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Bosley Hair Replacement > Restoration Hair Questions and Answers
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QUESTIONS ON PROCEDURE  |
| What is a hair transplant exactly? |
| How long do transplants last? |
| Is it going to hurt? |
| How does the Bosley procedure differ from all the others I see advertised? |
| Is there any scarring? |
| Are there any complications or risks with hair transplantation surgery? |
| How many grafts will it take to cover one square inch? |
| Can I have the procedure done by Dr. Bosley? |
| Do you use laser in the hair transplantation procedure? |
| How many procedures are necessary? |
| QUESTIONS ON CAUSES AND OPTIONS |
| Do you offer Rogaine and Propecia? And how effective are they? |
| I have a medical condition. Can I still receive a hair transplant? |
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| QUESTIONS ON FINANCE AND COST |
| What if a Surgical Office is too far from me? |
| How much does it cost? |
| If I bring a friend and he does it, can I get a price break? |
| How does the room reservation fee (RRF) work? |
| Are there any payment plans or possible financial arrangements? |
| GENERAL QUESTIONS |
| Why come to Bosley? |
| Can I see an actual person who has had the work done? |
| Why don't hair transplants I've seen look natural? |
| What is the background of the doctors at Bosley? |
| Do you do hair transplantation on women? |
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Questions on Procedure
What is a hair transplant exactly?
A hair transplant procedure is an artistic redistribution system that takes donor-dominant hair follicles from the very back and sides of the head and artfully transplants them into thinning or balding areas. With Bosley follicular unit technologies, this results in a very natural appearance. Basically we take hair from where you have more than you need and put it where you need it more, the ideal solution to baldness.
How long do hair transplants last?
For the vast majority of patients, virtually all transplanted hair lasts a lifetime. In some cases, a small percentage of transplanted hair may be lost as the patient ages.
Is it going to hurt?
Although patients are administered local anesthetics and other medications, the degree of pain or discomfort experienced by patients during or after the procedures varies among patients. We also supply patients with medication to use after the procedure, if needed. Many of our patients find that they do not need to take any medication at all after their hair transplant procedure.
How does the Bosley hair restoration procedure differ from all the others I see advertised?
Bosley can't account for the work of others because we don't know the exact protocols and specific technical variations that are used elsewhere. We can talk to you about Bosley's own hair transplant techniques which emphasize the natural variations in the texture and color of hair, the angles and directions of hair growth, and the size and shape of grafts. The artistry involved in combining these numerous variations significantly impacts the naturalness of the hair restoration results. Not every physician has the skill or aptitude for this refined technique. Bosley suggests you visit with others and we also invite you to come in to visit with us at no charge.
Is there any scarring?
Whenever human skin is cut, it always heals by the process called "fibrosis." This fibrosis (commonly known as scarring) is the skin's way of healing. Thanks to the skill of our experienced hair transplant physicians, the healing sites in the transplanted areas are usually so small that the fibrosis is virtually undetectable. Any scar in the donor area is covered by your existing hair. At Bosley, hair transplantation procedures are designed to produce a very natural look. In the great majority of cases, the microtechnologies currently used at Bosley make the restored hairline virtually undetectable.
Are there any complications or risks with the hair transplantation surgery?
Occurrences of infection after a hair transplant procedure are rare. In the few cases where infection does occur, it is often due to the patient's failure to fully follow post-operative instructions. Even when infection occurs, it generally is easily treatable with antibiotics, which can be prescribed by the physician.
How many grafts will it take to cover 1 square inch?
That is very difficult to answer without seeing you. This is because the number of grafts required will ultimately be dependant upon the texture and quality of your hair, i.e. darker, coarser hair may require fewer grafts to cover the same area as compared to lighter colored, fine hair. It will also be dependent upon your degree of baldness and your density goals.
Can I have the procedure done by Dr. Bosley?
Yes, you may have a procedure done by Dr. Bosley. However, you should be aware that his fees are higher than those charged by the rest of the doctors at Bosley. This does not mean that other Bosley physicians' skills are any less than that of Dr. Bosley. It is the result of the fact that if Dr. Bosley did not charge more, a substantial number of persons would ask specifically for him and the demand would greatly exceed his ability to meet all of the requests.
Do you use laser in the hair transplantation procedure?
Bosley physicians do not feel that the laser benefits patients. It can damage healthy hair follicles, have a negative impact on scalp elasticity, and in general, slow down the healing process. The use of lasers in hair restoration has diminished greatly in the last few years.
How many procedures are necessary for hair restoration?
