How to Choose a Hair Loss Doctor That Has Your Best Interests in Mind
One of the most important things you can do when choosing a doctor is make sure that you feel that person has your best interests in mind.
As unfortunate as it is, there are a lot of doctors out there that look at this profession as a just a paycheck and not a means to truly help people. And this happens in all aspects of the medical field, not just the world of hair loss.
By doing your research and understanding what goes into treating hair loss you will have a better idea of what to look for in a qualified doctor. This is extremely important in the field of hair transplants because technology has made it more accessible for doctors to perform these types of surgeries, even if their specialty does not lie in a related field.
What Types of Doctors Should I Trust for a Hair Transplant?
With the advancements in hair transplant technology, and robot assisted procedures, some doctors feel that they are able to perform these procedures even though their field of practice is totally unrelated to hair.
Just as you wouldn’t want, for example, a foot surgeon installing a pacemaker on your heart, you probably wouldn’t want a pediatrician performing a hair transplant procedure on your scalp.
Unfortunately, that is what’s happening.
The technology companies that are developing some of these new hair transplant robotic systems don’t necessarily care what kinds of doctors they are selling them to, they are just looking to sell as many systems as they can. That means that an ER doctor or gynecologist can just as easily purchase the system and begin doing hair transplants themselves. Which doesn’t make much sense to us.
At the Limmer Hair Transplant Center, Dr. Krejci is a board-certified dermatologist who specializes in hair transplants and hair loss treatment. We’re obviously a little biased, but, based on their training and skillset, a dermatologist is the most qualified to treat hair loss, both medically and surgically.
Plastic surgeons and ENT plastic surgeons are also another great option when looking for a hair transplant doctor. Surgeons and doctors that have experience working around the face and head area of the body are more preferred over those that work in other areas of the body. However, skill and experience can also come into play.
You may find a general surgeon that has years of experience doing hair transplant surgeries and may be just as qualified as a dermatologist, or ENT plastic surgeon from a surgical perspective. Experience can be just as important as the specialty when it comes to hair transplants. Still, only dermatologists are specifically trained to diagnose and treat hair loss.
Be sure to talk with your doctor about how long they’ve been performing these procedures and always ask to see before and after examples of previous patients so you can see their work.
If possible, seek out actual patients to ask them about their experiences with the doctor. Be careful though, online reviews and testimonials may not always be an accurate representation of the doctor’s work. Doing your due diligence is extremely important.
What To Look Out for When Choosing a Hair Transplant Surgeon
While it’s very important to find a doctor that you trust and that has experience performing hair transplants, there are also some things to look out for.
Even the most experienced doctors may not have your best interests in mind, so it’s important to ask the right questions and be aware of the suggestions the doctor is making, or not making.
One thing that we aren’t particularly fond of when it comes to hair transplant practices is when a patient never gets to meet the doctor until the day of the surgery.
There are a lot of medical spas and offices out there that employ “consultants” that basically act as sales people to rope you into the surgery with fancy marketing talk.
That’s not to say that there aren’t legitimate doctors out there that have mimicked this sales style, but patients should be aware that these consultants are most likely making a commission off of selling you a service, similar to how a car salesman works. So it’s in their best interest to sell whatever services they can that will net them the most money in their pockets. Some of these services, like PRP or low-level laser light therapy, can even be performed without ever having to see the doctor.
You should always be able to sit down and discuss your options with the actual doctor before agreeing to anything.
In addition to this there are some doctors out there that will jump straight into recommending a hair transplant procedure before ever even mentioning the various FDA approved medical therapies. The medical therapies available today can create great results and many patients benefit from them, so it’s important to find a doctor that will discuss all the different options and their success rates with you before pushing any one procedure on you.
A doctor that has your best interests in mind will always outline all of the options, discuss their risks, benefits and costs, and help you decide which one is right for you.
At the Limmer Hair Transplant Center, Dr. Krejci meets with all our patients to ensure that all of the options have been discussed and your questions have been answered. She always provides testimonials, photo galleries, and references for anyone that asks.
If you would like to setup an appointment for a consultation, please contact us today.