I am planning sexual reassignment surgery because I am a woman inside and out. Unfortunately, I have androgenic alopecia. Is it possible to undergo a hair transplant to give me a feminine look?

Yes, we frequently treat transgender patients who wish to become more feminine.  The following is an example of such a case.  The patient has androgenic alopecia, unfortunately.  The patient desired to treat the area of hair loss to achieve a more acceptable feminine appearance.  The patient had 3200 grafts placed on the top and front of the scalp.  Initially, she planned to wear a hair system in the crown area, but due to the success of the initial procedure, she elected to also treat the crown area with grafts.

In treating transgender patients who wish to enhance their feminine appearance, it is important to build a feminine hairline and get as much density as possible.  Often times it takes a second procedure to achieve the density these ladies desire.

The grafts in this instance were all harvested using the Power Cole Isolation Device or PCID.  The grafts were harvested at a rate of over 2000 per hour.  This is an excellent example of how FUE can work in transgender patients.

One thing she was very proud of was her conversation with other physicians involved in her care.  They all wanted to know where the strip scar was.  When she informed them that the procedure was done without a scalpel, they are all amazed.  That’s the power of FUE.

I have itching in my recipient area 2 months following my transplant. How long will this last and what is causing it?

Itching is a sign of healing. It means that good things are happening and your hair is in the early stages of growth. You will have very little happening after only 2 months, but it is going to happen. Just be patient. The hair is about to grow and the itching should fade rapidly. I’ve heard of only one chronic case of itching that another doctor had in Minneapolis, Minnesota. In other words, it is quite rare.

Dear Dr. Cole, I read your article regarding hair transplant surgery in Bangkok.  I currently live in Singapore.  Do you have any plans to come to Singapore?  I’m interested in hair restoration.  Huang

Dear Huang, the purpose of our trip to Bangkok was to help train physicians in the art and science of FUE.  We do not have an office in Singapore at this time.  Asian physicians are very skilled in FUT.  You are in good hands in Singapore, however.  I recommend that you see Dr. Tyng Yuan Tan.  She has extensive training in hair transplant surgery.  She is a very conscientious physician dedicated to her patients.  I’ve personally seen her perform hair restoration surgery.  She has excellent hands and assisted me in one of my hair restoration surgery procedure in Bangkok.  Not only that, she is a very pleasant person with remarkable compassion.  She impressed me immediately.  Thank you very much for your interest.

Would it be possible to keep the number of units down to saw 300 to 500 per session to minimize swelling, post op.
hair loss and cash out lay?

When you do a strip procedure, you want to do as many grafts as possible to help reduce the risk of wider scarring and improve the efficiency of the strip procedure. When you do CIT or an FUE procedure, it does not affect the efficiency of the procedure no matter how many grafts you do.
Furthermore, there is no strip scar to worry about with CIT or FUE.

The number of grafts you do may have an affect on shock loss. For instance, if you graft only a portion of the scalp, only that portion may have shock loss. The remainder of the scalp will not have shock loss. One variable that may affect shock loss is the density of grafts that you place on the top. If you keep the density lower, the risk of shock loss will be less. If you attempt a higher density, the risk of shock loss may increase.

With FUE and CIT, you can keep the number of grafts performed down and this will reduce the risk for shock loss. Shock loss does not affect most individuals when you have a capable physician perform your procedure. Therefore, the trade off may be less hair in the near future that is grafted to your thinning areas. That trade off may be unnecessary. Then again, shock loss can have a tremendous negative impact on your psychological well being so it often advisable to avoid shock loss whenever possible.

On his way to the airport, a 25 year old soccer striker from Manchester shows a picture of his recipient area after having a hair transplant.

When checking into the airport Wayne covered his area with a baseball cap.

Short after he announced on twitter: “I’ve had a hair transplant. I’m delighted.”
Now he has posted the photo – with the misspelled message: “Hi all there’s my head. It will take a few months to grow. Still a bit bloody to. But that’s all normal.”

The Sun revealed that the 25-year-old England star had a FUE hair transplant procedure that lasted for day at a Medical Institute in central London.

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