The Hair Loss Center at Plastic Surgery Associates of New York
Facts About Hair, Hair Loss and Hair Loss Treatments
Surgical Treatments for Hair Loss
Communication: The Bridge Between You and Your Physician Hair Restoration Specialist When you consult a hair restoration specialist, you and the physician share the same objective-to determine if your needs and wishes can be satisfied by a hair restoration surgical procedure or medical treatment. You and your physician have to begin building mutual understanding about:
- Your objective and subjective perceptions of yourself and what you want hair restoration to accomplish;
- The physician's objective evaluation of what can be accomplished technically and aesthetically; and,
- The cost of recommended treatment options.
The bridge of understanding is built by honest two-way communication:
- You tell the physician why you want hair restoration, and what you want hair restoration to accomplish in improving your appearance. Hair restoration may be only a part of your perceptions regarding self-image. Thinning or lost hair is not an isolated condition; it influences your image of yourself and the image you want to present to others. Your wishes regarding hair restoration should be discussed in the context of your overall wishes-for example, "to look and feel younger", "not having a scalp that looks shiny and bare", "being more comfortable around people", "to improve self-confidence". Of particular importance is the area of your scalp where hair loss bothers you the most.
- After the physician hair restoration specialist conducts a medical, physical and scalp examination, options for hair restoration can be discussed, based on diagnosis and assessment of the probable progression of hair loss. In rare cases a patient's medical history and/or examination indicates that the patient is not a candidate for hair restoration, or that the options for treatment are limited. In the majority of persons the cause of hair loss is male or female pattern androgenetic alopecia (inherited pattern hair loss) that is easily treatable.
- The physician hair restoration specialist will show you collections of illustrative photos or sketches that you and the physician can use to identify the "look" you want to achieve. On the basis of diagnosis and assessment, the physician will describe and recommend the surgical and/or non-surgical treatment most likely to give you that "look". You should discuss with the physician the relative cost of the recommended treatments in dollar amounts, avoiding imprecise terms like "expensive", "inexpensive", "more" and "less".
- Before agreeing to a treatment plan you should be certain you understand your options, and each treatment's benefits, risks and cost. You should be comfortable that all of your questions have been addressed.
- After you are comfortable that all of your questions have been addressed, you and the physician hair restoration specialist can agree on a hair restoration treatment plan, including the outcome of treatment that can reasonably be expected. Most hair restoration patients are very satisfied with the outcome of treatment. Mutual understanding between you and the physician hair restoration specialist is one of the most important steps in achieving satisfaction.
If you are interested in hair transplant surgery, treatment or have any questions for New York City plastic surgeon Dr. Smith, call our toll free number shown below or use our online contact form.
