General FAQ’s
There are a lot of medications for hair loss, do they work?
There are all kinds of potions and lotions that advertise that they are the cure for baldness. Billions of dollars have been spent by people all over the world only to be disappointed because of the loss of dollars in their wallet and even the bigger loss of hair on top of their head. Very few medications have FDA approval for the treatment of hair loss (notice we did not say hair growth). Some of these products may grow some hair, but the density and thickness is rarely what people are looking to see. Minoxidil (known mainly as Rogaine™) is a topical medicine that must be applied twice a day and is better known for stopping hair loss on younger adults. Finasteride (Propecia™) is a pill only for men taken once a day. After considerable testing and documentation, science has determined: Propcia™, 48% regrowth, 67% stop loss or regrowth, 93% slow down, stop loss or regrowth. Rogaine™ is at 12-15% regrowth, 35% stop loss. Hair Restoration is the only real remedy today for hair loss!
What is Hair Restoration, and is it the same as Hair Transplantation?
Hair Restoration is the most contemporary term for Hair Transplantation, although Hair Restoration does integrate more modern technology and techniques than its predecessor. The usage of more sophisticated anesthesia, surgical tools & surgery techniques, anti-swelling medication, lasers and other medical prescriptions available today truly allows North Shore Hair Restoration physicians to restore your hair growth, and in most cases reverse, slow down, or prevent future hair loss.
What really causes Hair Loss, is it genetic from one of your parents?
Some people say if your Father is bald, you will be. Others say, if your Mother’s Father is bald you will be bald…Yes, you may be bald, and it is because of a genetic pre-disposition. Baldness in 95% of all cases in men is the result of the effect of a male hormone called dihydrotestosterone (DHT) or DHT-sensitive hair follicles that are distributed in an inherited pattern on the scalp. When the DHT level increases at puberty the sensitive hair follicles start to shorten their growing phases, eventually they do not grow at all. Your hair loss will occur when and if it is programmed to, and once it begins it usually continues for life.
How would I know if I was a good candidate for Hair Restoration?
In most cases good candidates for hair restoration can be identified during a North Shore Hair Restoration consultation and examination. Just by the fact that you are visiting our web site means you are serious about the effect baldness is having on your life. This positive mental attitude makes you a very good candidate for Hair Restoration, and now you should schedule a One on One consultation so we can evaluate exactly what can be done for your unique situation. The consultation is non invasive and really is essential to discovering what Hair Restoration can do for you, and determining that your expectations are in sync with what can be accomplished.
How painful is the procedure?
Years ago, people used to avoid Hair Transplants because it was somewhat painful, but today virtually all our patients are amazed that there is little, if any, discomfort in the procedure. Even the anesthesia can now be delivered virtually pain free. Dr Puig asks every patient to quantify their procedural pain on a scale from 1 to 10, 10 being unbearable. Over 95% of the patient’s score their procedural discomfort at 2 or less. At North Shore Hair Restoration pain is a word that patients rarely ever mention.
How long is the recovery period after the procedure?
Recovery is again, yesterday’s news! Many people are able to work the next day and most activities within three days. All activities, including most exercise and regular hair care can be resumed in five days. Tiny scabs, like a razor knick from shaving, will form and be gone in less than a week if the post operative instructions are followed carefully. Depending on your degree of baldness or your hairstyle, most people will never notice anything was done.
How long before the hair starts to grow, and when will it is noticeable?
Just like when you move a plant from the back yard to the front yard it takes a while for the plant to come out of the shock of being moved, and then it starts to grow again. All we move is the hair follicle, and just like the plant it will take a little time for you to notice the growth, but within 90 to 120 days you will see tiny hairs growing and within about four to eight months you will be ecstatic. Every day you will look forward to combing your new hair. Once you have your first major haircut the look and feel will begin to totally enhance your looks and the way you feel about yourself.
How long will the transplanted hair grow?
The transplanted hair will grow for the rest of your life.Period.
What if the procedure does not take, or work?
Once the Doctor determines that you have a sufficient donor area (where the transplanted hair comes from) and that you have realistic expectations as to what can be accomplished, the Hair Restoration procedure is guaranteed to take and grow. Under the very rare circumstances that a relatively small percentage of the grafts do not take, we will replace them at no charge as long as there is appropriate donor area available.
How detectable is the procedure, and what about scarring?
If you can tell that an individual has had a Hair Restoration Procedure, then it was not performed at North Shore Hair Restoration, and it may not have been performed properly. Using artistic state-of-the-art techniques and technology should provide you, our patient, with a completely natural, age appropriate, head of hair that can be styled, colored and changed to fit your style throughout your life and all the changes that you may go through.
Frontal area scaring is very minimal and usually covered by growing hair. Dr Puig uses the most contemporary and innovative techniques to close the donor area site. Most patients can have the Trichophyic Closure, a technique where 90% of the patients have a donor scar of less than 2.5mm with, WITH HAIR GROWING THROUGH IT, so it is often only visible to an experienced hair restoration professional.
If I have had a transplant that I’m unhappy with, can you repair it and make it look more natural?
Because Dr Puig has been performing hair restoration in all of its modalities for over 35 years, with each wave of innovation he has developed techniques to apply new technology to old surgical results. Developing these skills has patients from all over the world coming to seek his help in making their prior results look more natural. Approximately 8% of the procedures Dr. Puig performs are on people who have previously had transplants done somewhere else and are seeking to improve their outcome. Consistent with North Shore Hair Restoration’s “patients before profits” philosophy, Dr Puig will offer solutions for these complex cases, and put them into a cost-benefit perspective you can easily understand during your free consultation. In these rare cases, the doctor may also seek the input from other experienced hair restoration surgeons to confirm the patient is being offered the best opportunity for improvement.
How does the hair restoration process work for female pattern baldness?
When it comes to women, Hair Restoration is one of the few and most important options they have for a permanent real result. Unlike men, hair loss in women is more often associated with a skin disease. Also female pattern hair loss can affect the donor area in about 20% of those with the problem. This means seeking the care of an experienced physician who will take the time to make the correct diagnosis is critical for females with hair loss.p
The procedure for women is similar to the one performed on men with some important variations in the technique. These can and will be discussed with the Doctor during the consultation. We are also a frequent choice for women with scarring hair loss from facelifts, or other surgeries. Woman have also discovered us for transplants to the eyebrows and eye lashes.
