What to expect at your first hair transplant consultation.

Reading time: 5 min.

What to expect at your first hair transplant consultation

We often suggest that our readers seek advice from an experienced hair loss specialist before making a decision about hair transplant surgery or other hair loss remedies.

This is for two main reasons: the first is that hair transplants may not necessarily be suitable for you and secondly, it takes an experienced trichologist to accurately assess the hair loss and create an expert hair restoration plan which is both aesthetically pleasing and budget efficient.

As an experienced hair transplant clinic that has treated many patients over the years, we know that the whole idea of a hair transplant can initially feel daunting. So to help you feel more at ease and comfortable with the process allow us to take you through what will happen during the first hair transplant consultation.

Table of Contents

What happens at a hair transplant consultation?
What does your hair loss consultant need to know regarding your medical history?
Hair loss scalp examination
What type of hair transplant procedures are available to me?
Key details about the hair transplant procedure
What to expect following surgery
Bring a friend to your hair transplant consultation
Are you considering a hair transplant?

What happens at a hair transplant consultation?

Getting hair transplant surgery is not for everyone. A good hair transplant clinic will not rush to get you into the chair for a procedure. Instead, each patient will need to be assessed individually to determine if they are a suitable candidate for hair transplant services.

Certain factors will determine eligibility for a hair transplant procedure including:

Medical history– If the patient is healthy enough for hair transplant surgery.
Your hair loss condition – It’s important to know that not all hair loss conditions can be treated with hair transplantation. Hair transplant surgery often works well on individuals who suffer from genetic hair loss conditions such as female pattern hair loss or male pattern baldness.
The extent of your hair loss– If your hair loss is in the beginning stages, your hair transplant surgeon will often recommend hair loss treatments such as Minoxidil or Finasteride. Individuals who have extensive hair loss also might not be eligible. Find out if it’s too late for a hair transplant.

What does your hair loss consultant need to know regarding your medical history?

The medical questionnaire is an essential part of the hair transplant consultation. It’s important to know your medical history as it will determine which hair transplant procedures would be suitable and completely safe for you from a surgical point of view.

Most men or women suffering from female pattern hair loss or male pattern baldness are suitable. However, there may be considerations such as medication use, skin type, or previous procedures/operations. This can be discussed here and it’s essential to be completely honest about your medical history, just as you would be with the GP about any other medical procedure.

Hair loss scalp examination

An essential part of the consultation is the scalp examination. Assessment of the scalp is naturally, the key to finding out the extent of hair loss and to plan how many hair grafts will be needed for an effective and natural-looking hair transplant procedure.

Your hair density will also be evaluated. Hair transplant doctors will look to compare the amount of fine hair to the number of thick ones. In addition, the surgeon will also assess the degree of miniaturization of your hair strands caused by shrinking hair follicles and the diminishing of each hair’s diameter and length.

This part of the hair transplant consultation is simple and clear-cut and should not involve any discomfort if there are no other existing issues with the scalp. It is here where the hair transplant surgeon will also demonstrate a visualisation of a new hairline to restore hair growth in the balding areas. It’s also a chance for you to air any queries or concerns you may have including the estimated hair transplant costs.

What type of hair transplant procedures are available to me?

Most hair transplant clinics offer suitable patients a choice of 2 methods of hair transplantation: Follicular Unit Transplantation (FUT) or Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) hair transplant surgery.

The transplant surgeon will, of course, recommend a certain type of hair transplant procedure based on the patient’s stage of hair loss, hair restoration goals, and hair characteristics (colour, texture, etc).

Key details about the hair transplant procedure

You may have concerns or fears about having a hair restoration procedure. These concerns can be alleviated at this point by your consultant who will explain to you exactly what is to be expected in each stage of the procedure.

Furthermore, the consultant should advise you on a likely timescale for any suggested procedure. You can also become aware of what you’ll need to do, if anything in particular, to prepare for the session.

Support from our patient advisors

What to expect at your consultation

Bristol-based patient advisor Adam talks through what to expect at your first Wimpole Clinic consultation.

How your patient advisor supports you

Mihir from our Birmingham clinic outlines the role of your hair transplant patient advisor.

How to find the right clinic

Hair transplant technician Philip reveals his top tips for finding the best hair transplant surgeon.

What to expect following surgery

At the Wimpole Clinic, our consultants give all our clients clear, concise literature about what to expect following the procedure should they choose to go ahead with the transplant. However, at this stage, we can give you an indication of the level of after-care you’ll need to be aware of and of potential healing times. There will then be time to answer any questions or queries you may have and often we’ll take a photograph. Photos give a different perspective than the mirror and aid with the visualisation process.

Bring a friend to your hair transplant consultation

It’s a great idea to have a friend, relative, or partner to your hair transplant consultation while you consider your hair transplant options. We have heard many times that clients found it useful to have someone present who knows them and their plans, both for support and for perspective.

What’s more, they can be a second pair of ears when it comes to the procedure details and help plan if and when you’d like the session to take place in the context of your day-to-day life.

Are you considering a hair transplant?

The Wimpole Clinic offers a no-obligation free consultation. We have several clinic locations throughout the UK including our Harley Street hair clinic located in the heart of London’s west end.

Our goal during the free consultation is to make all patients feel comfortable and at ease. We strive to provide definitive answers to your queries about hair transplants and all other hair restoration options.

We welcome all patients regardless of gender, age, and hair type. You may also like to see our gallery of successful hair transplants or just get in contact to ask a question.

Book a consultation today to learn more about the services we provide.