The number of procedures necessary to achieve a personally desired goal varies from person to person and the individual degree of hair loss; but in our experience, the great majority of our patients want to have at least two procedures.
Questions on Causes and Options
Do you offer Rogaine and Propecia? And, how effective are they for treating baldness?
The manufacturers of both Rogaine and Propecia tell you that their products are not effective in the frontal area, which is the area of most concern to most patients, especially the frontal hairline. With Rogaine, the manufacturer (Upjohn) claims that approximately 8-10% get cosmetically effective growth and another 20% get vellus or peach fuzz growth. The manufacturer of Propecia (Merck) claims slightly better results. Bosley has a large number of the official Merck before and after photographs of their study results, which you may closely examine when you come in. You are encouraged to draw your own conclusions as to their results. For more specific information, please visit the "treatment options" section of this Website.
I have a medical condition, can I still receive a hair transplant?
Preexisting medical conditions are always a concern of your Bosley doctor. If you have a preexisting medical condition, please tell your Senior Counselor at the time of your consultation. For your convenience, we have listed responses for some of the most frequently asked medical questions:
COUMADIN
If you are taking Coumadin, you will need to be off Coumadin for a week prior to your hair restoration procedure. When you have a consultation, your Bosley physician may require an okay from your physician.
DIABETES
We have performed many hundreds of successful hair transplant procedures for patients with diabetes. However, to determine possible candidacy for hair restoration, you will first need to have a consultation with one of our physicians. Your Bosley physician may require an okay from your diabetes physician to confirm that your diabetes is under good control.
INTRAVENOUS SEDATION
At Bosley, intravenous sedation is virtually never used for hair restoration procedures. Instead, patients are administered local anesthesia and are able to relax and watch a video, stretch or use the restroom at any time during the procedure. If you would like additional sedation or relaxation, you may request it from your Bosley physician who will be pleased to order it for you.
KIDNEY TRANSPLANT
For various medical reasons, a hair restoration procedure cannot be done prior to a pending kidney transplant. However, once a kidney transplant procedure is completed and has healed, your Bosley physician can determine if it is feasible for you to have a hair transplant procedure.
LUPUS (Erythematosus) - LE
Our physicians at Bosley believe that, in many cases, it is not a good idea to transplant hair into an area where the hair loss caused by LE has occurred. After hair has been transplanted into such an area, the LE process (which caused the hair loss) could recur. However, in some cases (when LE has been inactive for many years) it is feasible to do hair transplants. Your Bosley physician will determine this.
Questions on Finance and Cost
What if a surgical office is too far from me?
If you fly to a Bosley Regional Surgical Office and have a hair transplant procedure during that same trip, Bosley will reimburse your airfare expense in the form of additional grafts. If you are traveling domestically (United States including Alaska AND Hawaii, Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico AND Bermuda) you will receive 50 additional grafts. If you are traveling internationally (Central America, Latin America, Asia, Europe, Africa, Australia AND all other locations) you will receive 100 additional grafts. You qualify if:
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You live more than 100 miles from the Bosley Regional Surgical Office nearest you and fly to that office for your procedure (Atlanta, Beverly Hills, Boca Raton, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, New York City, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Scottsdale, Seattle, Troy, Mexico City, Virginia Beach, Raleigh, Richmond, Kansas City or Washington DC ). |
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The Bosley doctor determines that you are a suitable candidate for hair restoration and you have a procedure performed at Bosley during that same trip. |
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You must bring your round-trip plane ticket and current, valid driver's license with you to Bosley. YOU MUST HAVE BOTH DOCUMENTS WITH YOU AT THE TIME OF THE PROCEDURE IN ORDER TO QUALIFY FOR THE REIMBURSEMENT PROGRAM. For each subsequent fly-in visit you make to the Bosley surgical office nearest you during which you have a procedure performed, this same offer holds. Please note that this reimbursement applies to commercial airfares only and to no other form of transportation. We do not reimburse "frequent flyer miles," travel by private plane, or airfare for consultation only. |
As a service to our patients, Bosley provides an in-house travel agency, Oxford Travel. For more information, or to book a reservation please contact (800) 348-7720 or email margoh@bosley.com.
How much does it cost?
As you might expect, only our physicians can determine that you are a suitable hair transplant candidate and give you the final answer regarding costs in your individual case. However, our counselors have been thoroughly trained. When you meet with one of our senior counselors (at no cost, of course) he or she will provide you with valuable information and will help you understand typical cost ranges. In general, most of our patients invest anywhere between four thousand to twelve thousand dollars more or less per procedure. Each procedure is designed to significantly improve your appearance and to look natural.
