Choosing a Hair Transplant Clinic: What Should You Look For?
A hair transplant is a surgical procedure, and its safety, like its result, depends on the conditions in which it is performed and who performs it. When choosing a clinic, it is important to look at the medical conditions of the procedure rather than only at the price or the advertising. This article covers the questions you can ask and the points to check when choosing a hair transplant clinic.
Who Plans and Performs the Procedure?
A hair transplant is a procedure that should be planned and performed by a doctor. At the first consultation it is worth asking who the doctor performing the procedure will be, which stages of the operation the doctor performs personally and who else is part of the team.
A Licensed Healthcare Facility
The procedure must be carried out in a licensed healthcare facility under sterile conditions. You can also ask how a possible complication would be handled and, if needed, which healthcare facility the clinic works with.
Consultation and a Personal Plan
- Before the procedure there should be a consultation with the doctor and an examination of the scalp.
- The cause of hair loss should be assessed; blood tests should be requested if needed.
- A realistic plan should be made according to the capacity of the donor area and how the hair loss is progressing.
- General health and the medicines being taken should be asked about.
Clear Information
Possible risks, the recovery process, when the results will be visible and the limitations should be explained clearly, and this information should also be included in the written consent form. It is important that you can ask your questions before the procedure and receive answers.
Follow-Up After the Procedure
How the first wash, the check-ups and the care instructions will be handled, and whom to contact and how if there is a problem, should be clear in advance. People travelling from abroad are advised to ask about the follow-up plan after they return home and how their medical records will be provided to them.
Promises to Be Cautious About
- A guaranteed result or absolute claims such as "painless" or "risk-free"
- Very high graft numbers given without an examination
- A procedure date set without a consultation with the doctor
- Decisions driven only by price and package deals
To find out whether a hair transplant is suitable for you, you can read our article Who Is Not Suitable for a Hair Transplant?, for information on the method our article FUE Hair Transplant (Follicular Unit Extraction): How It Is Done, Advantages and Limitations, and visit our FUE hair transplant page.
Author: Op. Dr. Yücel Sarıaltın