Hair Restoration is Boosting the Confidence of More People than Ever
Hair restoration is hot, with more people having hair transplants than ever before.
That’s one of the many takeaways from the 2017 Practice Census from the International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery (ISHRS), a global non-profit medical association and a leading authority on hair loss treatment and restoration. The survey of 300 physician members of the ISHRS was conducted over the summer. The objective of the survey was to gather statistics regarding hair restoration procedures, patient demographics, surgical techniques and treatments used.
The Practice Census found that a total of more than 133,000 surgical hair restoration procedures were performed in the U.S. in 2016. That is an increase of 18 percent over 2014 and a 50 percent increase since 2012. Why are we seeing this increase in hair restoration procedures? Based on our experience and conversations with patients, it is largely due to two related factors:
- First and foremost is that hair restoration techniques have continuously improved over the past 20 years. This contributes to impressive patient results and very high patient satisfaction.
- Second, the stigma that was once associated with cosmetic surgery is no longer an issue for most people. So many well-known and respected people have been public about the work they’ve had done that cosmetic surgery has been normalized. This means men and women can do whatever makes them feel more confident without the risk of shame or embarrassment.
When it comes to surgical hair restoration procedures, men made up nearly 86 percent of patients while about 14 percent were women. However, for non-surgical hair restoration patients, the numbers were much closer, with women making up about 38 percent of patients. Not surprisingly, men still were the majority at about 62 percent.
This tracks with generational changes we have seen. Women experiencing hair loss used to be satisfied covering up their hair with a wig. Today, women are much more likely to seek medical treatment, which often can provide great results. A smaller percentage of women are good candidates for surgical hair restoration. We’ve posted a great overview about our success with women patients title, “Female Pattern Hair Loss: Artistic Hair Restoration Works for Women.”
What is the typical age of a hair restoration patient? About 60 percent of both male and female patients fell between the ages of 30 to 49 years old. On average, males tended to be slightly younger than females.
Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) – harvesting follicles one at a time or in small groups – is now the leading method of harvesting donor hair follicles by a pretty wide margin. When asked what percent of total male and female hair restoration surgical procedures were performed, almost 53 percent said Hair Transplantation with FUE harvesting. Another 44 percent said Hair Transplantation with strip/linear harvesting. About 3 percent said they use a combination strip and FUE performed during the same surgical session.
At Arocha Hair Restoration we use both methods, depending on the unique needs and characteristics of the individual patient. The introduction of certain FUE tools, including the ARTAS® Robotic System, have greatly improved the precision and speed of harvesting. Perhaps the greatest advantage of FUE is minimal scarring in the donor area since we employ the smallest punch size possible. We also perform state of the art FUT. Our practice is 100% focused on hair restoration excellence.
The survey asked about the various treatments prescribed to patients in 2016. Approximately 61 percent of respondents said they prescribed Propecia/finasteride 1mg while 58 percent said they prescribed Rogaine/5% minoxidil foam. Slightly more than 43 percent prescribed Rogaine/2% or 5% minoxidil solution.
We would just caution that physicians prescribe medications that they believe are in the best interests of the individual patient. Therefore, if your physician does not prescribe the same treatment another patient is getting, that doesn’t mean one or the other is wrong. Each individual is different, so even though Propecia/finasteride 1mg is very common, some require a different approach.
We found a few other interesting findings in the 2017 Practice Census that we will discuss in a future post.
To schedule a consultation with Dr. Arocha and learn more about your hair transplant options, please contact Arocha Hair Restoration today.
