A Look at The Psychology Of Hair Loss And Hair Transplants
One of the things men and women learn while growing up is a full head of hair is a symbol of power and strength. The loss of that symbol of youth can have a devastating psychological impact on the identity and self-worth of a person. Hair loss has and its consequences have been studied extensively and some of the reported psychological effects on male patients include:
- Detrimental impact on their sex life
- Affected career choices in men
- Inability to stay competitive in the work place
- Increased anxiety levels among younger men
- A higher rate of depression in men with male patterned baldness (1)
While there have been published reports on the psychological impact of hair loss in both men and women, the corrective effect of hair restoration has not been studied until the last few years. We have conducted a study to evaluate this. Our motivation for this study came from our observations of the changes in patient’s behavior as well as their overall satisfaction after their hair transplant.
A Unique Study on the Psychological Effects of Hair Loss
In 2008, Drs. Parsa Mohebi and William Rassman conducted a study (2) to quantify the psycho-social impact of hair loss in men with typical male-patterned baldness. The study criteria were based on a combination of prior studies as well as clinical observations that could be modified by a hair restoration procedure.
A group of patients were picked who have had a hair transplant in the past and they were surveyed the changes they experienced through a questionnaire. The questionnaires featured queries about these eight criteria:
- Level of happiness
- Energy level
- Youthful feeling
- Feelings of anxiety
- Self-Confidence
- Feelings about the future
- Impact of the procedure on their career
- Impact of the procedure on their sex life.
The patients chosen for the study (200 men with male patterned baldness) had their first hair transplant between 1-3 years prior to the study. Their participation was voluntary and their responses were permitted to be anonymous.
The Results of the Study
We discovered the patients had significant improvements in each of the criteria regardless of their age or their stage of baldness. In fact, most patients showed a greater sense of well-being in their youthfulness, career, energy level, sex life and overall happiness. They also felt improvement in their anxiety levels, self-confidence and outlook on their future. These studies confirm the significance of hair to people’s self-esteem
Hair Transplant = A Better Self Image
Natural looking results from today’s advanced hair transplant procedures can help prevent, and in some cases even reverse, many psychological problems associated with hair loss. The more a person suffers from the effects of hair loss, the greater the positive effect of a transplant on their psychological well-being.
According to the study, patients with an active social life who experienced hair loss at an early age were more likely to suffer from anxiety and other negative effects. Therefore we can easily assume that hair loss can lead to a negative impact of the future outlook and positive attitude of a person. These negative feelings seem to reverse after a hair restoration procedure.
Although the response rate was not 100%, the results support the observations of hair restoration physicians and anecdotal evidence from patients.
Final Thoughts on the Psychology of Hair Restoration
Those experiencing hair loss, but not feeling any negative effects from the loss, are less likely to have a hair transplant procedure. However, most men and women suffering from hair loss find hair restoration to make a significant improvement in many aspects of their lives. Whether they’re looking to improve their chances in the job market, seeking a more youthful appearance or simply searching for some greater measure of self-worth, hair restoration is an option that helps broaden both personal and professional horizons.
Since you’re looking at our website, you might already be inclined to have a procedure. We would be happy to meet with you for a professional consultation appointment.
(1) Alfonso, Mariola., et al. The psychosocial impact of hair loss among men: A multinational European study. Curr. Med. Res. Opin. 2005; 21:1829-36.
(2) Mohebi, Parsa and Rassman, William R., Psychology of Hair Transplants, Hair Transplant Forum International, March/April 2008 (Vol. 18, Number 2, Pages 41 and 47), Los Angeles, California.
Four Reasons to Give a Hair Transplant to Younger Patients
Q:
What happens when someone younger restores their hairline, but 10 years down the road, the hair loss of the native hairs has progressed so much that they’re left with a very odd hair pattern? For example, they are completely intact in the front, but bald in the middle/crown area?
Is this a valid concern? How weird would that look? Are we shooting ourselves in the foot by getting a hair transplant so soon in life?
A:
This is a common concern before a hair transplant that many young patients have. Hair transplant surgeons used to believe that no one should get a hair transplant before the age of 24.
Of course, the age of a hair transplant candidate is something that should be taken into consideration by a good hair transplant surgeon.
The concept of “Don’t give a hair transplant before the age 24” has changed recently for a variety of reasons. Here are the main reasons we can recommend having a hair transplant earlier these days:
- We have better diagnostics – Microscopically we can determine the level of miniaturization that gives us a good prediction of future hair loss pattern when looked at in combination with family history of hair loss. People who show evidence of advanced stages of hair loss can also receive a hair transplant early on but their hairline should be planned according to their final stage.
- We have effective medications – We start our patients on medications early on so they don’t even show their final pattern of hair loss in early ages.
- We know about psychological effect on hair loss sufferers – We know the worst psycho-social effects of hair loss are seen at an early age. Waiting for the patients to loose hair completely and show a balding pattern does not really help them grow with a solid self-esteem during the years that they need it most.
- Today we can use beard to scalp hair transplant – This has been changing my personal strategy in the last 2 years since people who are committed to using all their resources can now use a few thousand hair grafts from their beard and neck areas.
