FUE Toronto: A Detailed Explanation of How Diagnosis and Treatment Work

August 20, 2019 by in Patient Resources

FUE Toronto: A Detailed Explanation of How Diagnosis and Treatment Work

FUE Toronto

You might be curious about FUE in Toronto, but hesitant to book your initial consultation. Not sure what to expect, what to ask, or if you’re a good candidate? We can help shed some light on the steps that most Toronto FUE (follicular unit extraction) hair transplant surgeons take during the consultation. Find out how the diagnosis of hair loss and the hair transplant treatment work.

First, the diagnosis of androgenic alopecia (pattern baldness) or other hair loss triggers is essential. Next, the variety of options available to you will be discussed. You may find that you have more possibilities for hair loss treatment than you knew of! Besides FUE hair transplant surgery, the Toronto Hair Transplant Clinic and Dr. Cory Torgerson offer the industry’s latest advanced methods for hair preservation and regrowth.

Specialists diagnose hair loss conditions by examining your scalp, your hair, and your health. They need to ask you questions and consider your whole health picture. The average man or woman will spend plenty of time reviewing Toronto FUE before and after photos online before treatment, but it’s not easy to get an understanding of your needs until you’ve met with an expert in person.

Toronto FUE hair transplant consultation — What’s the first step?

Do you know what the cause of your hair thinning is? Many people realize that male pattern baldness runs in their family, and they see their scalp begin to resemble that of other relatives starting in their 20s or 30s. If you know that you have male pattern hair loss (androgenic alopecia), you still need to be diagnosed in person, because everyone’s rate and pattern of fallout will be different. The timing and suitability for an FUE procedure or other hair loss treatment will depend on your exam.

If you’re not sure why you’re losing hair, it’s even more essential to meet with a hair transplant surgeon. Clinics that offer FUE in Toronto can diagnose you and recommend other interventions too, not just hair surgery.

Here are a few causes for hair loss in women and men that you may not have known about:
  • Extreme stress
  • Surgery
  • Medications
  • Deprivation dieting (crash diets)
  • Thyroid issues
  • Anemia
  • Hormonal disruptions (including pregnancy or menopause)
  • Auto-immune disorders
  • Tension on the scalp related to tight hairstyles (including hair extensions)

You’ll need a scalp exam

Before planning FUE in Toronto or other hair restoration treatments, you’ll need a scalp examination. The purpose of this is to determine if you have a genetic predisposition to miniaturizing hairs due to androgenic alopecia, or if you have normal hairs that are falling out for other reasons. Your consultation will involve gathering information and answers to questions, but it is essential to have your scalp examined by an expert who knows what to look for. They’ll consider the hair strand structure, density of growth, hair count, and condition of your scalp.

The specialist may perform a hair pull test. (Don’t worry, it’s not painful.) They’ll pull a small bundle of hairs gently upwards and count the number of hairs that release easily and fall out. It’s normal to lose a little hair every day. People who are not suffering from a hair loss condition still expect to shed around 100 hairs per day. However, if the strands falling out are greater than those replacing them, thinning occurs.

You may require a blood test. If a Toronto FUE surgeon suspects that a client’s hair loss is caused by a nutritional deficiency, medication, hormone irregularity, or other health issue, they’ll need to run some standard blood tests to look deeper.

In more rare cases where a scalp infection or other disease is suspected, the specialist may scrape a small sample of skin or remove a few hairs to examine the roots. Light microscopy also helps uncover possible hair shaft disorders and allows the surgeon to examine them up close.

Questions you might be asked at your consultation for FUE in Toronto include:

  • Was your hair loss sudden, or have you noticed it gradually increasing?
  • Are you taking any medication or prescriptions?
  • Do you notice any other physical symptoms?

Do you know if your relatives have experienced hair loss (female or male) and at what ages they experienced it?

If you’re a woman, your FUE specialist may ask about your menstrual cycles to determine whether hormonal changes are occurring. Women have androgenic hair loss or female pattern hair loss, but it doesn’t present the same as for males. The pattern will typically leave their hairline in place but cause thinning all over the head in a diffused manner. It can become apparent that significant hair has been lost when the center part at the crown becomes wider.

Is FUE the best solution for male and female hair loss?

Not always. Though modern FUE hair transplants in Toronto can deliver lasting, dramatic restoration, not everyone is an ideal candidate for the procedure or wants an invasive solution. There are many other possibilities to address hair thinning or receding. Some work well when combined with FUE. Other injectable or non-invasive treatments are effective on their own.

Remedies for hair loss may include medication, PRP (platelet-rich plasma therapy), LLLT (low-level laser therapy), nutritional support, and scalp camouflage. If your consultation for FUE in Toronto reveals an underlying disease, then your condition will need to be treated first. Drugs to reduce inflammation and boost the immune system are sometimes prescribed, or a change of current prescriptions can help. The good news is that many medical triggers for hair loss are reversible and don’t require a surgical FUE hair transplant. If you have traction alopecia from tight braids or other tense hairstyles, likewise you may find a reversal of the condition happens when the cause is removed. FUE in Toronto is advised for some people with traction alopecia when their hair doesn’t grow back. The process of FUE hair transplant for treating patches of baldness related to this condition works very well.

Scalp micropigmentation (SMP) is gaining traction fast in the hair restoration world. This option can achieve a few things without surgery. Semi-permanent ink is implanted using shallow needle devices similar to regular tattoos, but for the scalp. Tiny microdots can create the illusion of hair fullness, or individual strands can be drawn, which easily fool the eye to perceive more hair strands in a given area. For people who have severe balding or who don’t wish to deal with the higher FUE hair transplant cost and styling, SMP creates an overall buzzed or shaved look for the scalp. It appears as though the patient has a full head of hair but chooses to shave it for ease or fashion. It’s a look that works well professionally and at any age. Even some women prefer the shaved aesthetic that SMP provides. It’s surgery-free and very low maintenance. Ask your hair transplant surgeon if scalp hair tattooing could be right for you.

