and a multi-specialty medical approach to your evaluation and management. When dealing with a problem as complex as hair loss, a quick and easy fix should not be expected. We will work with you to find the best solution and you will be a part of the team.

Can my hair loss be stopped or reversed?

This is possible in some cases, but it depends on the cause of the hair loss and how early you are evaluated. We often see cases that have advanced rapidly or have been present for years and thus make them less responsive to treatment options. Hairs on the top of your scalp respond differently to age and hormones and that is why we use hairs from the back of your scalp for restoration. Hairs from the back of your scalp require no maintenance regardless of where they are moved. This is opposite the hairs on the top of your scalp that can decrease with age and hormone changes while also responding to minoxidil (Rogaine) or testosterone altering medications like finasteride/duasteride i.e propecia and its medication groups.

Do you perform hair transplants?

Yes. Before a hair transplant can be considered, many medical conditions need to first be evaluated and ruled out. Once your hair loss is better understood, and more answers are available, we will help you find a hair transplant specialist. We perform follicle unit restoration with an automated process. This process significantly reduced down time with most people returning to work and regular day-to-day activities sooner than later (although healing time and hair cut recovery time does vary and can take 10 days or more). Also, as a result of this innovative method, the resulting scar is minimal to absent. The long-term benefits of having almost no scarring can be significant should you ever decide to shave your head or get a shorter haircut. Make sure you have the facts – What is a hair transplant?

How do you differ in transplants?

We use an automated system that is requires no scalpel or stitches. This method is effective for both male and female hair loss replacement. This is the patented Neograft technological device. You will not have a large linear scar on the back of your scalp and will have minimal down time. The many benefits are further passed on to you in superior quality while saving you thousands of dollars on your transplant.

Have your transplant placed one follicle at a time with an M.D. supervised procedure. This method is called Follicular Unit Extraction. Follicular Unit Extraction, which leaves no linear donor scar, is our preferred method of harvesting donor tissue. This process involves removing thousands of hair follicles from the scalp with a small surgical punch, so no sutures or staples are needed at the end of the day. Furthermore, we strive to maintain the high standards of follicular unit transplants (FUT). The goal of FUT is to keep the grafts and follicles in the natural state that they are normally in while growing in your scalp.

Do I have to completely shave my head for a hair transplant?

We can do a hair transplant with your hair as it is. If you do not shave your head, it improves your chance of keeping the procedure discrete. Shaving your head before a hair restoration procedure is not required. Shaving your head during and for the procedure may be required on a partial or complete basis, especially if your hair is not straight. Most patients choose to do an after procedure crew cut hair style to give a young refreshed look. You will have some hair shaved for and during the procedure.

If I choose restoration, how will I know how many grafts I need? And how much is a follicular unit transplant?

Each hair graft contains anywhere from one to several hairs. The number of hairs per square centimeter is also important (this is the density). Hair numbers & density vary by race and are reduced with age. A male with complete male pattern hair loss would require extensive restoration that may be as many as eight thousand grafts to achieve a density of forty-five grafts per square centimeter. Fortunately, touch-up procedures for those with residual hairs (i.e hair is thinning but not completely bald) do not require nearly this many hairs. Ethnic hair, dark hair, longer hair styles and other factors can often achieve fullness with only a fraction of these numbers. Also, notable fullness can be achieved without extensive graft investment in many cases as you can see with our before/after photos. It is important to have realistic goals and a full discussion on these matters with your physician. You can easily take back years or even potentially decades of hair loss with one visit. The results can be very impressive and many patients are very happy with the outcomes. The excitement of hair restoration has only been magnified recently with the development of more recent FUE methods such as Neograft FUE that we now offer in Houston.

Do you offer savings and amenities?

We use the latest patented technology in follicle hair transplant. The process is automated and physician supervised while minimizing down time and pain. Many patients tell us that they experience no pain. We also often hear of little pain in the immediate and long-term healing. Patients also have little to no scarring and a no scalpel approach that requires only local anesthesia. All this is obtained and provided at the most competitive rates in the region. The cost of a hair transplant in Houston is now more affordable than ever.

Do I need a referral, or any special forms/papers?

