subject: Understanding Hair Transplantation [print this page] Maybe you have never given much thought to hair transplantation. That's very likely if you are an adult man or woman who has a full head of hair. It may well be the case if you have been losing hair, but take your thinning hair in stride and don't understand why other people feel differently.
Understanding the reasons for someone else's hair transplantation should be no different than understanding the reasons for someone else's orthodontic procedure.
The person has decided to have a cosmetic procedure to enhance his/her appearance. When a relative, friend or colleague has dental braces the reason is usually obvious and no special comment is required. The same is true for hair transplantation.
Old Attitudes About Cosmetic Procedures. Old attitudes die hard, and beliefs about the vanity of cosmetic procedures still persist.
Cosmetic procedures are common, well accepted and highly successful today. Millions of people have cosmetic procedures for a variety of reasons-to remove acne scars or other skin blemishes, to reverse the early effects of skin aging, to straighten teeth and realign jaws, toimprove facial symmetry, and to restore hair loss to maintain a balanced facial appearance.
Nevertheless, a suspicion that cosmetic procedures are indications of self-centered vanity can color opinions. It's an old, outdated belief, and it dies hard.
Self-Assurance, Self-Image, Self-Respect. In past generations a person 60 years of age was "old". Today, 60 can still be within the boundaries of middle-age for the physically and psychologically healthy. Today's 60-year-old who exercises regularly and has a healthy diet may have the physical appearance of a person years younger.
The physically fit body can be complemented by hair transplantation that may have been carried out over a period of years to "keep up" with thinning hair. Likewise, physically fit men and women in their 30s, 40s and 50s may not "look their ages" if they are physically fit. Cosmetic deficits can detract from appearance, however. The appearance of a 40-year-old man can be compromised by hair loss and development of a "bald spot".
