Q: What is the problem with transplanting the crown too early?

A: If a person’s hair loss continues –- which is almost always the case -– the crown will expand and leave the transplanted area isolated, i.e. looking like a pony-tail. The surgeon can perform additional hair transplant procedures to re-connect the transplanted area to the fringe, but this is a large area that can require a lot of hair, and it is often impossible to determine when a person is young if the donor supply will be adequate. View the full post to see a photo of a patient who had an early hair transplant to his crown.

Q: Can the crown be transplanted first instead of frontal area? Why is the crown the last choice? Any reasons behind it?

A: The crown can be transplanted first in patients who have very good donor reserves (i.e., high density and good scalp laxity). Otherwise, after a hair restoration procedure to the crown you may not be left with enough hair to complete the front and top if those areas were to bald.

Cosmetically, the front and top are much more important to restore than the back. A careful examination by a trained hair restoration surgeon can tell how much donor hair there is available for a hair transplant.

Q: I had my second hair restoration procedure nearly 5 months back. New hair in the front part of the head is growing well, but the crown is growing slow. Is this common? Also does the new hair grow more slowly after second hair transplant procedure? A: Yes, it is typical for hair in the [...]

Q: What are your thoughts on performing a hair transplant to the crown first? A: It depends upon the person’s age, how bald he is likely to become, and the donor supply. As a general rule, the crown should not be transplanted in a younger person (under 30) as the extent of his balding is [...]

Q: Should you perform a hair transplant on a crown that is just starting to thin? A: A “thin” crown should first be treated with Propecia, as it may thicken the hair to a cosmetically acceptable degree without the need for surgery. If Propecia is ineffective in restoring enough hair, then surgical hair restoration can [...]