What Can I Expect?

Planning for Hair Transplant

You have decided on hair restoration and now are looking for a qualified surgeon and the right technique. At this time, it is critical to know the facts about current hair replacement surgery options so that you can make the right decision. Surgical techniques and instruments have steadily evolved and improved from the time when hair transplantation was a new procedure. New methods of surgical hair restoration replace lost hair and re-shape the hairline with your own natural, growing hair, requiring no more care than the ordinary washing, styling, and trimming that you have always done. Restoration can be done today so well that often a barber or stylist cannot even tell that grafts have been placed.

Before you proceed with hair transplant procedure, we recommend a free, in person consultation with Dr. Meshkin. During the consult, Dr. Meshkin will inform you of all the available treatment options and will make a customized recommendation based on your concerns and needs. Your hair transplant journey starts here.

What to Expect During Hair Transplant Surgery

This is an outpatient procedure performed under local anesthesia while the patient is watching T.V. or listening to music. To make the procedure more comfortable, Dr. Meshkin offers free twilight sedation for his clients, which makes the procedure virtually pain free.

On the day of surgery, Dr. Meshkin will spend time reviewing the procedure with you and designing your hairline. He will measure the donor area, and evaluate the hair quality and quantity for transplantation.

Following these standard procedures, he will proceed with the surgery.

Hair restoration surgery first involves removing or harvesting a small strip from the donor area. Following the removal of the donor hair using high-powered microscopes, the donor is dissected into 1-4 follicular units. Dr. Meshkin will then proceed with making the Microslit lateral incisions in the recipient area using a high-powered magnifier. Once follicular units are prepared, they are implanted into the recipient area. At the end of the procedure a light dressing may be applied which can be removed the next day.

Post-op care is explained to the patient before they leave and Dr. Meshkin will call later that evening to answer any questions you may have.

What to Expect After Hair Transplant Surgery

The amount of coverage varies depending on the extent of baldness and the patient’s donor density. You can expect scabs in the recipient area for the first one to two weeks.

Within approximately one month, much of the transplanted hair is shed. In about three or four months, the hair begins to grow and continues to grow at a normal rate. About six months after a hair transplant session, the transplant hairs begin to take on a natural appearance and will continue to grow for a lifetime.

It may take up to two years for all the transplanted hair to grow in. In some rare cases, patients may experience thinning due to shock loss initially after the procedure, however the shock loss is usually temporary. The donor site from which the hair was taken will heal after a few weeks and will be eventually hidden by the surrounding hair. Dr. Meshkin will follow up with you to evaluate the progress of your hair growth.