The need for a referral may be something your health insurance requires. You should clarify this with your provider. It is of benefit to bring any recent lab work/bloodwork that was performed in the past 6 months, or at the time your hair loss started. If you do not have any prior workup, do not worry; we will perform a thorough evaluation and determine the need for any tests that may be required.

I feel like I have many questions and no one seems to have the time to discuss them with me?

Hair loss can be a frustrating and physically challenging disease. We believe strongly in empowering our patients to better cope with the many challenges of hair loss. We will help you find answers to what is behind your hair loss. We also encourage you to visit organizations that further empower patients with your particular hair loss. Some of these will be provided to you on your initial consultation visit.

What about curly hair?

Curly hair can undergo FUE; however, we do emphasize to all patients that results may not be as desired when compared to more straight or wavy hair. We have noted that hairs with particularly tight curls can be the most difficult with which to harvest and obtain quality results.

What else is unique about the hair loss clinic?

Hair disease is often accompanied by nail disease. Even if you do not have a hair disease, you can still have nail disease and we can work with you on diagnosis and treatment options. Nail disease is often deceptively painless and can be first seen as color changes in the nail, including streaks in black or red pigment. Nails can also come off of their base, suffer from trauma, or present with chronic irritation of eczema, yeast, or autoimmune diseases like pemphigus vulgaris.

Discover the advantage of Follicle Unit Extraction (FUE) hair restoration using Neograft. One of the latest innovations in hair restoration and it is now in Houston.

The FUE method is one of the finest, most delicate approaches to natural restoration. An automated approach redefining the field of hair transplants. Why accept anything less than natural & real results?

FUE is the newest, most modern hair transplant method. Unlike the older method which leaves a large linear scar, we can now restore hair with a procedure that produces natural looking hair instead of plugs. You have significant reduction in down time with significant reduction in cost.

Are results permanent?

Like all transplants, no matter the method used, our procedure involves restoration of hair follicles by redistribution. The results are expected to be long lasting and, more often then not, permanent. However, ultimately outside forces rarely play a role and external factors such as trauma, chemotherapy, or internal factors such as diabetes, or other reasons can rarely result in continued loss. This is the case no matter how/when/where you do your restoration.

What is an “FUE” hair transplant?

“F.U.E.” or “Follicular-Unit Extraction” is an advanced, hair transplant method which allows for the harvesting of individual follicles from the back of the head (donor area) without a scalpel or stitches, and therefore leaves no linear scar.

What are the main benefits of FUE over the traditional “Strip Method” or linear harvesting?

It is well-accepted that FUE transplants can heal faster and more comfortably than linear-harvest techniques which the physician uses a scalpel and removes a strip of scalp requiring stitches and a 6 week recovery time. With the technique of FUE, the patient can return to work in a couple of days and once healing is complete(healing times vary and can be 2-14 days depending on the patient and size of the case), the patient has the option of wearing a very short haircut without the worry of a tell-tale linear scar. Without the need for stitches, downtime is shorter with fewer activity restrictions post-operatively.

What are some benefits of automated FUE over manual FUE techniques?

Because of the faster and more accurate harvesting of hair follicles. NeoGraft™ patients now reach their goal with less time in the procedure room or fewer FUE procedures altogether.

Who is a good candidate for FUE?

Patients who would like the option of wearing a very short haircut in the back or sides of their scalp, or those who want the least amount of activity restriction (e.g. athletes) after their hair transplant procedure, may be good candidates for FUE with NeoGraft™. FUE can also be used for ‘scar camouflage’ procedures for patients who have had prior “Strip” procedures, as well as for body hair transplants.

If I had a prior transplant, can I have FUE?

Patients who have had strip method, FUE method, Neograft FUE and any other method can be a candidate for a 2nd or 3rd restoration. An in-person consultation can determine the remaining density of the donor site. If you have good density, you could be on your way to a thicker fuller head of hair.

What are the major cost differences between FUE and linear-harvest hair transplant procedures?

The fee structure for FUE hair transplant procedures reflect the more detailed and intricate nature of those procedures compared to those performed with a linear harvest strip method but in most cases is very similar in pricing.

What are the side effects?

As with all procedures, side effects are always possible. Although they are rare, the more common ones tend to be temporary and include swelling and bruising. A full discussion of side effects, risks, and benefits should be undertaken with your physician.