Question:
I have curly hair and I am wondering if it responds any differently to hair transplantation than straight hair?
Answer:
Curly hair does have some advantages as well as disadvantages in terms of transplanting. In addition, the term curly can mean many things, for some patients being a soft curl while with others being a hard curl. In general, when there is a hard curl such as with African American hair, the dissection process can be more time consuming and require greater expertise, something with which our physicians have tremendous experience. This meticulous work can be very rewarding given the advantage that curly hair often provides the appearance of a greater amount of density as well as the ability to create a more natural appearance if done properly. Many surgeons will not like operating on significantly curly hair due to the challenges but it is so important that a patient find a doctor who has experience in these cases. For hair that has a soft curl there is very little difference in the results or the technique from those with straighter hair.
Posted by Jeffrey S. Epstein, MD, FACS