If I bring a friend and he does the procedure, can I get a price break?
We certainly invite you to bring a friend if he or she is interested. It won't affect fees. Currently our fee structure is very competitive and it is the same for everyone. Quality, density and natural results are more important.
How does the room reservation fee (RRF) work?
An advance payment is required to confirm your reservation of a treatment room at one of our surgical offices.
A payment of $500 is required for reservation of a treatment room Monday through Thursday.
A payment of $1,000 is required for reservation of a treatment room Friday or Saturday.
Please note that no surgical procedure is performed at Bosley until a patient has been evaluated and accepted for treatment by a Bosley physician. The room reservation fee is payable at the time you schedule your appointment and will be deducted from the full payment which is due before your procedure is performed. This room reservation payment is non-refundable unless you notify us at least two (2) week in advance of the reservation you wish to change. (Of course, this room reservation payment is refundable should you not be accepted for treatment by a Bosley physician.)
Are there any payment plans or possible financial arrangements?
Bosley has made arrangements with a leading provider of elective medical financing -- Cosmetic Fee Plan. Their plan provides a convenient way to finance your hair restoration procedure and to assist with managing your out-of-pocket expenses. Simply click on the financing link posted on the toolbar, fill out the one-page application and in a short period of time, often within minutes, Cosmetic Fee Plan will contact you with your financing options. Upon approval of your financing, you will be provided with a document confirming your approval, which you will present to your Bosley physician at the time of your consultation or procedure.
General Questions
Why come to Bosley?
There are two good reasons why we believe you might be well advised to have your hair transplant performed at Bosley.
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Reason 1 - Is our track record - Bosley has been a full-time hair restoration practice for hair restoration since 1974. It may sound self-serving, but the facts are mighty impressive:
* Bosley has performed more hair transplants than any other medical group in the world.
* We've restored hair for patients from all 50 states and more than 67 foreign countries.
* We've pioneered virtually every major advancement in the field of hair transplantation during the past 30 years.
* Bosley doctors are Board-certified (or have equivalent credentials) in one or more surgical or dermatologic specialties.
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Reason 2 - Bosley's follicular unit techniques result in a hair restoration so natural that we challenge you to tell the transplanted hair from the non-transplanted hair. |
Can I see an actual person who has had the work done?
Yes, we can arrange for you to see a patient who has had hair restoration work done.
Why don't hair transplants I've seen look natural?
This is a very good question. The answer is that if you see a recently completed hair transplant today that doesn't look natural, this is often because it's a bad hair transplant. Our Bosley hair restorations go unnoticed by you and everyone else in the great majority of cases because they are so natural-looking. Modern research in hair growth has discovered that natural scalp hairs actually grow in small groupings (called follicular units) of 1, 2, 3 or occasionally 4 hairs per unit. So, it is our strong emphasis at Bosley not just to imitate nature, but to try to duplicate nature. We employ micro-technologies that use closely placed and randomly dispersed 1, 2, 3, and 4 hair units. With our 30 years of experience in the full-time practice of hair restoration, we have refined these micro-technologies to the point where often other medical doctors, even upon close inspection, have a difficult time telling which natural hairs are original (non-transplanted) and which natural hairs have been restored (transplanted). This is why today the state-of-the-art at Bosley is follicular unit hair restoration.
What is the background of the doctors at Bosley?
Every Bosley physician is required to be a Doctor of Medicine (M.D.), actively licensed in the state in which he practices, extensively experienced with a minimum of ten (10) years in private practice, a member of one or more medical associations such as the American Medical Association (AMA) and a Certified Diplomat of a board within the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS), or have equivalent credentials in one or more surgical or dermatologic specialties. If you are interested in seeing a particular Bosley physician, we will be more than happy to supply a summary of his professional training and background.
Do you do hair transplants on women?
Yes. Female hair loss is quite common. In fact, studies indicate more than 20 million American women are experiencing some degrees of female pattern baldness. "The great majority of women with typical female pattern hair loss can be helped significantly," says Dr. Bosley. Though women can lose hair in a different pattern than men do - often thinning behind the hairline - the treatment procedure is similar for both. First the patient and the Bosley doctor decide upon the areas where new hair is desired. Then the doctor locates a "donor area" with sufficient excess healthy hair. According to Dr. Bosley, "Women usually have a similar donor area to men. This means they have enough supply to fulfill the demand, so the results are usually very good."
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