Is a Hair Transplant Painful?

During the transplant, you will be numbed and, hence, pain-free. After the procedure, patients have reported being very tender. To manage these symptoms, Dr. Landford will give you cold compresses and pain medication. Most tenderness and swelling should resolve at the one-week mark.

How Many Appointments Will I Need?

One session of a transplant is usually needed for the procedure itself. Dr. Landford, at the one-week mark, Andford will call you back to the office to move any sutures and/or recovery. She will always keep you well-informed on when she would like to see you next. The number of appointments varies for each patient, depending on their case.

How Long Until I See the Results?

Within two to three weeks after surgery, the transplanted hair will fall out, but you should start to notice new growth within a few months. Most people will see most of the new hair growth after 6-9 months. For most patients, the main impact will start to show at the one-year mark.

Can I Combine a Hair Transplant with Other Procedures?

Yes, you can. Many patients choose to get a PRP for hair restoration in tandem with other facial rejuvenation procedures, such as a brow lift or chin implant for more comprehensive results. If you are interested in combining these procedures, please bring them up during your initial consultation so that Dr. Landford can include these ideas in her treatment plan.

Hair Transplant Risks & Safety

A hair transplant is a tedious procedure with some risks. Patients should learn about these ahead of time. Some of them are listed below. Bleeding Folliculitis Infection Inflammation Scarring Shock Loss Unnatural-looking new hair growth If you experience any of these side effects, please call our offices and talk to Dr. Landford so she can guide you on relief methods.

Hair Transplant

In Washington D.C. &. Maryland

Hair is an essential feature for self-confidence. A hair transplant is a surgery that moves hair follicles from a section of your body that has hair to a section that doesn’t have hair, hoping that the hair follicles will take to the new root setting and grow. This is a high success rate for eliminating hair thinning and baldness in the new area. This procedure has been performed in the U.S. since the 1950s, and techniques have advanced since.

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Candidates
Preparation
Steps
Techniques
Cost

What is a Hair Transplant?

Hair transplant surgery is a plastic surgery procedure used to address hair loss and thinning. The procedure involves taking hair-bearing skin from one section of the patient’s scalp and grafting it onto a balding or thinning area of the scalp. Hair loss can result from aging, scalp inflammation, or injury. For instance, trauma from burns, scalds, surgery, or car accidents can cause permanent hair loss.

Who Is a Good Candidate for a Hair Transplant?

Landford Plastic Surgery is well-versed in the procedure of hair transplant. They look for positive attitudes in their patients as well as realistic expectations. Ideal candidates for a hair transplant in the Washington D.C. and Maryland area would have some of the following characteristics:

Androgenetic alopecia (male and female)
Baldness
Existing harvesting spots
No underlying medical conditions
Non-smoker
Receding hair line
Thinning hair

How Much Does a Hair Transplant Cost in Washington DC?

The cost of a hair transplant in Washington, DC would depend on the amount of hair being moved, the technique being used, and the provider’s fees. The cost can range anywhere from $4,000-$15,000, and it is not covered by medical insurance. The best way to arrive at a cost for your case and to learn more about payment options is to schedule a consultation at Landford Plastic Surgery with Dr. Landford so that she can make a treatment plan for you, which you can then get priced.

What Should I Expect During a Consultation for a Hair Transplant?

On the day of your consultation at Landford Plastic Surgery, Dr. Landford will ensure you are comfortable and help you learn more about the procedure. She will ask you about your medical history, hair loss history in your family, aesthetic goals for this procedure, and expectations. This is a great time to share any questions and concerns. She will try to understand the causes of your hair loss since a transplant is most suitable for individuals who suffer from genetic hair loss conditions. This is when she will examine the extent of your hair loss. If you are too early or too late in your hair loss journey, a transplant might not be recommended for you. She will also look for reasonable patches on your scalp for harvesting hair follicles in addition to the areas of baldness and thinning. Finally, she will share more information about the procedure, its associated risks and benefits, and the results to manage your expectations.

If you both decide to move forward with the procedure, she will create a surgical plan for you, which you can then take to a patient coordinator for scheduling, pricing, and any pre-surgical instructions for preparing for the transplant.

How do I prepare for a Hair Transplant?

Before you get your hair transplant, you need to follow the pre-operative instructions that the patient coordinator gave you during your consultation. These will include some of the following:

Avoid activities that cause excessive sweating
Avoid alcohol and tobacco use
No strenuous exercise 48-72 hours before your transplant
Prevent anything that causes too much blood flow to the scalp
Stay away from caffeine
Stop blood thinners after consulting with your cardiologist.

What Are the Benefits of a Hair Transplant?

