If you’ve been considering a hair transplant, it’s probably because you looked in the mirror one morning and saw scalp where there should be hair. The shock of an unexpectedly receding hairline or bald spot can be quite visceral. Nevertheless, you most likely didn’t book a consultation with a hair doctor or clinic right away. Of all the questions you may have about hair restoration, the most pressing one might be: Is now the right time to have a hair transplant? Below, our team at Booking in clinic has put together some information to make your decision easier.

What we always tell our patients is that everyone is different. There is no ideal age at which you should get a hair transplant, just like there is no ideal age for a tummy tuck or laser hair removal. On the one hand, many patients, once they’ve had a hair transplant and have seen how relatively easy it is, wish they had done it sooner. But on the other hand, you may not want to jump the gun and start too soon.

Here are some broad guidelines for how to choose when to have a hair transplant:

Your Age
Male pattern baldness, which affects up to two thirds of American men by the age of 35, can start showing as early as age 18. Typically, we don’t advise you have a hair transplant under the age of 25, even if you’re experiencing early hair loss. From 18 -29 your hairline is still forming. What you may think of as a receding hairline may simply be what’s called a mature hairline, which is not quite the same thing as a receding hairline.

By age 35, any hair loss you may experience has typically stabilized. This doesn’t mean you can’t have a hair transplant earlier. But it’s a good idea to wait until any rapid hair loss eases off so that your hair doctor or hair restoration technician can get a good idea of your pattern of hair loss. A hair transplant relies on using donor hair from the back of your head. If you opt for a hair transplant too early, you may distribute the donor hair too heavily in one area, leaving too little for late when it’s needed in another area. This also has to do with the natural density of your hair. In short, you want to plan out carefully where to distribute your hair so as to achieve the best overall effect.

However, we have had patients as young as 18 with severe hair loss, and seeing their joy at reversing this trend at such an early age is compelling. So again, there isn’t an ideal age for your procedure. We can help you evaluate your hair loss and give advice as to what we think is possible given your hair loss.

your expectations
As mentioned earlier, the amount of donor hair you have is somewhat limited. The good news is that the donor hair comes from an area that is not prone to hair loss. This means that you don’t have to worry about getting a hair transplant now, only to have the same hair fall out later. But what you need to consider is where to best place your donor hair.

The question you need to ask yourself is: If you only had enough donor hair to fit in one area and not several, which area would you be happier with? Keeping the right expectations is very important for a good hair restoration result.

the cost
We will not lie and say that hair transplantation is cheap. They are not. They require a fairly large financial investment, so the question of when you should have one may very well hinge on the price. Will you be able to afford a hair transplant or do you need more time to save money for a hair transplant? What type of interest free payment plans are offered? Do some hair transplant providers offer seasonal discounts that are only applicable at a certain time of the year?

When doing your research into hair transplant surgeries, it’s a good idea to not only compare prices at different providers, but also financing plans and special offers. Some clinics also offer travel packages for out-of-town patients. This may save you money if you come from an area of the country with high hair transplant prices. We also at booking in clinic provide additional logistical services in order to provide you with complete comfort.

recovery time
Although there are no real restrictions on the time of year that you can have hair transplant surgery, there are several considerations that you need to take into account.

The time it takes for a hair transplant to heal varies from one procedure to another. FUE is very popular because it requires virtually no recovery time. There is no surgical incision and therefore no scarring compared to other methods such as the ‘tape method’.

However, even with FUE, it is advised to plan for 7-10 days of recovery time. Your head will be covered in small red dots from where the hair follicles were extracted and reinserted, and there may be a small amount of swelling. While you should feel fit enough to return to work only a day or two after the procedure, most of our patients choose to take a week or two off to allow their hair to start growing back and the small holes to grow. and fall off.

time of year
For hair transplant patients booking in clinic, Christmas holidays tend to be the most popular time of the year. Some companies tend to close their offices completely over Christmas, in which case you wouldn’t even have to take any time off from work.

Also, there are some rules that must be observed after hair transplant surgery. While you can return to most of your usual activities within just days after the procedure, swimming is not recommended for a few weeks, and direct sunlight should be avoided. This doesn’t mean you can’t go on a beach vacation, as long as you invest in a hat. But it’s also a great time to explore a new city, for example, or visit the mountains. Or maybe you want to stay close to home and create a project sampling the local restaurant scene.

No matter what time of year you choose to have a hair restoration procedure, you’ll need to plan ahead to get a schedule on your calendar. The holiday season is always a good time to look back at the year ahead and schedule the big events you hope to bring to life.

What about beard transplantation?
Beard transplants require a little thought before indulging in them. Patients seeking beard transplants tend to go in the younger direction – partly because beards have become fashionable in recent years, and patchy beards are often a nuisance to younger men whose beards haven’t had time to do so. Mature.

For this reason, it may be wise to wait a few years before committing to a beard transplant. First, what you consider an unacceptably patchy beard may still be maturing and filling in. And second, what you consider a head full of hair on your scalp may turn thinning faster than you might have expected at such a young age—leaving you with areas on your scalp in your mid-to-late 30s that you wish you had plenty of donor hair to fill in.

Donor hair is a commodity of limited supply. While it is not prone to falling off, there is a lot of it. Some patients only need one hair transplant, while others who suffer from severe hair loss need more than one hair transplant. In this case, it is a good idea to set aside a budget for donor hair.