Hair restoration has come a long way since the days of bad hair plugs and toupees. In today’s modern times, hair transplants have become a popular and effective way to treat hair loss in both men and women.
Despite its rise in popularity, many individuals wonder if it is worth investing in a hair transplantation surgery especially if they believe the results to not be permanent. The good news is that hair transplant surgery offers a permanent solution to lost hair.
Learn more here about how permanent a hair transplant is, the best ways to improve its success rate, and what to expect in the years to come.
Are hair transplants permanent?
Hair transplants have been growing in popularity ever since they first emerged as a successful treatment for hair loss in the late 1950s. Now, with FUT (Follicular Unit Transplantation) and FUE (Follicular Unit Extraction) techniques, hair restoration procedures give patients natural-looking results —offering a welcome option to people experiencing male pattern baldness and female pattern baldness.
Although hair transplantation has been around for a long time, there’s still some misinformation out there about the hair transplant procedure. For example, many prospective patients want to know if a hair transplant is permanent.
The answer is yes — hair transplants are permanent. Results usually last a lifetime, though it’s normal to see slightly reduced hair density as you get older. Learn more about hair transplants and hair density.
Modern hair transplant methods streamline surgery, and minimise scarring and recovery times. Increases in speed and efficiency have also made hair transplants more accessible with hair transplant costs that are more affordable to a wider market.
Famous celebrity hair transplants have been performed on Wayne Rooney’s hair, as well as Louis Walsh and Elton John. Since all these celebrities openly shared their own hair loss and treatment experiences, hair transplants have become a popular choice for many who are seeking a solution to their own hair loss issues.
Learn more about Elton John’s hair transplant.
Hair transplant success rates
Success rates for hair transplantation surgery are extremely high. Some hair transplant surgeons even claim close to a 100% success rate with results that are permanent.
Hair transplant procedures are now so sophisticated that with the proper care and maintenance (particularly in the days and weeks immediately after the hair transplant surgery) that the newly transplanted hair follicles will continue to grow healthy hair permanently. Find out more about how do hair transplants work.
Early trichologists established that hair on the back and sides of the head is less prone to the thinning and balding that’s commonly seen on the crown and top of the head in male pattern baldness [2]. During the transplant procedure, the donor hair follicles are taken from the back of the head.
Whilst hair transplant results can generally be expected to be permanent if performed by a reputable and experienced hair transplant clinic, there are certain factors that can influence the long-term success of the procedure.
What are some factors that can affect hair transplant results?
If you want to get your money’s worth out of your hair transplant, you’ll need to take extra good care of your scalp and hair post-surgery in order to achieve a lush head of hair.
Immediate care after your hair transplant procedure
The first days and weeks immediately after the hair transplant surgery are the most important. It is essential to protect the fragile new hair follicles as they become established. Your surgeon will provide instructions for your individual circumstances. Some general things to avoid are exercise, excessive sweating, straining the scalp, and getting the transplant area wet. Learn more about hair transplant recovery.
Long-term care for sustained hair growth
Developing good grooming habits will help you to enjoy long-lasting results from your hair transplant. The same hair care practices for normal hair will also preserve your transplant results, for example:
Brushing your hair carefully – don’t tug or pull the hair
When shampooing and conditioning, be as gentle as possible and avoid roughly rubbing the scalp and hair.
If you take care of your hair grafts, you can see exceptional hair growth results for many years. See potential hair transplant results after 10 years to learn more.
Wearing a hat
It’s advisable to avoid wearing a hat in the days after the hair transplant surgery. You may want to wear a lightly fitting cap on the day of the surgery to get home, but after that, it should be avoided. Your surgeon will advise when it is safe to resume wearing a hat.
Even then, it’s recommended that you treat the transplant area carefully, wearing only loose-fitting headwear (like a light hoodie). You should also take extra care when putting on your cap or hat, and also when taking it off. This will be the case until you see the full effects of the hair transplant.
Is it possible to need multiple hair transplants?
While successful hair transplants give permanent results, it is possible to need multiple transplants. According to ISHRS research, 31.9% of hair transplant patients need more than one transplant to get their desired results [1]. This is usually down to one or more of the following:
Failed transplant — if you don’t start to see regrowth a year after your surgery, your grafts may not have survived the transplant.
Patchy hair regrowth — if your first hair transplant doesn’t give you the coverage you want, a second transplant can improve results.
Pre-planned future procedures — your surgeon may recommend multiple surgeries at your initial consultation.
Further hair loss — a hair transplant won’t prevent ongoing hair loss (though you can treat thinning hair with drugs like Finasteride, Dutasteride, and Minoxidil), so you may need multiple procedures if hair loss continues and causes patchiness or baldness.
Procedure complications — graft infection and other postoperative complications can cause your hair transplant to fail.
Failed hair transplants are more likely to occur in unlicensed clinics. Most ISHRS members reported that up to 25% of their hair transplant repair cases were due to black-market hair transplants [1]. So by choosing a trustworthy clinic with high safety standards, you can reduce the chances of needing multiple hair transplants.
Where does the donor hair come from?
To create natural-looking results, all hair transplanted to the scalp must come from the individual’s head. Usually, these hairs are taken from existing hair that is on the back or the side of the ahead.
These hair follicles are considered to be less resistant to Dihydrotestosterone (DHT), a male sex hormone that binds to androgen receptors in your hair follicles and causes hair loss in individuals who are suffering from male pattern hair loss.
Once transplanted, the transplanted hairs should remain there permanently. It should be noted, however, that a few weeks after hair transplant surgery, hair transplant recipients will experience shock loss. This type of hair shedding is perfectly normal and a good sign that the hair roots have settled and begun their normal growth hair cycle.
Most hair transplant recipients will start to see noticeable hair growth within 4-6 months post hair transplant surgery.
Should you get a hair transplant?
If you’re still young, or your hair loss is still in the early stages, it may be too early to get a hair transplant. But you should still seek hair loss treatments to stop your condition from getting worse.
Hair thinning and hair loss are age-old problems. Hair restoration surgery can provide an effective modern and permanent solution, with results that should last a lifetime. The time, effort, and expense are a sound investment in a head of hair you feel proud of and your confidence-boosting new results will last.
Book a free consultation with the Wimpole Clinic where you can ask any questions as well as get a free assessment of your hair loss by one of our experienced hair transplant surgeons, and even find out if you’re a candidate for hair transplant surgery. If you need inspiration about what to ask your hair loss specialist, check out our list of questions you really want to ask about hair transplants.
Talk to a specialist ☎ 020 7935 1861.
Simply fill in your details and we’ll get in touch with you shortly.
Book a consultation
Simply fill in your details in the form below and we'll get in touch with you shortly.