Medications available for hereditary pattern hair loss include:

Minoxidil (Rogaine):
This over-the-counter (non-prescription) foam or liquid solution is approved for use by men or women. It is recommended for daily application and for at least 3 months before seeing results. Patients report that minoxidil retains hair, slows the shedding, and even causes hair to regrow in some cases.

A drawback is that once the treatment is discontinued, the results are lost. Other possible side effects have been reported, including unwanted hair growth on the skin of the face or hands, rapid heart rate (tachycardia), or scalp dermatitis. Some patients report itching or even the temporary loss of hair when using this medication, so a long-term commitment and follow up with your doctor are advised.

Finasteride (Propecia):
Only approved for men, this oral medication is designed to slow hair loss in men, and in rare cases, it may contribute to new growth. Finasteride works by decreasing the hormone dihydrotestosterone (DHT), which is linked to hair miniaturization and to the growth of the prostate. Like Rogaine, once the treatment stops, the results diminish. Rare side effects reported include decreased sex drive and erectile dysfunction, the increased risk of prostate cancer and heart rhythm irregularities, swelling, dizziness, headaches, and rashes. Some men who find that finasteride helps them retain hair with minimal side effects will continue to take it after undergoing FUE in Toronto.

If you choose hair restoration with FUE, what can you expect?

Once you’ve shared your concerns and questions with your Toronto FUE surgeon and together determine the cause of your hair loss, it will be time to create a treatment plan. Dr. Torgerson customizes hair restoration plans that are uniquely suited to each client he meets. Everyone has different goals and needs.

Your plan may consist of hair transplant surgery plus medication, or you may choose the 100% natural hair growth stimulator, PRP. It works very well to increase hair growth and density, but will not regrow hair follicles where they’re absent. Many Toronto FUE patients choose to add PRP hair treatment after their surgery to improve the results and heal rapidly. Talk to your surgeon about combination options for better outcomes.

How does FUE hair transplantation work?

FUE hair transplants in Toronto are considered to be the least complicated and least invasive surgical option available. Compared with the previously popular strip harvest method, FUE doesn’t leave a noticeable linear scar at the back of the scalp. It also requires much less time for recovery and less discomfort due to the small micro-incisions rather than a substantial one.

FUE digital technologies like NeoGraft and SmartGraft have increased hair graft take rates and have improved the process overall, so the patient’s investment in FUE hair transplant delivers highly satisfying and natural-looking outcomes.

Rather than a strip of scalp excised and divided into individual hair plugs, follicular unit extraction uses a precise punch tool to extract tiny segments of hair roots and scalp. Just 1 to 4 hairs will be contained in each graft, and the width is typically 1 mm or less, so the openings close fast. No stitches are required, and FUE hair transplant scars are so small that they blend effortlessly with the surrounding hairs in the donor area.

It’s essential that you select a Toronto FUE surgeon with experience and excellent qualifications. The reason that FUE can appear so natural and virtually scarless has a lot to do with the strategies and advanced techniques that specialists use.

When is Toronto FUE the right choice? Check if the following apply:

  • If you have balding at the crown of your head or hairline, but dense growth remaining at the back and sides
  • If you’re a female experiencing hair loss at the part of your hair
  • If you have a receding hairline
  • If you see bald patches due to long-term hair tension and styling damage
  • If you have scars or scalp injuries leading to hairless areas. Past strip/FUT (follicular unit transplantation) scars qualify for FUE as well
  • If you prefer short hair. FUT hair transplants leave a linear scar that is visible for people with short hair
  • If you have patchy or missing facial hair, including the beard, sideburns, or eyebrows. FUE hair transplants for the face fill in hair believably and beautifully

Ready for your first appointment?

If you’re a man or woman who is curious about hair restoration or FUE Toronto, you’re not alone. We see high numbers of men and women of all ages and ethnicities at the Toronto Hair Transplant Clinic. If you’re nervous about your consultation, we encourage you to feel free and relaxed about meeting with hair specialists. The consultation at the THTC is free of charge, so there’s no obligation as you gather info and receive experienced feedback. You can learn about a variety of possibilities and weigh the pros and cons of each before choosing your preferred approach.

We believe in entirely personalized care, listening, and helping each person we meet to feel better about how they look. Once you’ve had your hair loss diagnosis, you can finally take steps to combat hair shedding and take back your confidence.

For many people, hair thinning and baldness lead to feelings of anxiety, the loss of confidence, or even depression. People staying in the workforce longer, dating again in midlife, and living healthier at advanced ages want their hair to match the vitality that they feel on the inside. Sometimes even small improvements make a big impact on appearance.

If an FUE hair transplant isn’t right for you yet, don’t lose hope. We have numerous treatment options, nutritional recommendations, laser, PRP, scalp tattooing, and other therapies. Our caring staff understand what people deal with when they strive to restore their hair density and youthfulness. We’ll walk you through the options. Contact the Toronto Hair Transplant Clinic today, and let’s get started.

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Dr. Cory Torgerson (MD, PhD, FRCSC)
Dr. Cory Torgerson is a Canadian-trained Head and Neck Surgeon with the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. With his focus solely being the Head and Neck, Dr. Torgerson is a leading authority in Canada. With several years of experience, a robust reputation, and a diverse clientele base, Dr. Torgerson is well-versed in what viable options are available to his clients and what strategies could be employed for Hair Transplant and Hair Restoration.
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