Hair Transplant for Men San Francisco

Hair restoration for men in San Francisco is safer, less invasive and more natural than ever before, thanks to advancements in hair transplantation techniques. Performed since the 1950s in the United States, hair transplants have significantly improved in terms of safety and effectiveness over the years. Today, hair transplantation can be achieved by removing and transferring follicles individually or in a group, allowing for customization of the procedure that meets the unique needs and goals of each patient. The Maas Clinic^TM offers both of these techniques to ensure that each individual receives the natural, permanent results they are hoping for.

Men and Hair Loss

Although very common, hair loss among men can be very distressing. According to the American Hair Loss Associate, by the age of 35, as many as 66 percent of all men will have experienced hair loss to some degree. By the time men hit their 50s, this number increases to 85 percent. The majority of hair loss in men (around 95 percent) is the result of androgenetic alopecia, a progressive condition caused by dihydrotestosterone (DHT). DHT is an androgen derived from testosterone that is known to be responsible for sexual maturation and the development of male characteristics.

In both men and women, DHT can bind to receptors in the hair follicles, shrinking them and shortening their growth cycles. Over time, affected follicles weaken and die in a process known as miniaturization, eventually resulting in hair loss.

It’s not known why DHT has this effect on certain individuals, but it appears to be affected by genetic factors. If someone in your family experiences hair loss, you are likely to as well. Fortunately, the hereditary nature of hair loss in men means that it is usually not attributed to any type of serious medical condition. However, the social and psychological impact of hair loss can be significant for those affected by it, negatively impacting social relationships and overall quality of life.

The Hair Transplantation Process

Hair transplantation is a delicate procedure that requires skill, precision and patience. The process involves carefully removing healthy hair follicles from one area of the scalp, called a donor site, and placing into the area where hair loss has occurred.

This can be performed through a variety of techniques to ensure customized, natural-looking results. In the past, hair transplantation typically involved removing large strips or patches of hair from a donor site and placing it into the transplant location. These outdated methods left visible scarring and often produced unnatural results that didn’t blend in with the rest of your hair.

Combined with refined techniques and advancements in technology, modern hair transplantation procedures replicate natural hair growth and have been modified to allow for results that are nearly imperceptible after healing is completed. The techniques used at The Maas Clinic^TM in San Francisco are among those most commonly performed today — Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) and Follicular Unit Transplantation (FUT).

What is FUE? What is FUT?

FUE, or follicular unit extraction, is one of the most popular methods of hair transplantation thanks to advanced devices that make the process more efficient, accurate and comfortable. This technique removes individual follicles from a donor site with healthy hair growth and places them one by one into the treatment area. Hair follicles are commonly taken from donor areas located in the back or sides of the head, which Dr. Maas will mark carefully to ensure optimal results. This technique is minimally invasive and produces little to no visible scarring and a short recovery. At The Maas Clinic^TM, we use both the NeoGraft and the SmartGraft devices to enhance the patient experience and ensure natural-looking results from our FUE procedures. Advantages of the FUE procedure include:

Less postoperative discomfort
Minimal dot scars that are difficult to detect
Can extract from multiple donor sites
Minimally invasive with no incisions or sutures
Patients can wear their hair short without noticeable scarring
Can be used to conceal existing scars and imperfections

FUT, or follicular unit transplantation, is a technique similar to FUE that harvests healthy donor hair follicles in small strips or groups rather than individually. This allows your doctor to efficiently remove more hair follicles in a single extraction. Dr. Mass is a skilled surgeon who takes great care to minimize the impact on donor areas, ensuring that incisions are small to reduce visible scarring. The extracted follicles are then microscopically separated and carefully placed into the treatment area one at a time, the same as the FUE technique. FUT produces a high survival rate of transplanted follicles that blend in effortlessly with the rest of your hair. Advantages of FUT include:

More follicles can be efficiently harvested in a single session
Leaves a single, thin linear scar easily hidden by existing hair
High survival rate of transplanted hair follicles
Ideal for treating a more significant amount of hair loss
Consistent and reliable results
Often more cost-effective than other methods

When choosing a hair transplant technique, there are different factors to keep in mind, such as how much donor hair is available and the amount needed to create the best possible result in the treatment area. However, your choice of surgeon for your hair transplantation procedure will be much more important than the technique used in terms of the success of your results. A skilled surgeon understands the subtleties of each procedure and can produce natural-looking results using either method. As a board-certified facial plastic surgeon, Dr. Maas has experience in both of these techniques and can create the best possible outcome for you regardless of which method is used.

