Should ethnicity/race be considered when choosing a surgeon?

[bonkling]

Hi all,

Serial poster, potential annoyance back at it again. 

I have narrowed down my surgeons to a few, one being Dr. Sethi, of Eugenix Hair Sciences in Mumbai. His, and his team's results are truly impressive from what I have seen.

I am just wondering whether myself, as a thin-haired, caucasian, would have inherently different hair to those in other parts of the world (i.e. India)? And if so, is this something that should be a defining factor in who I choose?

I have attached some pictures of what my recession looks like, for reference. Currently sitting at a disgruntled NW III.

Thanks all.

 

Edited February 21, 2019 by bonkling

[Melvin- Admin]

Ethnicity should be considered, but only in terms of design. Hairline designs and temple points differ for various ethnicities. For example, on average caucasian men have triangular temple points, while men of african descent have square hairlines and square temple points. 

So you need to make sure the clinic understands the natural hairline and temple point design based on your ethnic background. That said, eugenix do great work and I’m sure they understand how to design a caucasian hairline, but you may require more grafts to achieve density than say a south asian guy with thick bushy hair. 

 

[JayLDD]

Some surgeons in India definitely tend towards consistently implanting at lower densities than doctors in the West for example, even when they are working on Caucasian patients so I would definitely consider this. They can get away with it due to the hair type they're dealing with and a result on an Indian can still look cosmetically impressive, but often I find its an issue for Caucasian's who go there. Its typically visible even to someone with an untrained eye. In terms of the Eugenix cases I have seen this doesn't appear to be the case however and they're likely doing the best work I've seen from the country, but you should make your own comparisons and find those of your own race that have gone to your intended clinic to look at.

[txtransplant]

   I disagree with the notion any Dr. can do any nationality well.  I think for the most part this is true. But African hair and very curly hair is different. I know of one reasonably well respected surgeon in the USA who has 2 complete failures on a African American patient.  Here is the reality. People with really kinky hair, the hair is flat and that is why it grows in tight curls. And because it is curled, even below the surface things are not completely straight. Because of that, in these patients it can often be much easier to transect hairs as they are harvested as they are unpredictable. I didn't read up a ton on it, but I think most experienced HT surgeons use a larger punch to harvest in these patients. In any case, it presents a challenge to the surgeon and of you are a patient with very curly hair then absolutely you have to find a Dr. who has a lot of experience with your type. And very few surgeons are going to turn them away..it's bad PR and most think they can handle it. But I wouldn't want to be someone they practice on.  Outside of that, I think it doesn't matter. My guess is any patient with straight hair or relatively straight. any good DR can do any ethnicity.  

  One more thing to note. Dark skinned patients do tend to have pigment issues. So this get's really important if you are getting beard or chest grafts. I think common sense dictates if you have dark skin and want that, go to a Dr. who has had a good deal of experience on people with your skin tone. In other words....if you are Indian and sitting in the middle of the Atlantic thinking about a beard HT.  You would for sure probably be wise to fly to India to have that done, rather than Ireland or Japan.  

    For you....I think you would be fine anywhere. But for sure you don't have anywhere near the hair loss right now to bother with a HT.  Yea, see some thinning and recession. But at this stage it just looks great and normal.  Not even close to something worth having surgery for. Wait a few years. Nobody notices this but you....it's not impacting your looks at all.  Trust me! 

Edited February 22, 2019 by txtransplant

[Sean]

Starting to think Ethnicity does matter and the extraction methods also matter when it comes to Ethnicity.  

For FUE, one motorized tool can be ok for thicker hairs and skin types whereas that same tool can be damaging to thinner straighter hair types due to the features and forces of traction it represents.  Some docs may take only patients that are easier to extract on and do other races or ethnicities rarely.  Some doctors take on more challenging cases and may be more efficient extracting hair from those hair types.  

Also, you may have doctors and rotating techs that might not be well versed with certain ethnicities.  Example: you may go to mexico and most patients at this clinic have hispanic clients, they rarely have other demographics, so if you go there, they are not efficient with your physiology as much as others

Best of luck