Hair transplantation surgery is an excellent way to restore your youthful appearance and boost your confidence and self-esteem. Undergoing this type of surgery is a very important and daunting decision, so you need to be confident you’ve chosen the best hair transplant clinic and an experienced hair transplant surgeon who can perform the surgery without a hitch.
But how do you choose the right hair transplant clinic when there are so many options out there?
Dr. Serkan Aygin, one of the most renowned hair restoration surgeons, winner of the European Awards in Medicine 2019 for hair transplantation and a member of the international society of hair restoration, offers expert advice on how to choose the right hair transplant clinic to perform your surgery. Here are the key grounds to make sure you cover before committing to any clinic.
Does your surgeon have the right accreditations?
It’s imperative that you have verification beyond what your surgeon tells you that they know exactly what they’re doing. External accreditations are proof that your chosen hair transplant surgeon is reliable and has the necessary skills to perform the surgery seamlessly.
For instance, Dr. Serkan Aygin recently received the Award for European Excellence in Hair Surgery at the European Awards in Medicine 2019. Between his global accreditations, qualifications and his years of experience, he has worked his way to become one of the most reputable surgeons in the hair transplantation industry.
At a minimum, the primary qualifications your surgeon must have are; an M.D. degree and they must have a completed surgical residency at a hospital. For example, Dr. Serkan Aygin has a Bachelor’s Degree in Medicine and a Master’s Degree in Clinical Pharmacology from Istanbul University.
He’s also a member of the International Society of Dermatology, which includes an international alliance of hair restoration surgeons. If your surgeon is a member of any renowned society of hair restoration, they’re definitely trustworthy.
How many successful procedures has your surgeon performed?
This number can speak volumes about a particular surgeon’s skills. Over 24 years, Dr. Serkan Aygin has performed more than 400 surgeries a year, totaling over 10,000 successful procedures. This number of years of practice will inevitably allow a surgeon and their team to practice and refine their techniques, as well as make them more likely to be able to work with all hair types.
While the more surgeries a doctor has performed, the better, many studies show that 30 is the magic number for evaluating the performance of a surgeon. If a surgeon has performed less than 30 hair transplant surgeries, you might want to choose someone else.
Are there any online reviews and testimonials?
Outside of a surgeon’s own self proclamations and external qualifications, online reviews and testimonials can help you learn unbiased views on a particular hair transplant clinic or surgeon. They offer transparency, so you can gain a clear insight into other people’s personal experiences so that you can make an informed decision.
Make sure you carefully vet all reviews, because across all industries, it’s not uncommon for these to be fake!
What is the size of their team?
If the surgeon you’re considering is a one-person team, that may indicate inexperience. Perhaps they’re new to the industry, or they don’t service many patients. Either way, they might lack the necessary skills for a successful surgery.
Make sure your surgeon has a sizable, experienced team that works in unison. A larger team usually means that different professionals with different specialisations will be involved in your surgery, which leads to fewer errors, better safety, better work culture, and a higher success rate.
Is your surgeon able to diagnose your hair loss remotely?
It is of course easier for your hair condition to be assessed in person, but what happens if you choose a hair transplant clinic that’s abroad? This is likely to be the case, as some of the best and most affordable hair transplant clinics are located in Turkey. The last thing you want is to have to pay for flights, accommodation and other steep travel costs, just for a consultation without being sure you will proceed with the procedure.
Your surgeon should have the necessary skills and knowledge to assess your hair loss remotely during your online consultation. That way, you should have all of the useful information before you need to make a decision, before making any commitments.
Which techniques do they use?
There are many hair restoration methods that a surgeon can use, but the best technique for your procedure will depend on your desired results, budget and more. Generally speaking, the best and most modern techniques are the soft FUE hair transplant and the DHI hair transplant.
The soft FUE (follicular unit extraction) method involves harvesting hair from a donor area using a micro-motor surgical tool, before transplanting the grafts into the recipient (balding) area. This technique is performed under soft sedation.
Unlike follicular unit transplantation, the DHI (direct hair implantation) method involves using a special implanter (Choi) pen to extract donor hair, before directly implanting the hair follicles into the recipient area.
Make sure your chosen surgeon is capable in both of these techniques, as they are the most advanced and highly recommended by the alliance of hair restoration.
Conclusion
There are a number of factors to consider when choosing a hair transplant clinic, but these are a great start for where to begin with your research, and how to find the very best to suit your needs.
Bear in mind that hair transplantation is not an in-and-out procedure. You need to schedule regular follow-ups with your doctor for over a year post-surgery to make sure you achieve the best possible results, and that’s why choosing the right surgeon to enter into this medical marriage, is paramount.