Before & After Gallery

What to Expect from Your Procedure

Dr. Maas performs both FUE and FUT hair transplantation using local anesthesia that contains a bit of epinephrine. This addition minimizes bleeding during the procedure and reduces bruising afterward. Once the scalp is ready, hair follicles are extracted from the donor site and then inserted into the treatment area. Each follicle is carefully placed in the proper direction and at specific angles to produce a natural result.

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For patients receiving a hair transplant via FUT, healthy follicles are extracted in a single strip. Although incisions are made with care, this technique leaves a thin, fine scar at the donor site that can be covered by existing hair.

When this procedure is performed by a skilled surgeon such as Dr. Maas, the resulting scar is very difficult to see or feel. Once removed, the donor strip is then dissected under a microscope to divide the hair follicles into high-quality individual units which are strategically placed into areas affected by hair loss. This efficient technique is particularly ideal for men who experience hair loss that covers a wide area not easily addressed with other methods. For those who opt for a hair transplant using FUE, follicles are individually removed from stable donor sites using advanced NeoGraft and SmartGraft devices.

Once extracted, Dr. Maas places these donor follicles in areas where hair loss occurs. This minimally invasive technique produces virtually no scarring and a much shorter recovery period. FUE is ideal for men who wear their hair short or want to cover existing scars. The process is more intensive and can take some time to complete, but is comfortable and involves minimal downtime afterward.

What to Expect After Your Procedure

The recovery and results of your hair transplantation will be similar for FUE and FUT patients, although FUT may produce a little more discomfort. For FUT patients, the strip incision will take some time to heal, and both FUT and FUE patients may notice a small amount of scabbing. Regardless of which technique was used, a few hours after your procedure you will be able to return home. You can wash your hair after just a couple of days, but you will be instructed to hold off on blow drying and combing the hair for a bit longer to give the treatment areas time to heal. Patients can return to regular activities within a week or two.

The skill of expertise of Dr. Maas produces hair transplantation results that look completely natural and mimic your existing hair growth. Following the procedure, your transplanted hair will go through various phases before the final result develops.

Dormancy — After a few weeks, the transplanted hairs will begin to shed and fall out. This is a normal, expected part of the process; hair follicles naturally enter a dormant or resting period after a transplantation procedure.
Emergence — After transplanted hairs shed, patients will begin to notice new hair growth after about three months. This growth may be thin at first, but will gradually even out and thicken.
Maturation — After six to nine months, the hair shaft will continue to thicken and patients will notice a considerable amount of new hair growth. The most visible results appear after about nine months and the new hair will become even denser around this time.

Although this process varies from patient to patient, the final result of your hair transplant can be expected about a year after your procedure. These results are permanent and this new hair will grow and behave in the same way as your existing hair. Once established, your new hair can be cut, styled, shaved and groomed without any special requirements or considerations. Dr. Maas may also suggest complementary procedures such as Platelet Rich Plasma treatments to enhance the results of your hair grafting procedure.

Hair Transplant for Men at The Maas Clinic^TM

If you’re experiencing hair loss that has negatively impacted your life, the specialists at The Maas Clinic^TM can help restore your confidence with advanced hair restoration techniques, including non-surgical hair rejuvenation and through the use of proprietary prescription formulas. For more information on hair transplantation for men, contact The Maas Clinic^TM today at (415) 567-7000 or contact us by email.

The information about hair transplant for men was reviewed by Corey S. Maas MD^TM. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us using our contact form below.