How it works and what to expect

Hair transplants are surgical procedures aimed at encouraging hair growth in areas of the body where hair is thinning or missing. These procedures involve a surgeon taking hair follicles from somewhere else on the body with thicker, denser hair and transplanting them to a new area.

Some people may get a hair transplant as a step in their gender-affirming care.

Gender-affirming care is vital medical care that aims to better welfare those whose gender identity does not match the gender they were assigned at birth. This can allow a person to live more comfortably as their most authentic self and help minimize ongoing discomfort and distress.

There are many different hair transplant procedures that a transgender person can consider, depending on their gender identity and the specific goals they would like to achieve. These include:

• Hair thinning/hairline feminization: This aims to create a more feminine hairline by lowering it and giving it a rounder shape.
• Crown restoration: This helps promote new hair growth in areas that have thinned out due to male pattern baldness.
• Facial hair restoration: This aims to encourage growth with thicker and more prominent facial hair.
• Chest Hair Restoration: This aims to stimulate body hair growth all over the chest.

Doctors may talk about these procedures in terms of masculinization or feminization. But ultimately, each person’s sense of gender is unique to them, and they may undergo any combination of procedures to feel comfortable as themselves.

A hair transplant removes hair follicles from an area of ​​dense hair growth, known as a donor area, and implants them in a new area to encourage new hair growth. These hair follicles usually come from the back of the head, but can also come from other areas of the body, such as the chest.

The surgeon then implants these new follicles through small incisions in the new area.

There are two common hair transplant procedures: Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) and Follicular Strip Surgery (FUSS) or Follicular Unit Transplantation (FUT).

FUE includes a surgeon who collects follicles with a hollow, circular blade or a ‘punch’ from the donor site. The surgeon collects each follicle one by one, leaving a small circular wound.

FUSS, or FUT, includes a surgeon removes a strip of skin from the donor area, leaving a linear scar. They then collect hair follicles from the tape under a microscope.

Before the procedure, a surgeon or hair technician will draw an outline of where to implant the new hair. They will trim the hair in the donor area to facilitate access to the follicles and may administer a local anesthetic to the surgical sites.

The surgeon will then harvest the hair follicles from the donor area and implant them in the new area.

Depending on the type of hair transplant and the number of follicles the surgeon removes, the procedure can take up to 4-8 hours. Afterwards, a person may experience mild pain and swelling for 1-2 days.

Typically, a person can wash the area a few days after surgery and return to normal activities 10 days. A surgeon may advise a person to avoid vigorous exercise and contact sports for at least 3 weeks after surgery.

Between 2 and 8 weeks after surgery, the implanted hairs may fall out. This is a normal part of the recovery process and does not mean that the transplant was unsuccessful. New hairs will tend to grow back around 3-5 months after surgery, with full results visible 10-12 months later.

The cost of a hair transplant can vary depending on the surgeon and the type of procedure. Those that involve a surgeon extracting and implanting more hair in a larger area will tend to take longer and cost more.

The cost may also depend on whether the procedure requires a surgeon who specializes in a particular type of surgery.

Hair transplant procedures that may be part of a person’s gender confirmation care—including such as receding the hairline, beard transplants, and chest hair transplants—can cost around $3,000-$15,000.

During a consultation about their process, a person may want to ask their surgeon:

• Do you have experience treating transgender people?
• Do you have before and after photos that show reasonable expectations for results?
• What are the associated risks and complications?
• What is the procedure for dealing with complications if they arise?
• What are the options if I am unhappy with the results?

A person who wishes to have a hair transplant as part of their gender-affirming care may benefit from seeking out a surgeon who specializes in transgender treatment. According to a Study 2022people whose surgeons were sensitive and understanding about their gender experiences reported lower levels of stress.

Several hair transplant options can be part of a gender affirming individual’s care. These procedures aim to help a person express their gender on the outside closer to how they feel on the inside.

A person can undergo hair transplants to masculinize or feminize aspects of themselves or choose a combination of procedures.

A person usually recovers from a hair transplant procedure within about 10 days. However, it may take up to 12 months for full results to be seen.