Choosing to have a hair transplant can be very stressful; the doubts the questions seem to be never-ending. There is a lot of useful information on the internet, but there's also a lot of inadequate information. We're going to simplify things in this article to make sure you are ready and equipped with the best information for surgical hair restoration.
The Do's
Manage Your Expectations- There is a load of information online regarding what to expect after having a hair transplant procedure, but rarely does anyone ever mention managing your expectations. We've all seen the expectations vs. reality memes. The reason why that meme is so popular is that it's true. It's natural for our imagination to get the best of us and expect the sun, moon, and the stars, but that's not realistic.
No surgery is ever guaranteed, and even the best surgeons fail to meet their patient's expectations- you can avoid this by asking the surgeon what to expect in terms of the results. Be wary of any surgeon over-promising and telling you everything you want to hear. As the saying goes, 'if it sounds too good to be true, it is.'
Research Carefully and Look At Real Patient Reviews- There is a lot of hype and marketing on the internet, especially on social media. It's hard to decipher who is real and who isn't, but some websites are known for having unbiased reviews with no filter. Stay away from any self-proclaimed 'hair loss guru' charging for consultations or their advice, more on that later.
Hair loss forums are the most popular sites for getting real information without any nonsense or bias. There are a lot of hair loss forums on the web, but the most popular forum for hair transplantation is called the Hair Restoration Network Discussion Forum. The Hair Restoration Network has been around since 1999 and is one of the first hair loss forums ever created. The forum has over 35,000 members and thousands of real reviews from verified-patients. You can research any surgeon for free and find the good, bad, and the ugly.
Take Your Time and Don't Rush- Dealing with male and female pattern hair loss can be difficult, so it's understandable to want to fix the problem sooner rather than later. However, it is vital to do your due diligence before having surgery. Surgical hair restoration is a permanent solution to hair loss. Therefore, the results that you receive will be life-lasting, and if they are not good, it can be worse than the hair loss itself, so be careful and choose wisely.
Make sure the hair transplant surgeon you choose has a strong reputation based on real patient results, and not commercial hype or marketing. Make sure the surgeon belongs to an accredited organization that consists of patient advocates like the hair transplant network.
The Don'ts
Stay Away From Hair Loss 'Gurus'- Recently, we discovered an alarming trend going on in YouTube and other social media communities, such as Instagram and Facebook. There are some self-proclaimed 'experts' charging thousands of dollars for their so-called "treatment" plan. Don't be fooled by these scammers that are only trying to make a buck preying on hair loss sufferers.
We were shocked to discover that some of these tricksters were charging more for their 'consulting' services than hair transplant surgeons were for their surgery. This sort of behavior is egregious and appalling. In most cases, these armchair experts haven't even had successful procedures themselves, and they're trying to charge money to give bad advice.
Don't Believe The Commercial Hype- There are a lot of retail chain hair transplant clinics or better known as 'hair mills' that pump a lot of money into advertisements and marketing. Yet, they hire fly-by-night technicians to carry out most of the procedure without doctor supervision. Patients are nothing more than a number, and their results are at the bottom of their priorities. Select a surgeon backed by a patient-focused organization that is known for high standards and ethics.
Conclusion
Finding the wrong information is easy, but finding quality information takes a lot of patience and persistence. The best place to gain knowledge on a specific treatment, surgeon, or to get unbiased advice for free is on hair loss forums. Hair loss forums consist of hair transplant veterans and hair transplant surgeons. Through the collective wisdom of thousands of patients and tried and tested surgeons, you gain invaluable knowledge for free.