Before a patient is recommended a particular treatment plan, it is important for them to get a personalized assessment by the hair transplant surgeon. Each patient is unique, and their concerns can greatly vary. That is why personalization is important. The kind of surgery that will best meet your needs should only be determined after that.
What’s Involved In a Personalized Assessment?
For a hair transplant procedure to be successful, a thorough analysis of the patient’s case must be conducted. A patient may request a certain surgical technique (FUE over FUT to avoid linear scarring). However, that doesn’t always mean that they are suitable for that procedure.
Depending on their needs, it is possible that a variation of the surgical technique better suits them (e.g. DHI for high hair density if the balding area’s not too large). Because of these things, it is important for the surgeon to examine the problem areas of the patient, assess them, and then create a plan. Many things are taken into consideration for this, such as:
- Hair density on the back and sides of the scalp
- Medical history (diabetes, hepatitis, HIV, etc.)
- Extent of baldness (Norwood Scale)
- Expectations of the patient and their age
These and other factors are taken into consideration during the treatment planning stage of the hair transplant. This helps make it personalised. This way, the patient also has peace of mind, knowing that their solution is going to be unique to their problems.
When doing your research to find a hair transplant clinic, make sure that you have a personalized assessment. It will ensure that the surgery will meet your expectations.
Generic plans are usually not a good sign as they don’t address the particular needs and requirements of the patient. If the price quote is based on the number of grafts needed, this is especially important. If the clinic does not know the number of grafts needed and names a price anyway, that’s a red flag.
How To Get A Personalised Treatment Plan?
To get a personalized assessment for your hair transplant, you need to send very clear photos of your scalp. These should include the donor and recipient areas. As shown below, we ask patients to submit six photos in total (it may vary depending on your case).
Some people make the mistake of sending in their videos instead of images. Usually, they use Instagram for that and send a direct message. Since they’re not as clear or have any still shots in them, you should not send those. It’s not possible to zoom in on those either. A surgeon cannot assess the number of grafts needed or examine the scalp to determine the best course of action.
In addition to photos, you will be asked about some other things like your medical history or any prior hair transplants. A patient should share his or her concerns and expectations in order to receive a realistic treatment plan. The plan itself will include the surgical technique and the price quote, among other things.
Can Treatment Plan Change After Personalised Assessment?
It is possible for your treatment plan to change after a personalized assessment. This is due to the very nature of online consultations. It’s not likely to happen in the case of a face-to-face consultation, though. One reason it might happen is if the health status of the patient changes. Otherwise, everything will proceed according to the plan determined after your personalized assessment.
To Sum Up
When you’re getting a hair transplant, it’s important that your surgeon is well-aware of your individual case. They should have in-depth knowledge of the problem areas and your needs and expectations from the surgery. This is possible through a personalised assessment. And it needs to take place before the surgery.
Other than sending in your photos, you will also have to give some information about your medical history, among other things. The surgeon will prepare your treatment plan following your consultation and assessment, and only then will you be given a price quote.
Reviewed and Approved by Trichologist Yaprak Yazan
