Hair transplant technology and technique has improved significantly over the last few decades with faster healing times and almost guaranteed results for most patients. For male pattern baldness, the most common type of hair loss, the causes are the same worldwide: age, genetics and testosterone but the solution to the problem isn’t quite so generic.
It is important to note that in the case of the hair transplant one size doesn’t necessarily fit all. Different racial characteristics can create specific challenges for the restorative surgeon so it’s important to pick someone who’s an expert in your type of hair.
The curl is the problem
Afro-Caribbean hair, for example is naturally curlier than Caucasian hair. This presents some specific challenges, not least because the curl also occurs under the skin which makes it very difficult to employ one of the new techniques, follicular unit extraction (FUE). The curl also means that the hair graft is larger and can’t be packed in quite so densely. Many surgeons avoid FUE completely and adopt the older strip transplant technique with its higher incidence of scarring and significantly longer recovery time.
One surgeon who has had great success with Afro-Caribbean hair transplants is Dr Jeffrey Epstein. An American doctor with significant experience in his field, he regularly lectures and teaches other doctors from around the world. He uses FUE to create natural looking results on people of all ethnicities but mainly Afro-Caribbeans.
The secret is experience
The secret of his success is knowledge and experience. He’s worked on over 750 Afro-Carribeans, both men and women and has made this is art, proudly demonstrating some of the results via Vlogs on his website. His final advice, “do your research on surgeons, especially African Americans in order to have a successful hair transplant.”
If you have Afro hair and are concerned about the difficulties of a hair transplant, why not consider SMP instead?
