Hair Transplants For Curly & Wavy Hair

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Hair transplantation is a cutting-edge procedure that has the ability to transform people’s lives. It can boost self-esteem, increase confidence, and improve your self-image [1]. However, if your hair is wavy or curly, you may be unsure if you’re a good candidate for a hair transplant procedure.

Hair transplants can be daunting, but they’re one of the best ways to restore hair loss if you’re suffering from male pattern baldness or female pattern hair loss. In this article, you’ll learn:

Whether you’re suitable for a hair transplant if you have wavy or curly hair
What difference your curly hair type makes for a successful hair transplant
Whether having a hair transplant will change the texture of your hair.

Table of Contents

I have curly hair. Am I suitable for a hair transplant?
What difference does my hair type make?
How are curly hair transplants different from straight hair transplants?
What are the benefits of curly hair transplant surgeries?
What will my transplanted hair look like if I have wavy or curly hair?
How to find the right hair transplant clinic
Getting a curly hair transplant at the Wimpole Clinic

I have curly hair. Am I suitable for a hair transplant?

Hair transplants can usually be conducted on all hair types, including curly, wavy, and Afro hair textures [2]. However, it’s more difficult to perform certain types of hair transplant surgery on people with tight curls without damaging the hair bulb.

Afro hair, in particular, has high transection rates (where the hair bulb is damaged during surgery) in FUE procedures, due to the shape of the punch [2]. This can mean that FUT is a preferable hair transplant technique choice for those with tightly curled hair.

Regardless of this, people with wavy and curly hair can be excellent FUT hair transplant candidates, provided that:

They have hair loss resulting from genetic hair loss conditions such as androgenetic alopecia rather than other types of hair loss conditions
They have tried other methods of hair loss prevention before considering hair transplant surgery
Their hair loss is extensive enough to warrant hair restoration surgery
It’s not too early for them to get a hair transplant
It’s not too late for them to get a hair transplant.

What difference does my hair type make?

Your hair type will actually have a significant impact on the way in which the hair transplant procedure is carried out and what the finished result will look like. So it’s important for your doctor to establish this in the beginning. A skilled, experienced hair transplant surgeon will be able to give you the best advice. See how to find the best UK hair transplant surgeon.

If you have fair, straight hair, your transplanted hair will look sparser on your scalp than dark or wavy hair. Straight, fair hair is easier to transplant because the hair follicles can be removed more easily. However, more straight hair is needed to give good coverage. If you have curly or wavy hair, such as 3A type hair or type 2A hair, you’ll normally need fewer hair grafts to get the hair density you’re looking for.

Coarse hair also gives good coverage. So generally, fewer transplants are needed. The reality is that the fullness of hair is not necessarily a true indicator of how much hair there is — it’s simply about perception, and wavy hair is great at giving an illusion of density.

Unsure which hair type you have? Take our hair type quiz to define your tresses.

How are curly hair transplants different from straight hair transplants?

Curly hair transplants require a bit more skill and expertise in comparison to straight hair transplants. This is due to the structure of the curly hair follicle which is spiral-shaped from root to tip and as a result, requires greater care when extracting and transplanting curly hair into areas of hair loss.

Since curly hair follicles require more finesse in handling, they are often prone to damage in surgery. Hair transplant surgeons will also need to take into consideration the direction in which the hair grows, otherwise, they risk creating an unnatural appearance.

What are the benefits of curly hair transplant surgeries?

Although a curly hair transplant procedure requires greater skill and expertise from the surgeon, there are many benefits of hair transplantation for curly-haired patients.

Fewer hair grafts are needed

Curly hair transplant surgery requires fewer hair follicles to cover areas of hair loss. Since fewer hair grafts are needed, the total graft cost will be lower and the transplant surgery may also take less time to complete.

Voluminous hair growth

Due to the voluminous nature of curly and wavy hair, curly hair transplants yield better results. The final results of transplanted curly hair often appear fuller and thicker in addition to having much more added volume.

What will my transplanted hair look like if I have wavy or curly hair?

Your donor hair grafts are usually taken from healthy hair follicles located at the back or the side of your head. So your newly transplanted hair follicles will have the same texture and colour as the rest of your hair. Having a hair transplant won’t affect the waviness or curliness of your hair.

However, it normally takes 12-18 months for you to see the final results from your hair transplant. So those with wavy or curly hair may have short frizzy hairs for the first few months as the hair grows in.

How to find the right hair transplant clinic

When you’re looking for a UK hair transplant clinic to perform your curly hair transplant surgery, you should consider 3 major factors:

Hair transplant costs — Hair transplants don’t need to cost an arm and a leg, but you should be aware of cost-cutting measures taken by certain clinics that can jeopardise your hair transplant results.
The skill and experience of your hair transplant surgeon — You can usually find this out by reading hair transplant clinic reviews and seeing their patients’ before and after hair transplant photos.
Medical and healthcare regulation — For your safety, your chosen clinic should be registered with the CQC, and your surgeon should be registered with the GMC.

At the Wimpole Clinic, our hair transplant success rates is 97-100%. We’ve worked on a huge range of hair types, including Afro hair, wavy hair, and curly hair:

Getting a curly hair transplant at the Wimpole Clinic

Before your hair restoration procedure at the Wimpole Clinic, we’ll invite you to speak to a specialist. You’ll have the opportunity to ask hair loss consultation questions about your individual requirements.

At this initial consultation the doctors will check that you are suitable for the procedure. This will involve a frank discussion about your medical history to ensure that there is no underlying reason why you wouldn’t be suitable for surgery. They’ll also check the quality and characteristics of your hair.

At the Wimpole Clinic, we’ve worked on a variety of different hair types and can advise on whether your wavy or curly hair will impact your results. Book a consultation with our trichology team to discuss the right treatment for your hair loss and hair type.