From age to genetics to stress, there are many factors that impact balding and hair loss. Over time, these traits can combine to leave you with major hair loss that impacts your self-confidence.
This can leave you wondering if it’s too late to maintain or restore your hair.
If you’ve been losing your hair for a long time, you might already have resigned yourself to the clippers. But no matter how old you are, if you’re self-conscious about your hairline, it may not be too late for a hair transplant.
Age is actually less important than your current rate of hair loss when it comes to determining the right time for hair restoration surgery. In fact, in some cases, it’s too soon to have a hair transplant.
Therefore, it’s important to find out if you’re the best age for a hair transplant. A good clinic will explore preventative hair loss medication and therapies with you before recommending hair transplant surgery.
So how can you tell if it’s the right time to consider a hair transplant? Read on to find out more.
It should be noted that you can continue to lose hair even after hair transplantation surgery. So if you have a hair transplant too early, you may be left with uneven results. However, if you leave it too late, there may not be enough grafts available in your donor area to successfully complete the hair transplant procedure.
The good news is that it’s always the right time for a free consultation. Talking to an experienced reputable clinic is the best way to decide if you’re eligible for a hair transplant.
Be aware that there are hair transplant clinics in operation that have less experience than they claim to have — so make sure you look out for these transplant clinic red flags. These clinics may push to get you into surgery, even if it’s not the right time for you.
Make sure you know who your hair transplant surgeon will be before the procedure, and see if they recommend hair loss medications and other techniques to help restore hair first. This is a great sign that you’re dealing with a clinic that really cares about giving you the best results.
Here are the key factors your clinic will consider when deciding if you’re a candidate for hair transplant surgery:
There are usually only 2 scenarios when it’s too late to get a hair transplant:
This is sometimes seen if you’ve had previous unsuccessful hair transplant surgeries, or if hair loss has continued after a previous surgery. If a surgeon has overharvested from your donor area in the past, you may not have enough follicles left for another procedure.
If you’re considering your first hair transplant surgery, it’s important to ask your hair transplant surgeon how many grafts you’ll need for your transplant. This will help you manage your donor area in case you opt for more hair transplant procedures in the future.
If your hair loss is very advanced, it may not be possible to harvest enough grafts from your donor area to cover the affected area. Clinics use the Norwood scale to assess your level of hair loss.
This chart gives an indication of the degree of hair loss you’ll see at each stage of the Norwood scale.
It’s generally agreed that balding and hair thinning can be treated up to Norwood stage 6. If your hair loss pattern has progressed beyond stage 6, it may be too late to consider a hair transplant. However, if you’re unsure, it’s always best to consult with a clinic directly.
Although there’s generally a correlation between age and hair loss, it’s still possible to be a good candidate for a hair transplant in your 20s and 30s. If you’ve been losing hair since a young age, your hair loss may have progressed enough that a hair transplant is a good option for you.
However, it’s also important to note the difference between a receding hairline and a mature hairline. A mature hairline will slowly decline over time, leaving a slightly recessed hairline that corresponds with your age. You’ll often notice much faster hair loss if your hairline is receding.
If you’re still young, your hair loss may not have peaked yet. If you have a hair transplant while you’re still losing hair, this hair loss may continue in the non-transplanted areas even after surgery. This can be costly both financially and in terms of the health of your donor area. If too many follicles have been harvested, you may be ineligible for future transplants.
With hair loss prevention medication, you can slow and even halt hair loss. That’s why it’s vital to discuss preventative options before you sign up for surgery.
No matter what age you start experiencing hair loss, prevention is better than cure. Surgery should always be the last resort, so here are some non-surgical treatment options that can prevent and minimise hair loss:
You should consult with your GP or a reputable hair restoration clinic like ourselves to explore the best course of action based on your current situtation and rate of hair loss.
You won’t know for sure if you will need hair transplantation surgery until you consult with a reputable clinic. An experienced, knowledgeable hair transplant surgeon will be able to discuss the best course of action to restore your hair to its former glory.
No matter how old you are or how much hair you’ve lost, see how to get the best hair transplant results in this guide to choosing the right hair transplant clinic.
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