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Hair Transplant or Topical Treatment?

asked 1 year ago by lluvyanna in new york , new york
Latest answer by Jack Fisher, MD
Question viewed 545 times
Tags: age 45-54, female, thin

my mom is 45 years old and has a dreadfully thin crown area. does she need a transplant or should she try to work with a derm for a more topical treatment?

8 answers to Hair Transplant or Topical Treatment?

+2

Surgical and Non-surgical Treatment of Female Hairloss

A good physical examination and lab tests including hormone levels would be the first step in evaluating female hair loss. Although I've never seen good results with topical treatment, there is little risk except the economic gamble. A transplant surgeon will make recommendations re hair replacement after determining the extent of loss and the quality of the donor area. 
Richard W. Fleming, MD

Beverly Hills Facial Plastic Surgeon
+2

Surgical versus Non-surgical Treatment

Your mother has typical hair loss seen in women.  If your mom has been working with her dermatologist using topical treatments for 6 -12 months without improvement then surgery would improve her results dramatically.   She must be healthy and willing to undergo surgery. Dr. ES
Earl Stephenson Jr., MD, DDS

Atlanta Plastic Surgeon
+2

She needs to see an endocrinologist first for hair loss in the female.

She needs to find out if there is a medical condition causing her hair loss from an endocrinologist. If this is negative she can try rogaine, but I have never seen good before after photos of good results. Hair transplants may not give her enough hair to justify the cost and she may prefer extensions.
Toby Mayer, MD

Beverly Hills Facial Plastic Surgeon
+1

Hair Transplant or Topical Treatment?

She may be a better candidate to see a dermatologist first since there are many causes of hair loss in women.
Jack Fisher, MD

Nashville Plastic Surgeon

www.fisherhaircenter.com

+1

Surgical vs. Non-Surgical Hair Restoration Treatment

She first needs a medical workup, then consider minoxidil and possibly laser light therapy, then possibly a procedure by a surgeon experienced in transplanting women.
Jeffrey Epstein MD, FACS

Miami Facial Plastic Surgeon

www.plasticsurgeryoftheface.com

+1

Hair Transplant in women

Before considering hair transplant, your mom first needs a good physical examination to determine why she is losing her hair. We see a lot of women in our practice and this is the protocol we follow. The initial exam would consist of a full medical history, scalp examination, the pull test, etc. Further testing such as hormone levels, thyroid levels and blood levels are required to determine whether Any underlying medical condition is contributing. Then, we would consider hair transplant... more
Ben Behnam, MD

Santa Monica Dermatologic Surgeon
+1

Multiple treatment options for thinning hair

Several FDA approved medications are available for the treatment of patterned hair loss in men and in women. These included OTC products like minoxidil 2-5%, oral medication such as finastseride (Propecia), as well as several new ones under development. Once hair loss acceleration is controlled, evaluation for surgical hair replacement can begin. Remember to consult a medical hair loss expert and he or another physican may also be able to evaluate the patient for micro-graft surgical... more
Peter Goldman, MD

Los Angeles Dermatologic Surgeon
+1

This may not be a clearcut case of female pattern baldness

Although I am not a dermatologist, I am a board-certified hair transplant surgeon meaning that I understand basic pathologies when it comes to hair loss that may preclude the success a hair transplant procedure.  Since you and your mother appear by the photo to be African-American, there are certain conditions that may be more prevalent in AAs than in Whites and that may or may not be helped with a transplant procedure.  Typically, traction loss that is due to tight braiding... more
Samuel Lam, MD

Dallas Facial Plastic Surgeon

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