- The very first hair transplants were attempted during the 1800's and were relatively barbaric and unsuccessful when compared to contemporary treatments. It wasn't, in fact, until the 1930's that modernized hair transplant techniques were first developed. One of the benefits of hair transplantation, then, is that it is a procedure that has been around for a very long time. Because of this, modern medicine has a firm grasp on the procedure and it has been honed to near-perfection through thousands of previous attempts.
- Another huge benefit of hair transplantation is that it is a remarkably versatile procedure. Hair transplants can be used to treat male pattern baldness, scarring, and in facial reconstruction efforts. Other hair-restoration treatments cannot be used in nearly as many different ways.
- Another huge benefit of hair transplants is the fact that they work immediately. Chemical treatments for hair loss can take months or even years to work and may never provide the sort of efficacy that hair transplantation does. A hair transplant works immediately and, on average, only takes around 4 hours to complete. This sort of immediate gratification is a decidedly positive facet of the procedure.
- Of course there are also many potential pitfalls involved with hair transplants. Even though hair transplantation is a relatively minor procedure, it is still surgery and carries risks of complications. Infection is the most common of these medical risks. Likewise, there is the fact that hair transplants can be extremely costly. The cost of any given transplant depends on the number of grafts (transplanted hair follicles) that are involved. Oftentimes each graft may cost between $3 and $7. This means that the entire procedure may cost well over $10,000, but the price of each operation does vary considerably.
- One common misconception regarding hair transplants is also something that potential patients ought to know. Hair that is transplanted via grafts is not, as many people believe, necessarily permanent. Transplanted hair can, and often does, thin after the procedure. The transplanted hair, however, is generally more resistant to falling out and almost always remains much thicker than the individual's natural hair.
