African American Female Hair Loss – Considering a Hair Transplant
I am a 44 yr old African American female. I have researched several doctors and institutions that claim they can help me but after viewing the work they have done on others I am skeptical. I have been balding on the sides of my temples for about ten years now. It has gotten worse. I have worn my hair in braids for several years and have dyed and fried my hair with chemicals and hair coloring. I am sure that has damaged my hair, but I have not used chemicals in over 12 years. I have used topical solutions, including Rogaine for Men and hair growth products for women. I see some hair regrowth only at the edge of my temples, but not where it should be. I want a hair transplant, I just don’t know who to trust and who can help me. I live in the Maryland/ Washington, DC area but I am certainly willing to travel to get a specialist to help me. Thanks, RS
Dear RS,
From your description you are suffering from traction alopecia. This condition is quite common among African American women and arises because of the fashion of tight braiding. The tight braids produce a repetitive stress on the hair follicle and over a period of time actually destroy the follicles. Unfortunately topical treatment such as Minoxidil (Rogaine) and others rarely produces any recovery.
We have successfully treated many women with this problem in our practice, below is a very good representation of what can be accomplished.
Large areas of temporal recession can usually be restored in one to tow treatments depending on the size of the defect. The transplanted hair begins to grow starting 3- 4 months after the hair transplantation procedure and once growing the hair will continue to grow unless it too is subjected to repetitive braiding.
If you would like to discuss treatment further, please email me, Dr. True, (drtrue@hairlossdoctors.com) or my partner, Dr. Dorin, (drdorin@hairlossdoctors.com). Sending pictures for review would be very helpful.
I want to reassure you that there is a high probability that you can have this problem successfully treated.
Sincerely,
Find A Surgeon
The International Alliance of Hair Restoration Surgeons is a consumer organization that selectively screens skilled and ethical hair transplant surgeons. The IAHRS does not offer an open membership policy to doctors practicing hair transplatation, and is the only group that recognizes that all surgeons are not equal in their skill and technique. Its elite membership seeks to represent the best in the discipline, the true leaders in the field of surgical hair restoration.