Timing for a hair transplant can be tricky. It is important to understand the timeline and trajectory of each individual patient’s hair loss in order to appropriately plan hair transplantation. Timing can be key in obtaining effective hair restoration results. The ideal time to schedule a hair transplant is also different for men and women.
It is helpful to examine the extent of your hair loss now, and while nobody can predict the future, it is also helpful to anticipate the extent and location of hair loss in the future. Understanding where your natural hair loss journey will progress towards can help guide your strategy and priorities of where to use your donor follicles wisely.
For men, hair transplants are done most frequently between the age of 25-60. Male pattern hair loss typically begins in the 20s and can continue into the 40s. Typically, hair that is transplanted comes from the back of the head and sides behind the ears because these hair follicles are preprogrammed to never fall out. Hair in the frontal hairline, temporal recession areas, or crown of the head may fall out naturally due to male pattern hair loss at any time in a man’s adulthood; however, there is a lot of variability in the timing and exact pattern of hair loss in each individual. Looking at the hair loss pattern of family members can give the patient a glimpse at what his hair loss future may hold. For someone with male relatives who experience near total hair loss—including the frontal area, temporal recession, and crown of the head—it may be unwise for this patient to get a hair transplant in his 20s when he begins to see the temples recede. In fact, it may be a better strategy to save his donor hair follicles for higher-priority areas, rather than fill the temporal recession early on and not have enough follicles to transplant to the crown later. The ideal patient is one whose hair loss has stabilized.
For women, hair transplantation tends to be performed a bit later, between the ages of 40 and 60. Typically, female hair loss is tied to hormones and tends to begin around the time of menopause. Some women, however, experience hair loss from traction loss along the frontal hairline due to repetitive trauma from tight ponytails, hair extensions, or styling. This can be transplanted at a younger age if there is a need.
As you can see, the timing of hair transplantation is important and should be done strategically to maximize results. It is wise to make a plan with your surgeon based on your hair restoration goals and a realistic analysis of your hair loss and potential future hair loss.
For additional information about hair loss treatments or other options available from our facial plastic surgery practice, please don’t hesitate to contact us today.
—Dr. Catherine Weng – Board-Certified Facial Plastic Surgeon
