Hair loss is a problem faced by a large number of men and women in the world today. Some handle the loss of their hair with dignity and do not worry about being bald. Most, however, experience a loss of self esteem and tend to feel older than they really are based on their appearance. Fortunately, modern science has found several different methods of slowing and reversing hair loss. One of these methods is the hair transplant. But who is a good candidate for a hair transplant?

Most people who suffer from the condition known as male pattern baldness (some are female) make good candidates for receiving hair transplants. This is because they tend to lose their hair in a predictable pattern on the top of the head, leaving the back and sides continuing to grow healthy hair. Because the most successful transplant operations involve taking donor hair from the scalp rather than other parts of the body, this healthy growth in back and sides is essential.

There are different methods used to extract the donor hair. Which will be used should be discussed with the surgeon performing the procedure before undergoing a transplant. One method involves harvesting a narrow strip of scalp from the back of the head and sewing up the incision. This method leaves a fine scar that should be covered by hair growth as long as the patient does not wear the hair too short. The strip of scalp is then dissected into individual follicle groups and implanted into the area of the head experiencing hair loss.

Another, newer, method is to extract single follicle units containing one to four hairs and implant them individually. The advantage of this method is that there is no incision to care for and no scarring. The drawback is that it takes longer and may require more than one session to complete the procedure.

While male pattern baldness is the most common reason for hair loss, and thus for hair transplants, there are other people who are candidates for hair transplantation. Accident victims and those suffering from certain illnesses tend to experience hair loss as a result of their conditions.

Some, though not all, of these individuals can benefit from transplant procedures that cover areas of their heads that experience damage to the follicles resulting in patchy growth or bald spots. Only a surgeon can assess the scalp and make the determination if transplants are viable in accident and illness cases however.