Surgery vs. Medicine

I have had several patients ask me if they could “just get a transplant”, instead of using medications such as minoxidil (Rogaine) and/or finasteride (Propecia) long-term to treat their hair loss. I think it’s very important to counsel my patients, especially younger ones, that hair loss is progressive in nature, and that, even though transplanted hairs will not require medications to grow, one’s investment in his or her transplant can be optimized by promoting the maintenance of surrounding native hairs with medical and laser therapy. I prescribe my patients a “prehab” period of medical and laser therapy prior to transplant, to minimize the risk of shock loss, then continue the regimen “posthab” to optimize and accelerate results from transplant.

Could one get good results without any or even just some of the medications/laser therapy? Sure, absolutely, but I do believe that a comprehensive, multi-step approach is going to get new growth results sooner and better for most patients, and that long-term maintenance will help preserve those results for years to come. The most important factor in deciding how much you should do, is how much you actually WILL do. Prescribed therapies are only as good as compliance. This is why a partnership between patient and doctor is so important.

If you are interested in restoring your hair loss, call our office to schedule a consultation, and I will work together with you to create a customized plan that is suitable AND DOABLE for you. www.therawalinstitute.com. 608-721-6132.