Hair restoration surgery is an art. Who you choose to perform your surgery is the most important choice you will make in your hair restoration journey. This is because your surgeon controls the direction and angle of your transplanted hair and will ultimately shape your result to compliment your facial features. For a procedure that requires incredible attention to detail and a creative, artistic eye, you should only choose a facial plastic surgery expert for your hair surgery.
Before you choose your hair transplant surgeon you should ask…
Are they board certified to perform surgery on the head and neck?
- Dr. Sitapara is board certified in Head and Neck Surgery and completed a five year residency in the field. As a fellowship trained Facial Plastic Surgeon, he has dedicated his career to perform only cosmetic surgery of the face.
- Avoid hair transplant doctors that never completed surgical training or completed surgical training in other areas of the body. Avoid hair transplant “chains” with multiple locations across the country.
Did they complete specialty training in hair transplant surgery or did they just go to an “extensive” weekend course?
- After completing five years of head and neck surgery training, Dr. Sitapara dedicated an additional year to train with past president of the American Board of Hair Restoration Surgery, Michael Beehner, MD. Dr. Sitapara believes that to be the best, you have to train with the best, and continues to dedicate his time teaching at the George Washington University School of Medicine.
Do they perform both FUT and FUE? See below for an explanation of the different techniques.
- If your surgeon only offers one of the above, they may be trying to sell you on one particular technique or device (Neograft, Artas, HUE, etc.). There are advantages and disadvantages to both, and a reputable hair transplant surgeon should be able to guide you so you can make the best decision for yourself.
- Dr. Sitapara offers both techniques and tailors the approach for the individual. By teaching you about all of your options, he can help you make the most informed choice. Dr. Sitapara does not believe in gimmicks, just great surgical results.
Hair Transplant Basics:
Hair naturally grows in groups of 1 to 4 hairs – also known as follicular units. There are two main methods with which these follicular units are harvested, Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) and Follicular Unit Transplantation (FUT). With these techniques, Dr. Sitapara is able to transplant up to 10,000 hairs in one session!
In FUE, Dr. Sitapara individually harvests follicles using the most cutting edge technology (Trivellini Mamba). In FUT, also known as strip hair transplant surgery, Dr. Sitapara removes a thin strip of hair from the back of the scalp which are then separated into follicular units under a microscope. As a Facial Plastic Surgeon, Dr. Sitapara then meticulously closes the incision so that the ultimate scar is pencil thin and nearly invisible. There are advantages and disadvantages to both techniques and Dr. Sitapara spends a great deal of time informing you of both so you can make the best decision.
Once the grafts are harvested, Dr. Sitapara artistically designs each discrete hair recipient site with particular attention to the direction of future hair growth, angle of hair growth, curl of the hair, and the number of hairs in each follicular unit. By paying attention to the smallest details, he is able to achieve consistently natural results for all of his patients. The grafts are then placed into these recipient sites by Dr. Sitapara and his expert team.
Am I a Good Candidate for a Hair Restoration?
At Chevy Chase Facial Plastic Surgery, we offer a full spectrum of hair restoration options for men and women who are experiencing hair loss. We treat people that have hereditary and non-hereditary hair loss, people that need corrective surgery after previous hair plugs, people that have hair loss due to traction alopecia, and other forms of hair loss. We commonly transplant patients with hair loss in their temples/hairline, in their crown, or along their part. We also are able to transplant eyebrows and facial hair. Since the procedure is done while awake in our office, there is little to no risk of undergoing surgery.
View Hair Restoration Before & After Photos
Have I Lost Too Much Hair To Be a Hair Transplant Candidate?
You would be surprised by what we can achieve with some well placed hair! Using high powered magnification, Dr. Sitapara can individually place thousands of follicular units in between hairs in areas that have lost significant density. For patients with more severe to profound loss, we commonly employ the “frontal forelock technique” in order to capture a relatively early stage of hair loss that leaves people looking natural.
Am I Too Young for a Hair Transplant?
Although we treat hair loss patients of all ages at Chevy Chase Facial Plastic Surgery, we most commonly perform hair transplants on men and women between the ages of 21 to 65. During your consultation, Dr. Sitapara will take a thorough hair loss history including the pattern of hair loss in your family. This allows him to anticipate your possible future hair loss pattern, and adjust his surgical plan accordingly so you will always look natural. Since the transplanted hairs are almost entirely resistant to hormonal, environmental, and even age related loss, you will be able to enjoy the look of your transplant for the rest of your life. Our older patients commonly say they love their results – they just wish they had done it sooner!
What Does The Day of My Hair Transplant Look Like?
You will arrive the morning of your transplant and meet with Dr. Sitapara and his team. He will review the plan with you once again to make sure you don’t have any last-minute questions. He will administer several medications to you including medications to relax you, decrease swelling after the procedure, and numb your scalp. We then have you lay down in our ultra-comfortable procedure chair that resembles a massage table. After you are completely numb, Dr. Sitapara will then explain every step of the way as he harvests the hair. Once the harvest is complete, you will be able to sit up for a short break. Meanwhile, his team will be busy processing your hair to ensure that the follicular units are perfect before transplantation. With you in a comfortable position, Dr. Sitapara will begin designing the recipient sites to achieve your hair restoration dreams. The individual follicular units will then be delicately placed into position under high magnification. Once complete, our team will place a small protective dressing on top and you will be free to go home. Now that the seeds are planted, all you need to do is wait for the hair to grow!
The Chevy Chase Face Difference
Since opening in 2003, our focus has always been to help our patients achieve their facial aesthetic goals. At Chevy Chase Facial Plastic Surgery, we believe patients deserve a “hyper-specialist” to achieve the best possible results. That is why our surgeons only perform plastic surgery of the head and neck. As our hair specialist, Dr. Sitapara is a fellowship trained Facial Plastic Surgeon who learned the art of hair transplantation from world renowned hair transplant surgeons in New York. He is focused on achieving natural hair restoration results for all of his patients.
Every detail of our hair restoration process is designed to provide the absolute best patient experience – from our concierge level of service before, during, and after your procedure to the multitude of ways we keep our patients relaxed during the procedure. At Chevy Chase Facial Plastic Surgery, we understand that many of our patients have been considering hair restoration options for years. We specifically curate customized surgical and non-surgical plans for each and every person that walks through our doors and take pride in the fact that we treat our patients like family.
If you want to schedule your hair transplantation consultation, contact our office today at (301) 652-8191.
