Hair Transplants: Pros & Cons

You will grow your own hair

It's true. With hair transplant surgery, donor hair is surgically placed back into your scalp allowing hair to grow naturally. You won't need to treat your hair in any special way; it will be like it always was. It will just continue to grow without recession.

Just a one time procedure

Unless you have multiple transplants, you go in once and that's it. There will be a one time cost. It is a larger cost than some other options, but in the long run it may end up costing less than wearing and maintaining hair systems for years.

Conscious during the operation

When the doctor cuts into your scalp for the donor hair, you will only be under a local anesthesia, allowing you to be awake and alert. The same process is used while the hairs are transplanted back into your scalp. A lot of people are not a fan of being completely put out for an operation, so this lends itself to that, showing that it is a much more relaxed operation.

Transplants may not work

As much as modern technology improves, you can never be certain that your transplants will work. Everyone reacts differently to the surgery and the process is continually being refined. A good percentage of people do get great results, but there are also many that do not. This is the biggest risk you run with hair transplants.

They are very expensive

Upfront costs for hair transplants make the idea of it seem a lot farther out of reach. Paying up to around $30,000 total for something that may not work is a scary idea. For that price, you could buy a new car or get a swimming pool in your backyard. It's really a lot of money but it really may be worth it to you.

It is surgery

This is another major downfall. As with any type of surgery, there is definitely a risk involved. Anybody can react differently to a certain procedure, and this is no exception. Although most transplants involve no complications, it is always a possibility. Remember, you do get a section of your scalp cut from your head.

There will be scarring

When the incision is made on the back of your head to remove the donor hair, they remove a long horizontal section from your head. The cut will leave about a 5-inch scar underneath your hair that is very visible if you have short hair. The scar is very thin (about as wide as the blade that made the incision), and if you get a multiple-session transplant, they will make a additional incisions, leaving additional scars.

Less hair on your head overall

One point that is often overlooked is that you ultimately end up with less overall hair on your head. When they remove the hair from the back of your head and place it in your recipient areas for transplants, many hairs are lost. Many also fall out during and after the transplant procedure. The area where the incisions are made have scarred, and hairs will also never grow back on top of that area.