Can Women Get NeoGraft? Plus 7 Other Questions Ladies Have About Hair Loss & Restoration

Did you know that women make up nearly half of hair loss sufferers in the US? Despite this startling statistic, many still incorrectly believe that hair loss is something that only plagues men.

Since I began offering NeoGraft® hair restoration in Richmond, I’ve met a number of women who are experiencing embarrassment, lack of confidence, and decreased quality of life due to thinning hair. I receive a lot of questions from people who are desperate to understand their hair loss and how they can fix it, so I’ve answered them below in the hopes of helping you learn more about the condition and your options for feeling more comfortable and confident.

1. How much hair loss is normal for women?

If you’ve ever looked down at your shower drain and were horrified by the amount of hair that accumulated there, chances are you’ve wondered if you were losing more hair than normal. Men and women both shed strands of hair on a daily basis and, depending on how frequently you wash your hair, those naturally shed hairs tend to come out all at once in the shower.

Typically, women shed between 50 to 100 strands of hair per day. If you have textured hair, frequently wear your hair up, or only wash your hair a few times a week, it’s likely you’ll see bigger clumps in the shower—don’t worry, it’s probably just that the daily losses accumulated between washings.

Instead of counting every lost strand in the shower, focus on whether or not your hair feels different overall, or if you’re noticing that the hair coming out in the shower has noticeably increased.

2. What causes hair loss in women?

The most common cause of hair loss in women is a genetic condition known as androgenic alopecia. While hair thinning from the condition typically comes with age, it can occur at any time and can feel quite devastating for those experiencing it.

There are other, non-hereditary reasons for hair loss. It can be a symptom of issues such as stress, thyroid disorders, and hormonal imbalances, so it’s important to discuss your hair loss with your doctor to rule out any underlying conditions.

Hair loss can also be associated with poor nutrition or sudden or excessive weight loss. If you are on a personal weight loss journey but haven’t been working with a doctor, start getting regular health check ups and ask for nutritional guidance ASAP.

3. Do topical hair loss treatments for women work?

The haircare market is saturated with products that promise to strengthen hair, add thickness, or treat hair loss, but the number of truly effective options is small. As such, many women end up feeling frustrated because the OTC hair loss treatments they’ve tried simply haven’t worked.

There are only two topical medications that have been proven to have positive effects for some patients in early stages of hair loss:

• Minoxidil, an over-the-counter topical treatment most recognized as Rogaine, can help promote hair growth for those who are suffering from androgenic alopecia. It’s applied to the scalp to stimulate growth and typically takes several months to show improvement. It works for some but isn’t satisfactory in others, and only helps while actively being used.

• Other medications and treatments rely on finasteride, though these are typically only used by men and menopausal or post-menopausal women because of associated risks related to childbearing. Additionally, some women using it experience side effects including decreased libido, headaches, and breast tenderness. Propecia is one well-known brand containing finasteride.

Ultimately, it’s normal to try one of these readily-available products as a first step in combating hair loss, but it’s best to talk to a doctor about the issue before making a choice.

4. Can women get hair transplants?

Absolutely! Because the hair transplant process involves relocating hair follicles from the thickest parts of your hair to thinning areas, anyone who is deemed a candidate can have a hair transplant procedure.

That being said, many women rule out hair transplant surgery because they worry about how the procedure will impact the immediate appearance of their hair or think they’ll look strange as the grafted follicles begin to grow. Men and women both need to meet certain criteria to have a successful hair transplant procedure—including having a healthy area of viable follicles to harvest. The best way to determine if it’s a good idea for you is to consult with a hair transplant surgeon.

Photos courtesy of NeoGraft.

5. Is NeoGraft a good option for women?

NeoGraft® hair restoration, an automated Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) hair transplant system, can be a wonderful option for women. It’s a particularly attractive option for women who typically have longer hair because it does not require the removal of a strip of follicle-containing tissue from the back of the head. Instead, individual hair follicles are gently extracted from the back of the head and meticulously transplanted into thinning areas.

You won’t have to shave your head and long hair can even be a blessing in terms of concealing your grafts during the initial healing period.

Like with any hair transplantation procedure, you will need to schedule a consultation with an experienced NeoGraft provider to determine if the procedure can provide the results you want.

6. Will I have to shave my head before NeoGraft?

If you’re envisioning having to walk around with a bald head before and after your NeoGraft procedure, you’ll be happy to know that’s not the case. However, the follicles that are to be harvested will need to be very short, so the donor area will need to be shaved to some degree. In some cases where fewer harvests are needed, you may not have to have the entire donor area shaved.

This can sound scary for most women, but we do our best to do a hidden shave where surrounding hair will cover up the area. Depending on the number of follicles being grafted into the recipient area, they can typically be placed between the existing hairs without shaving.

7. Can I get NeoGraft if I have long hair?

There is no reason long hair will prevent you from having NeoGraft, as long as you are comfortable with both the potential shaving of the donor area and uneven growth in the recipient area. In fact, long hair can be helpful in terms of concealing healing grafts!

Photos courtesy of NeoGraft.

8. Can I wear a wig after NeoGraft?

Because your newly grafted hair will go through numerous stages of growth before it fills in, you may not feel pleased with your appearance until the grafts have fully grown out. Even so, it’s important to avoid wearing hats, wigs, or anything else that could rub against the healing grafts.

While you may be anxious to cover your head, wait until you get the all-clear from your physician at a follow-up appointment before donning a wig or headwear. (Typically, they will want you to wait at least a month before wearing a wig.)

Once you get the okay, make sure your wig or headwear is very clean, that you aren’t using any wig adhesive, and that nothing creates friction in the healing areas.

Another option is to plan ahead as to how you will style your hair during the healing period. Once you’ve had a consultation and understand where your grafts will come from and how they might look as they grow out, you can prepare with an appropriate haircut or have clever styling options in mind. (You will still have to be sure you’re not bothering healing areas with styling products or methods.)

Have more hair loss questions? I’m here to help

I would love to help you explore your options and determine if NeoGraft is a good choice for you. Please contact my office to schedule a personal consultation with me and my NeoGraft technician.