The biggest hair transplant myths

23rd May 2019

Despite the fact that hair transplants have been around for decades – the first surgery was performed in New York in 1952 – there are a lot of myths and misconceptions about the procedure. In an era of ‘fake news’, it can be difficult to separate fact from fiction, so here are a few of the most common myths we hear…

Myth #1 – You’ll immediately have a full head of hair

We may live in an age of instant gratification where we expect everything on demand, but unfortunately, hair transplants don’t quite work that way! If you expect to wake up the next day with your hair restored to its former glory, you will be disappointed – in fact, a lot of the newly-transplanted hair will actually fall out in the first few weeks. This is a completely normal part of the hair cycle and it will grow back. It can take up to a year for the full results to show – patience is a virtue here!

Myth #2 – You can always spot a hair transplant

There’s still a bit of a misconception out there that hair transplants are still like the hair plugs that were offered until the early 90s, noted for their unnatural bunched-up appearance and the giveaway circular scars that would often be left on the back of the head. The procedure has come a long, long way since those days – but still in the wrong hands a hairline may be placed unnaturally and without taking into account future hair loss. Nowadays, providing you are under the care of a skilled and experienced surgeon, even other professionals won’t be able to tell the difference between your original and transplanted hair.

Myth #3 – Hair transplants are only for men

Although a lot of our patients are male, we do get plenty of enquiries from women. Around 40 per cent of women experience hair loss during their lifetime, although in many cases this is temporary – for example, due to pregnancy – which would mean they would be unsuitable candidates. However, for women who suffer from pattern baldness, or traction alopecia, transplants can be highly beneficial.

Myth #4 – You should wait until you’re bald before having a transplant

This one is a definite myth! Transplants are a matter of moving hair follicles from one place to another – from an area with a good amount of hair to a balding area. In the majority of cases of male pattern baldness, there will usually be enough hair to transplant from around the back and sides of the head to make a difference. If there’s no hair to transplant, then it’s impossible.

Myth #5 – You can have someone else’s hair transplanted

Although we see the logic behind this one to an extent – after all, organs from another person can be transplanted – this simply isn’t true. If someone else’s hair was transplanted into your scalp, it would trigger an immune response that would reject the hair, as it would be identified as a foreign body. So, although it would be a nice solution in theory, transplants need to be carried out using your own hair!

If you’re considering getting a hair transplant, or need help unpicking the truths around the surgery, our experts are here to help.