Can You Be ‘Too Young’ To Have A Hair Transplant? Yes – And We Explain Why!

There is an increasing number of men below the age of 30 turning to Hair Transplants as a solution to their thinning hair, and whereas there are younger men who are excellent candidates for the procedure, showing the most successful results, each case needs to be evaluated thoroughly, paying particular attention to the degree of hair loss a patient is experiencing and the richness, denseness and size of the donor area to be able to diagnose any future hair loss patterns.

Hair transplants are permanent procedures – just because you’ve had a hair transplant, it doesn’t mean you won’t lose any more hair. Age and hair lifecycle are crucial factors taken into consideration when assessing the suitability of a candidate wanting to have a Hair Transplant.

Hair production occurs in phases:

• Phase 1: Anagen – the growing phase, which lasts a few years
• Phase 2: Catagen – the transitional, or cessation phase, which lasts 2-3 weeks
• Phase 3: Telogen – the resting phase, which lasts a few months and after which the hair detaches from the follicle and is shed as the new hair begins to grow

The most common cause of hair loss for men is Androgenetic Alopecia, or ‘male pattern’ baldness, and is caused by the effects of the male hormone Dihydrotestosterone (DHT), which starts being produced at puberty. DHT only affects genetically susceptible hair follicles, which mainly reside in the front, top and crown of the scalp.

This is why the most common donor areas for a Hair Transplant procedure are the back and sides of the scalp – they are least affected by the body’s production of the DHT hormone. DHT causes male hair thinning, and eventually hair loss, by shortening the growth phase of the hair growth cycle – the follicles start to go through longer resting phases, and shorter growth phases.  As the cycle continues, the hair follicles become shorter and the hairs become finer, eventually disappearing altogether.

When a Hair Transplant Surgeon extracts donor hair follicles from the back and sides of the scalp and inserts them into the thinning or bald areas, the follicles keep their genetic composition in the new area, -meaning that they stay immune to the effects of DHT.
Now imagine this – a man in his mid-twenties has started to notice his receding hairline and thinning areas at the top of his scalp. He opts for a Hair Transplant, which results in a denser hairline, and crown. As the years pass, the transplanted hair stays dense, while his original hair – the follicles susceptible to DHT – begin to thin out even more, looking worse than it did in the first place. Now does he think that his Hair Transplant went wrong, or does he realise that he should have waited a few years to have the procedure?

The Private Clinic emphasises the importance of treating individuals on a case-by-case basis, rather than with a one-size-fits-all approach.
In order to be able to achieve the best lifetime results for each patient, our surgeons need to focus on the patient’s own history and future expectations. They will closely examine your donor and recipient areas, count the number of donor hairs you have and determine any existing hair growth trends while foreseeing any future problem areas.

For men having hair transplants too early, there still stands a possibility of going completely bald. If that is the case for someone who has already had a transplant, they won’t have enough donor hair to keep up with the hair loss and may end up with isolated patches of hair on a bald head. For our younger patients, our Hair Transplant surgeons do as much as they can to help preserve the hair from thinning. They investigate the reasons for hair loss and monitor the hair cycle rigorously over a period of time.

Younger men who are experiencing hair thinning just want to look their age, without having to wait until they start balding. Their self-esteem is highly affected by their hair loss, and end up expecting unrealistic lifetime results. It is important for younger patients to understand that the implanted hairs are permanent, so the new hair needs to suit them not just for the next few years, but for life. Their new hairline needs to look natural at the age of 25, as well as 70.

FUE Hair Transplants at The Private Clinic

At The Private Clinic, we treat each case individually – there can certainly be younger men who are perfectly suitable for a Hair Transplant. Our highly experienced surgeons always offer their dedicated advice and support to find the optimal solution for each of our patients – hair transplant or not. The Private Clinic prides itself on ensuring you have the best quality and most comprehensive care:

• You will be treated by highly experienced Doctors. Our Hair Transplant surgeons are specialised in FUE (Follicular Unit Extraction) and treat hundreds of patients every year.
• FUE is a minimally invasive treatment(meaning there is no cutting of a strip), and carried out under local anaesthetic – many patients either watch TV, or even fall asleep during the procedure.
• Unlike the Strip (FUT) procedure, you won’t require any stitches after your treatment. This means that the recovery time is also reduced when compared to the Strip surgery.
• We use the finest instruments, resulting in as minimal trauma to your scalp as possible.
• Thanks to our advanced skills and techniques, our team ensure that the donor area looks intact after the hair transplant procedure and you can keep your hair really short if you prefer without any obvious scarring.
• We work by hair, not per graft – this ensures that only the strongest, healthiest follicles are selected for your transplant procedure.
• Your results will look natural, with denser packing – the hair is implanted in the direction that matches your hair growth, and because we select healthy follicles, the treated area will look densely filled.
• Our surgeons also offer the Unshaven Hair Transplant (U-FUE) to those who prefer not to shave beforehand. At your consultation, we will be able to advise you on whether an unshaven procedure is suitable for you.
• Scars resulting from injuries or previous surgeries can also be corrected with our FUE for Scar Repair procedure.
• 24 hour patient helpline to ensure you are always in the best of hands.
• As many post-operative care and appointments with your Hair Transplant surgeon and nursing team as required.
• Comprehensive patient information, every step of the way.
• Outstanding clinic facilities.
• Our excellent reputation for patient safety and satisfaction, honest advice and outstanding care means your journey with The Private Clinic will be an exciting experience to a newfound head of hair.
• See our FUE hair transplant before and after results photo gallery
• Read our extensive hair transplant FAQs
• Hear from previous Hair Transplant patients in our patient stories and videos
• Find out more information in our blogs

Expert Hair Transplant Surgeons at The Private Clinic

• Dr Furqan Raja is a highly skilled hair transplant surgeon located at our clinics in London Harley Street, Manchester and Leeds.
• Mr Michail Mouzakis is a highly experienced hair transplant surgeon based at our London Harley Street and Northampton clinics.
• Dr Luca De Fazio is a leading FUE hair transplant surgeon in Europe and is also located at our London Harley Street and Birmingham clinic.
• Dr Ismail Ughratdar is a highly regarded hair restoration surgeon based at our Birmingham clinic.

Consultations for hair transplant surgery are available at our London Harley Street, Birmingham, Manchester, Northampton and Leeds.
To find out more about FUE Hair Transplants call 0333 920 2471 or use our hair transplant online contact form.