Do good clinics tend to reject patients based on their own aesthetic views

[Cory]

I‘m reading a lot of ‘not a candidate’ judgements on this forum, without knowing the posters expectations, while these can be very subjective.

Let’s say someone has a higher norwood and a average donor (hypothetically), but his preference is to have less-ideal density hair rather than being completely bald. 

Do clinics tend to decline their service based on these kind of preferences, unusual as may be?

 

 

[jjalay]

In such cases most clinics, according to the expectations of the patient and the donor area, will offer to do the front and midscalp and leave the crown as it is. If the patient doesnt accept that and wants full coverage without having the donor area they have to decline, this is the most honest thing to do.

[Rahal Hair Transplant]

@Cory,

This is a good question. And I can’t speak for other clinics but Dr. Rahal does reject patients but only if he genuinely feels that the procedure is not in their best interest.  But as you said, this is very subjective. So let me explain.

Hair transplant surgery is a matter of supply and demand.  And the sad reality is, some patients just can’t get what they want because they simply have a much greater demand for hair than they do donor supply.  When this happens, a surgeon has to make a very careful decision.  Do they operate and risk the patient not being happy even if the patient claims to understand what can be expected?  Or does he turn the patient down because he recognizes that the patient will never actually be happy with the results that can be achieved given their state.

Then there is the reality that many patients with advanced hair loss also have substantial thinning in the donor area.  These Individuals typically are just not candidates because even if they would be satisfied with a sprinkling of hair on top, their donor would look even more exceptionally thin and a natural if any donor hair is moved.

Hair loss can be very emotional for men. Many men who aren’t the best candidates for hair transplant surgery may claim they have realistic expectations simply because they’re so desperate to have any additional hair on top of their head at that time. But once the results actually grow in, they’re left dissatisfied and frankly, the results aren’t going to appear top-notch compared to all the results the surgeon is capable of simply because the individual didn’t have the characteristics to make it happen.

At the end of the day, Dr. Rahal makes decisions on a case by case basis depending on a number of factors which includes, the patient’s age, whether or not they are currently on or willing to get on non-surgical treatments such as finasteride and or minoxidil, family history of hair loss, current hair loss pattern, projected future hair loss, donor hair availability over the course of a patient’s lifetime which Dr. Rahal has a scientific formula to calculate (this includes donor hair density), caliber of hair, scalp to hair color ratio which can make a difference in the overall appearance of density, patient’s expectations and more.

I hope this helps.

Patient Advocate for Rahal Hair Transplant

Edited December 19, 2023 by Rahal Hair Transplant

[Cory]

Interesting points.

I completely get the reasoning behind rejection based on unrealistic expectations. To clarify that wasn't what I meant.

[Melvin- Admin]

Surgeons may reject you if they feel they can’t give you a reasonable result. I actually think that’s the ethical thing to do.