10 Questions You Didn't Know to Ask During Your Hair Transplant Consultation

Although most clinics are reputable medical establishments - there are some cosmetic surgery clinics that are performing procedures without the proper credentials.

This week in Costa Rica, it was reported that former model Cristina Garcia received a botched procedure from injections that were not approved for medical or cosmetic use.

She later learned the clinic was practicing without a medical license. Cosmetic surgery is a big decision for anyone to make when seeking to permanently enhance their physical appearance.

The word "permanent" in itself can be daunting. Research is the most important part of the process, both before the consultation and during, to avoid any worse case scenarios in hair restoration or any procedure.

When deciding to go ahead with the procedure, it's crucial to get all questions answered with the goal to feel as confident and comfortable with the procedure before committing to the surgery. Beverly Hills Hair Restoration offers ten questions you may not have known to ask:

#1 What is causing the hair loss?

Although this is an obvious question, it's important the clinic and surgeon determine what is causing the condition before immediately saying hair transplant surgery is the right solution for the patient. It's valuable that the surgeon is attempting to establish this first, and not just trying to sell the patient on all the great benefits of the surgery.

#2 How many follicular grafts does the patient need?

This will ultimately determine the price of the procedure, as most clinics charge the patient per graft. Once the surgeon determines how many grafts are needed, the pricing part of the consultation is the next step. Be wary of clinics who try to provide bargain incentives by offering less grafts at a lower price. The results are based entirely on how much density there is, ie. how many grafts are transplanted. A clinic attempting to push a patient into doing less grafts in one session to lower the price is not in the best interest of the patient.

#3 How many sessions will it take to achieve the look the patient wants?

This will show how realistic the clinic is about providing information to their patients. It's crucial the patient has realistic expectations of what they will see in two months, six months and a year down the road. A simple, "you'll look great!", is not going to be enough to help the patient understand what they will be getting out of the hair transplant procedure.

#4 How long has the practice been in business?

There is a set amount of years that will make a hair transplant surgeon an "expert" in the industry, so it's important to ask the surgeon. Hair restoration has come a very long way as far as technique is concerned, so having a surgeon who is up to date on the latest techniques and the most advanced technology and advancements is key.

#5 How many procedures have been performed?

There is a certain number of procedures a surgeon can do to be deemed an "expert" in his field. It's important for the surgeon to outline the techniques of hair transplant surgery they perform and their specialties.

#6 How many technicians will be assisting during the procedure and how long have they been performing with the surgeon?

Typically, hair transplant surgeons use technicians to assist during the procedure and should explain how many will be needed during the procedure based on the number of grafts needed.

#7 Does the clinic use travel technicians for their procedures?

In hair restoration, it's all about teamwork. Some technicians have been with the same surgeon for years, and this is optimal for a hair transplant clinic. When the surgeon has long lasting relationships with their technicians, the work is more consistent. This also means the patient can truly trust the doctor when he speaks on behalf of his staff. A clinic that uses traveling technicians can sometimes be problematic, since the doctor is not accustomed to working with the technicians.

#8 Which conferences does the surgeon attend to stay current in the field?

There are many conferences in the industry that provide up to date information on hair transplant techniques and new technologies and advancements in the field. If the surgeon mentions either the International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery, the European Society of Hair Restoration Surgery or the ISHRS Live Surgery Workshop - it's highly likely they are involved in the field beyond just performing hair transplant procedures.

#9 Are microscopes used by the technicians?

Even though there may be some microscopes at the clinic, make sure they are actually used by the technicians. Microscopes are a hair transplant technique used to get a very clear view of the follicular grafts for dissection to ensure quality control of the hair transplantation and the entire procedure.

#10 When will the patient see growth after the hair transplant surgery?

Once the hair transplant procedure is over, a patient is not going to see growth right away. It truly depends on the individual patient. A skilled surgeon will be honest about this fact - it takes time to see optimal results from the hair transplant.

About Beverly Hills Hair Restoration:

Beverly Hills Hair Restoration is a clinic dedicated to both hair transplant surgery and hair loss prevention worldwide. BHHR is one of the leading hair restoration clinics to offer minimally invasive surgical hair loss solutions that yield natural results for their patients.

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