Our patients who have received hair transplants in Washington, D.C., and Maryland have enjoyed long-lasting results. Some other benefits have included:

Boost in self-confidence
Cost-effective
Natural
Preventing baldness
Quick recovery

What Are the Steps of a Hair Transplant?

There are two main steps for a hair transplant: harvesting hair follicles from the area with hair and nails and successfully depositing them in the area of baldness and/or thinning, also known as implantation.

Harvesting. This is the part of the process where hair follicles are harvested from the areas of the scalp that have enough hair. Two treatment techniques for a hair transplant are follicular unit strip surgery (FUSS or FUT) or follicular unit extraction (FUE). Read more below.

Implantation. Once the surgeon has enough grafts, they use a small blade to make tiny incisions in the implant area and plant the hair follicles they just harvested one by one.

Treatment Techniques for a Hair Transplant

Follicular Unit Strip Surgery (FUSS or FUT)

In this technique, after administering local anesthesia, the surgeon removes a six- to ten-inch strip of skin from the back of the scalp and then sews the rest of the scalp back. Next, they divide the strip into tinier grafts consisting of one hair or a few hairs. They then implant these into the target area.

Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE)

In this technique, the surgeon will remove hair follicles one by one from the back of the scalp and then implant them. The area heals with small dots, which your existing hair will cover.

Where Are the Incisions and Scars for a Hair Transplant?

In the FUSS or FUT method, given that a strip is removed from the back of the scalp, that is where the incision occurs, and thereby, there is a linear scar influenced by the width of the strip removed. The size of this type of scar depends on the extent of the strip removed. Larger strips, necessary for extensive hair transplantation, result in more substantial scarring. These scars can be hard to hide with short hair.

The scarring for the FUE method is minimal, given that the extraction involved one hair follicle at a time from the back of the head. The scars resulting from FUE are small and circular, commonly referred to as ‘dot’ scars. These scars are less noticeable than the linear scars from FUT, but they still require careful consideration and expert handling. For instance, the space of the extraction, as well as the size of the punch tool, will impact the appearance of the dot scars.

Hair Transplant Recovery

Hair transplant recovery requires patience and attention. Your scalp is expected to be very tender, and you might need prescription pain medication that Dr. Landford can provide at the time of surgery.

You might also need to wear your compression bandages for a few days and take antibiotics to prevent infection.

Plan to take a few days off from work. Most people can return to work 2-5 days after the operation.

Why Choose Us?

Landford Plastic Surgery should be your stop for your hair transplant because founder and award-winning plastic and reconstructive surgeon Dr. Wilmina Landford provides the full spectrum of cosmetic and reconstructive surgical procedures ranging from facial rejuvenation techniques, including facelifts, eyelid surgery, and rhinoplasty, to transformative body contouring such as tummy tucks, breast augmentations, Mommy Makeovers, Brazilian Butt Lifts, and Hi Def liposuction. Her repertoire extends to intricate reconstructive surgeries and the use of nonsurgical treatments such as laser, radiofrequency, and ultrasound skin tightening to achieve outstanding results.

Dr. Landford’s academic journey is as impressive as her professional accomplishments. She excelled with honors in Biology and Medical Anthropology at the prestigious first women’s college, Mount Holyoke College. She received a scholarship to attend Stony Brook University School of Medicine in Long Island, New York, where she earned her Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) with scholarly distinction. Subsequently, she completed an integrated plastic surgery residency at the world-renowned Johns Hopkins Hospital, where she was honored to have received awards such as the Johns Hopkins Best Clinical Research Award for her research and served the role of Chief Resident during her final year. While at Johns Hopkins, she had the honor of training alongside pioneers in the fields of Breast, Hand, Craniofacial, Microsurgery, and Aesthetic surgery. Dr. Landford gained a wealth of experience through her tenure at the acclaimed R. Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center/University of Maryland, a Level I high-volume trauma center that specializes in facial and extremity trauma, which she attributes to her extensive skill in complex facial and breast aesthetics, including revisionary procedures.

Schedule a Consultation

We are available to help recommend the best treatment option for hair loss for New Jersey patients. To schedule a consultation, contact Landford Plastic Surgery today by calling us or using our consultation request form.

Hair Transplant FAQs

Yes, you can. Many patients choose to get a PRP for hair restoration in tandem with other facial rejuvenation procedures, such as a brow lift or chin implant for more comprehensive results. If you are interested in combining these procedures, please bring them up during your initial consultation so that Dr. Landford can include these ideas in her treatment plan.
A hair transplant is a tedious procedure with some risks. Patients should learn about these ahead of time. Some of them are listed below.
- Bleeding
- Folliculitis
- Infection
- Inflammation
- Scarring
- Shock Loss
- Unnatural-looking new hair growth
If you experience any of these side effects, please call our offices and talk to Dr. Landford so she can guide you on relief methods.

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