Female Hair Transplant Guide

If you’re a female experiencing hair loss you may be considering getting a female hair transplant. We understand that each woman’s hair loss journey is unique, which is why we’ve compiled this in-depth resource to help you make informed decisions about your hair restoration options. 

Whether you’re dealing with genetic factors, hormonal changes, or other underlying conditions, this guide will equip you with the knowledge to navigate through the possibilities and find the most suitable treatment for your specific needs.

Female hair transplantation: an introduction

Hair transplants can be an effective treatment for hair loss in women, but they can slightly differ from a male hair transplant. Women often have a complex cause of their hair loss and the investigations required before surgery is considered can be extensive. 

Eligibility for a female hair transplant will depend on several different factors, such as: 

• The reason behind your hair loss
• How much hair loss you are experiencing and what requires transplanting
• How healthy the rest of your hair is, including your donor area
• If your hair loss is likely to worsen soon

Female Hair Transplant Surgery

Having a hair transplant as a female can help restore hair where you have lost it. This can be in the hairline, temples or hair parting.

You may also consider having surgery to lower a high hairline, you can read more about this topic in our dedicated article: female hairline lowering transplant.

Before you consider having a hair transplant, it is important to explore the underlying reasons for hair loss in a female. In our clinic we request female patients to have some blood tests to check their health before deciding to undergo a female hair transplant. These can include:

1. Full blood count
2. Iron studies
3. PCOS hormone profile
4. Thyroid function
5. B12 level
6. Folate level
7. Vitamin D level

Female hair transplant preparation

Before you have a hair transplant, you should book a consultation with a hair transplant surgeon. This appointment will involve an evaluation of your current hair and loss so we can determine the best course of action for you. The consultation also means we can personalise your hair transplant plan should you require one. 

Once you have booked your hair transplant, you will receive some guidelines you must follow in preparation. These ensure that your scalp is as healthy as possible for your procedure. 

These guidelines can include: 

• Avoiding smoking and drinking excessive amounts of alcohol
• Stop taking any hair loss medications you may be on
• Do not cut or dye your hair before the procedure as this can irritate you skin prior to surgery

As part of your consultation, you surgeon will have taken you through how we can perform surgery and how much hair will need to be shaved or kept long for your procedure. You read more about the different shave types in our dedicated article: unshaven hair transplant. We perform the shave on the day of surgery so you won’t need to worry about it in preparation for the day. However, some female patients like to have a fringe cut before their hair transplant to allow them to style their hair over their hairline and conceal their surgery easier in their recovery.

Female hair transplant: how does it work?

Women can have two types of hair transplant procedures — follicular unit transplantation (FUT) and follicular unit excision (FUE). Our surgeons perform hair transplants while you are awake, but we numb the area with a local anaesthetic. So, you shouldn’t feel any pain during your transplant.  

An FUT hair transplant is where the surgeon removes a strip of your scalp (grafts) containing hair follicles from your head and transplants them into your scalp through small incisions. The surgeon stitches the area where they took the grafts, and covers the resulting linear scar at the back with the rest of your hair. 

An FUE hair transplant is where the surgeon excises hair follicles from the back and sides of your head. They reinsert these follicles into your scalp using a puncturing tool. With this technique, you should have small dot-like scarring at the back and sides of your head which you can conceal with a shorter haircut.

Post-transplant care and recovery

After your female hair transplant, you can expect some discomfort for the first few days once the local anaesthetic wears off. Over-the-counter anti-inflammatories like ibuprofen can help to reduce swelling and pain.  

When in recovery, you must follow any aftercare advice the surgeon gives you. You will need to take at least five days off from work so you can rest and recover from the procedure. You must also avoid strenuous activities such as exercise for the first two weeks. 

While you’re recovering, you must not pick any scabs that form on your scalp as it can disrupt the grafts. The scabs will naturally fall off within a few weeks. You can read more about this here: when can you remove the scabs after your transplant? It can take up to 14 days for the implants to fully embed in your scalp, so you must treat your scalp with care. Do not wash your hair until it’s been at least 4 days after your procedure, and don’t style it with any products until you hit the 14-day mark. 

You can treat transplanted hair the same as your regular hair once it’s fully implanted, but you must take good care of it. For example, it is best to wash your hair in lukewarm water, always use a heat protectant and be gentle when you brush or comb it.

