Is it better to get a facelift or a hair transplant first if you are getting both done?

The facelift incisions will not cross the typical areas of male pattern baldness, so typically undergoing the facelift prior to receiving a hair transplant will be a better sequence for two primary reasons:
1) If any alopecia results from the facelift incisions, these could be hidden by transplanting hair at the same time as areas of thinning.
2) If hair transplantation was performed first, then the newly transplanted hairs would be susceptible to trauma during the facelift surgery and may decrease their rate of take.

In my opinion, facelift should be done first before hair transplant. Rarely but possible, the incision sites from facelift can be left with localised hair deficiencies which can be due to hair shock or scar. If this happens, we can perform hair transplant to address this while addressing the main hair loss concern. We offer both surgeries in our practice. Facelift is done in a proper licensed accredited theatre under general anaesthesia whereas hair transplant is done under local anaesthesia in our mini-theatre.

If you’re planning both a facelift and a hair transplant and the surgeons don’t perform both procedures, it’s generally better to start with the facelift. This is because a facelift can alter the position of your hairline and affect the overall aesthetic, which may influence how a hair transplant would be positioned for the best results. Doing the facelift first allows the hair transplant to be tailored to the new facial contours and ensures better harmony between the two procedures.

Thank you for your question. In my opinion, the facelift should be first, because it can disrupt the hairline behind the ears, or the visibility of the scar in the front may be problematic for you. The hair transplant is an opportunity to decrease the visibility of some of the scars in the areas near the skin.

This may also give you the flexibility to have a stronger facelift procedure, with fewer concerns about the extent of the scars, if they are going to be camouflaged by the subsequent hair transplant.

Thank you for your query. I do both procedures and almost always do the face lift first. The hair transplant is done under local anesthesia after a few days. I occasionally do both procedures on the same day, in special situations. Other surgeons may choose differently. Please find an experienced Board certified Plastic surgeon who can examine you and help you with all your concerns. All the best!

I recommend doing the facelift first. The facelift scar sometimes extend into the hair bearing areas and if you do a hair transplant afterwards, you can cover up the facelift scar with the hair at the same time of the hair transplant.

Best Wishes,

Gary Horndeski, M.D.

I suggest you focus on provider selection first.
Once you have the right providers lined up then you can ask them individually which procedure should be done first.
There are a lot of variables to take in the consideration.
Best,
Mats Hagstrom MD