Equipped with this information, I have been able to recommend more aggressive corrective hair restoration procedures to the potential candidates that were not considered good candidates in the past.
Does PRP Really Work for Hair Loss Treatment
Q:
Hi, Doctor.
I had a quick question. Recently, I tried to grow my hair long and realized after my locks had reached the length that I like them at, my hair is noticeably thinning around my crown area. It’s been happening since I was about 18 years old, but none of my barbers had informed me that it was thinning, repeatedly telling me that it was just my cowlick, until now. I’d like to combat this hair loss, but it is my understanding that any medications you start becomes a lifelong commitment. Also, I am afraid the common side effects associated with Propecia, but I do want to know if it can help. I’ve also done some research on PRP, and it seems I would have to maintain the regimen throughout the year, how many times would I need treatment to maintain results?
A:
I would recommend that you seek an evaluation from a hair specialist or a hair surgeon. Make sure the initial evaluation specifically includes a microscopic evaluation, which will give you an indication of what your future pattern of hair loss may be. Only after this initial meeting and evaluation could it be determined what treatment options are best for you.
There are a few FDA medications and methods that have proven to slow down hair loss such as Propecia and Rogaine. However, hair transplant is the only viable, permanent solution at this point to restore ones hair. PRP (Platelet Rich Plasma) and mesotherapy are among the treatments that do not have significant scientific data to support their claims of treating hair loss.
Join Us for Our 2nd Open House Event
Parsa Mohebi Hair Restoration is hosting its second ever open house for prospective and current patients. Based on the success of the first open house, the staff at Parsa Mohebi Hair Restoration thought that another round of meet and greets would be an excellent opportunity for more patients to get to know the Doctor and his staff.
The open house will feature refreshments, socializing, and informative interactions with the medical professionals and the experienced staff of the practice, led by Dr. Parsa Mohebi himself. There will be an opportunity to meet with patient models, who have had their hair transplant procedure performed by Dr. Mohebi.
Gifts certificates will be presented to guests who attend the open house event. The certificates will be valid for a limited time only, but can be used towards any prospective patient’s future procedure. Dr. Mohebi will have private meetings during the open house, but due to limited time and high volume of participants, he will not be doing full consultations. These preliminary meetings will be to determine if the guest is a candidate for a hair transplant. After that initial meeting, visitors who are deemed candidates are, and will be, encouraged to book a full consultations and evaluations so that Dr. Mohebi can map out each patient’s specific transplant options.
This is an exceptional opportunity for all those who participate. Parsa Mohebi Hair Restoration would love to see you there. The entire team would like to forge a long lasting relationship with patients in a collective effort to help make you look and feel better about your hairline every day.
Come join us! It will be a great time!
RSVP by July 6, 2015 through info@parsamohebi.com.
When: July 18, 2015 from 11am to 2pm
Where: 16661 Ventura Blvd. #313 Encino, CA 91436
*All gift certificates presented during our open house event are valid for a limited time only.
Introduction of ARTAS to Parsa Mohebi Hair Restoration
In the last few years, we at Parsa Mohebi Hair Restoration have monitored the evolution of one of the newest hair restoration technologies available, Robotic Hair Restoration. The ARTAS system offers a machinery that facilitates the extraction of hair follicles individually and with accuracy from the patient’s scalp.”
ARTAS has made the extraction of FUE grafts automated, but up until recently the speed of which the device extracted these grafts could not match the speed of our manual extractions. Furthermore, the ARTAS was handicapped by the larger diameter of its punches when compared to manual methods. However, in keeping its promise to advance FUE extraction technology, ARTAS has recently updated their software and hardware, and multiplied their rotation speed from 800 RPMs to 3000 RPMs, improving the speed and efficiency of the procedure. They have also successfully reduced the size of the punches to 19 Gauge, which is close to the punches that we use in our manual FUE procedures.
These changes have tipped the balance on the scale between ARTAS and non-automated FUEs, making the ARTAS system competitive in comparison to our current, manual techniques. ARTAS can produce higher quality grafts in some areas of the scalp when compared to other methods of follicular unit extraction. That is why we have decided to add this innovative device to our arsenal here, at Parsa Mohebi Hair Restoration. We will be working on utilizing the ARTAS system and Robotic Hair Restoration techniques to add to the quality and efficiency of our FUE treatments. We will also be collaborating with ARTAS and other centers to fine-tune the process, making robotic hair transplant even more efficient in the future.
We believe that ARTAS will continue to make progress in the field of hair restoration and make hair transplant surgeries safer and more dynamic in the future.
Q & A: Hair Transplants for Younger Patients
Q:
Hey Doc.
Can I get your official thoughts on younger guys (Ages 19-26, but particularly guys in the 20s age range) getting hair transplants? That’s a question that comes up quite a bit and the general consensus seems to be to not get a hair transplant that young—that they should wait until they are at least in their late 20s or early 30s and their hairline has matured and the hair loss has stabilized. They also seem to recommend starting the prescription medication for hair loss at that age to hopefully help halt the hair loss. Is this something you agree with? What is your stance on a 20-year-old getting a hair transplant? Or does it really depend on many other variables?