Expected results and follow-up

Results from a hair transplant can take time — and patience. Most people will see noticeable changes six months after their transplant. You can see a journey here: hair transplant timeline. However, full results can take anywhere from 12 to 18 months because you must wait for the transplanted hairs to shed and regrow. Most female patients tend to grow their hair longer so it will take longer to regrow to a length that you may be used to.

You can expect your results to give you thicker hair in areas where you previously had thin hair, as well as fill any gaps caused by loss. The results should last you a lifetime, but further hair loss can occur for reasons such as age or hormonal changes. 

Cost of female hair transplant surgery

The price of a female hair transplant can vary and range from £4,000 to £10,000 or more — it all depends on how complex your procedure is and how many grafts you need. 

At The Treatment Rooms London, we charge £5 to £6 per graft and the minimum number of grafts we offer is 500. If you need more than 2,000 grafts, we recommend splitting your appointment into two days.

Causes of female hair loss

There are all sorts of reasons why you might experience hair loss as a woman, from stress to genetics. Even certain hairstyles can lead to hair loss!

Here are the most common types of hair loss in women and the typical causes of them: 

• Androgenetic alopecia – a thinning of the hair caused by an increase in androgens (sex hormones) in your body. This can be for several reasons, such as polycystic ovarian syndrome and menopause. 
• Telogen effluvium – hair loss caused by a event, such as pregnancy and giving birth, major surgery or stress. The trauma causes your hair to transition into the resting phase of growth. Then in the following weeks, it changes into the shedding phase, so you lose clumps of hair.
• Anagen effluvium – hair loss often associated with chemotherapy, which damages the hair follicle on a cellular level. 
• Alopecia areata – this hair loss is caused by an inflammatory reaction where your immune system attacks your hair follicles.
• Traction alopecia – tight hairstyles that pull on your hair and scalp may lead to repeated tension that causes your hair to fall out.
• Vitamin D Deficiency– being deficient in Vitamin D can also affect hair loss making your hair thinner over time.
• Iron Deficiency – being iron deficient can increase hair loss, particularly in those who suffer from heavy menstruation.

Other hormonal imbalances and changes can also result in hair loss in women. Thyroid dysfunction, pregnancy and menopause can all shift your usual hormone levels and affect your hair.

Different treatment options for female hair loss

There are non-surgical hair loss treatments for female hair loss that can be effective. However, this will depend on the underlying cause and different factors as to whether or not you can fully regrow your hair and maintain the results. Sometimes, more permanent treatments like hair transplants may be warranted. 

Topical solutions and medications

Doctors recommend topical solutions and medications for female hair loss. Minoxidil is a topical treatment that you rub on your scalp, with regrowth expected within eight months. You must use Minoxidil long-term if you want the regrowth to last, as once the treatment is stopped, shedding can begin again after 12 weeks. 

Spironolactone is a medication that doctors sometimes prescribe to women experiencing androgenic alopecia. This medication prevents androgens in your body from working, so it could help reduce the amount of hair loss you experience. 

Laser therapy

Laser therapy can be a good way to restore hair follicles in female hair loss. This treatment aims to stimulate your natural hair growth cycle and promote the growth phase, helping you achieve hair regrowth without the need for medication. 

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) treatment for women

PRP therapy is where a concentrated solution of your plasma is injected into your scalp to promote growth. Surgeons can use this treatment to treat androgenetic hair loss, also known as female pattern hair loss.

Book a consultation with The Treatment Rooms London

Female hair transplants can help restore your loss. It should be considered once a full investigation has been carried out as to the reason for the hair loss. If you are unsure whether or not you are eligible for a hair transplant, contact our team of experts, who will be happy to discuss your current hair loss.

When considering a female hair transplant, you must choose a qualified surgeon to explore the safest treatment option for you. It’s important to look at their qualifications and their results from other female hair transplants so that you can feel confident and secure in your choice of surgeon. 

If you’re struggling with female hair loss, book a consultation with The Treatment Rooms London. We will be happy to assess your current hair and provide more information on which treatment will be best for you.  

References

• https://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/hair-loss/hair-loss-types 
• https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/hair-loss/coping-tips-for-women/ 
• https://www.healthline.com/health/hair-loss-women 
• https://www.nhs.uk/medicines/spironolactone/common-questions-about-spironolactone/
• https://www.treatmentroomslondon.com/hair-loss/female-hair-loss/ 
• https://www.treatmentroomslondon.com/fue-hair-transplant-surgery/hair-transplant-recovery/