A:
It was the standard of care among hair transplant surgeons to wait until age 24 for a hair transplant. Before that, doctors could not be sure where their patients’ final stages of hair loss would end up. Today, we don’t follow such a restrictive guideline for a couple reasons:
1. We have better diagnostic tools today. We do microscopic evaluation (miniaturization study) that can tell us where people will be heading in the future and what their final stage of hair loss will be. As a result, we don’t have to wait until they look completely bald in order to know what their final hair loss stage will be.
2. We have better hair loss medications that can slow a patient’s receding hairline, even at an advanced age. The age limitation for hair restoration that we had 20 years ago no longer applies today.
We have performed studies on the psychology of hair loss and hair transplant, and, as a result, we know the worst age for being hit by the negative psychosocial effects of hair loss is in the early 20s. It doesn’t make much sense to wait until the person become obviously bald to treat his or her condition.
It is important for the surgeon to consider different aspects before committing to giving a hair transplant to a young patient. It is also crucial that, if there is any doubt about the future class of hair loss, the doctor should assume that the patient is going toward class VII and plan accordingly. This will prevent giving a very low hairline to someone who will be a class VII at some point during his life.
Your Top 3 Questions About FUE, Answered
About two-thirds of men experience some hair loss by the time they’re 35, and 90% of balding men say that hair loss is their top concern. With numbers like those, it’s no surprise that 800,000 people seek hair loss treatments every year.
There are many treatment types, including hair replacement options done via surgery, scalp pigmentation, laser hair growth stimulation and even topical applications. Some are more successful than others, and not all patients are good candidates for all methods. But if you’re investigating any or all of your hair restoration options, one term you’re likely to come across is FUE.
How Do FUE Procedures Work?
FUE stands for follicular unit extraction, and is one method used to harvest hair from a donor site on the patient’s body and then transplant it to the desired hair (often the front of the hairline). Usually, donor hair is located at the back and sides of the scalp, although beard and torso hair can be used under certain circumstances. As opposed to the strip harvesting method used in traditional transplants, in FUE procedures the surgeon makes a circular incision around each follicular unit and extracts it, which leaves a small hole in the scalp. These donor follicular units are then grafted into what are called “recipient sites” that have been prepared with a small, needle-like instruments. These grafts continue to grow and produce hair. Some of the best doctors offering the procedure actually use robotic systems in order to deliver a more precise result.
What Are the Benefits of FUE?
The greatest benefit of FUE over other hair restoration methods is that the results aren’t simply an illusion, as in pigmentation options or even high-end custom wigs; it’s your own hair, growing naturally. The results of hair transplantation are basically the same regardless of the harvesting method, but FUE causes fewer concerns at the donor site than strip harvesting. The wounds at each extraction site are only 1 millimeter in diameter and generally heal completely in a little over a week. The scars are tiny, covered by surrounding hair and therefore virtually invisible.
Who Is a Good Candidate for FUE?
Because of the discreet nature of the scarring left on the donor area, FUE is a good option for men who want to be able to wear their hair short in the back. A shorter recovery time may also appeal to men who need to get back to strenuous activities in a short period of time (it’s important to note, however, that the procedure requires the area to be shaved, which might be a cosmetic concern for men with high-profile jobs). FUE procedures are also commonly recommended for patients who have had trouble healing from a previous hair transplant using traditional strip harvesting, or to disguise scars from previous surgeries.
What other questions do you have about FUE? Ask in the comments.
Modern Hair Restoration Book by Dr. Parsa Mohebi
Modern Hair Restoraton: A Complete Hair Loss Guide for Men and Women is a new book that gives a 360 degree overview on hair loss and hair restoration, exploring causes, psychological effects of hair loss on men and women, and diagnosis and treatment options. I decided to write this book, because I felt there was a need to provide a comprehensive guideline on hair restoration that can be referenced freely. It will feature an emphasis on hair restoration techniques for both men and women, including the newest methods of hair restoration such as FUE, Partial Tricophytic Closure, Scalp Micropigmentation, and future advances in hair restoration technology.
Self-image is something that every individual deals with on a day to day basis, and is so important that it can sometimes dictate our lives. This book addresses how baldness not only affects our self-image from a personal standpoint, but how it can also limit or negatively impact our self-esteem, future outlook, overall happiness, career opportunities, and even our sex lives. This book is unique, because it encompasses every aspect of hair restoration by covering every type of treatment, including non-surgical options and other medical alternatives. I feel that because the field of hair restoration is rapidly progressing, even recently published books are sometimes outdated. I wanted to write a book that provides the most up-to-date modern techniques and treatments for hair transplantation, broadening the awareness of hair restoration.
Modern Hair Restoration: A Complete Hair Loss Guide for Men and Women will soon be ready to purchase electronically (buy it now for kindles through Amazon) or by hard copy. It will also be available to all of my past and future patients. We will soon announce the release date for this book.