Can I Get a Hair Transplant During COVID?

The coronavirus epidemic has changed our lives. But an important part of every journey is the return home. It’s time to create a new normal in Texas, and nobody is more prepared to do that than Houston Hair Transplant Center. Our clean clinic and helpful, healthy staff are ready to address your individual issues as the need arises. Most importantly, we have spent our time not just waiting, but preparing for the day when we can once again serve our community with premium cosmetic procedures.

In a slow, measured and deliberate way, a new day is dawning in Texas. 

Houston Hair Transplant Center provides the highest quality hair transplants at the lowest prices. Call 713-864-2300 to contact us and schedule a consultation. Virtual consultations are available to suit our patients’ needs.  

FUE Hair Restoration at the Houston Hair Transplant Center 

Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) with the amazingly precise Neograft system is simply the best hair restoration procedure on planet earth. The coronavirus pandemic has exposed a vulnerability that we’re not used to seeing in the United States. COVID-19 has exposed our strengths as well. 

Houston Hair Transplant Center has always been an industry leader in clean equipment and spotless facilities. FUE is the very best in hair restoration surgery and nobody does FUE better than Houston Hair Transplant Center. 

Due to the advent of COVID-19, we had temporarily suspended procedures and consults in compliance with Texas Medical Board and the Governor’s guidelines. Now, we ensure that all patients and visitors to the office are screened for temperature and we limit the number of consults and procedures at any given time in the office. We practice social distancing in the clinic both between patients and staff in compliance with CDC guidelines. We also strongly encourage Virtual consults via What’s App, Video and other TeleHealth platforms. 

NeoGraft’s “No Touch” Hair Implantation

The remarkable NeoGraft Hair Implantation System is the most advanced restoration technique in the world. The system introduces new levels of efficiency and effectiveness to the Lone Star stage with its “no touch” approach. NeoGraft makes the process as easy as operating office equipment. And our specially trained healthcare professionals are prepared to make your hair replacement surgery experience safe and simple. 

NeoGraft System Benefits

  • “No touch” implantation technique for safe distancing
  • Minimally invasive FUE follicular harvest 
  • Short recovery time  

What is Neograft FUE Hair Restoration? 

Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) represents a significant improvement over the old “strip harvesting” technique. The outdated technique involves removing an entire “strip” of hair follicles at the back of the head. But the Neograft system is minimally invasive. It has far less of an impact on your body’s health and healing than traditional techniques. Neograft eliminates the need for a large incision and consequent scar.

The procedure begins by identifying a “safe zone” of dense, healthy hair follicles.[1] The donor area is shaved for easy extraction. Using NeoGraft, your Houston Hair Transplant medical professional begins the harvest, three follicles at a time. The meticulous process is minimally invasive, leaving only tiny pin-hole scars behind. Up to 2,500 hair follicles may be extracted in a single sitting. 

The NeoGraft device makes extraction as simple as a Swingline stapler in the hands of our supremely skilled staff. By repeating the same gentle extraction method, sufficient numbers of living follicles are gathered for implantation in the target areas.       

Before and After Photos

Procedures Scoring System During the COVID-19 Pandemic

The Journal of the American College of Surgeons has produced a scoring method for balancing a medical procedure’s draw on public health resources versus the urgent life circumstances that are unique to every patient.[2] 

Fortunately, FUE Hair Restoration surgery using the Neograft device scored amazingly favorably. Houston Hair Transplant Center is currently setting procedure dates for our very patient patients while also being respectful and responsive to a dynamic public health landscape. 

Twenty-one factors were identified to prioritize elective procedures in the climate of the COVID-19 pandemic. These identified factors fell into three general categories. A higher score for each factor is associated with an increased risk of COVID-19 transmission to the healthcare team, and/or increased hospital resource use. 

Procedure Factors Score: 11

Operating room time takes into consideration the sequestration of or resources during the predicted length of the procedure. As mentioned, FUE hair restoration is an outpatient procedure producing a minimal drain on public health resources.

Variable12345
OR time, min<3031–6061–120121–180≥181
Estimated LOSOutpatient<23 h24–48 h2–3 d≥4 d
Postoperative ICU need, %Very unlikely<55–1011–25>25
Anticipated blood loss, cc<100100–250250–500500–750≥751
Surgical team size, n1234>4
Intubation probability, %≤11–56–1011–25>25

GI, gastrointestinal; LOS, length of stay; MIS, minimally invasive surgery; OHNS, otolaryngology, head & neck surgery; OR, operating room.

Dev Note: consider adding This Table

Condition Factors Score: 23

Fortunately, we can be very flexible in scheduling our patients in a way that is mindful of the greater forces at play. Hair restoration is an important procedure to the individuals involved, but it is not urgent. Hair loss is a process that often begins before you even notice it. As you get older, it continues to advance. But urgency on the COVID-19 curve is measured in terms of weeks, rather than months or years. A higher score in the disease factors group is generally indicative of less harm to the patient when treatment is delayed. These factors independently assess the impact of surgical delay in order to integrate time-sensitivity into the prioritization process. The bottom line: we can wait until it is the right time for you to undergo the procedure. 

Factor12345
Age, y<2021–4041–5051–65>65
Lung disease (asthma, COPD, CF)NoneMinimal (rare inhaler)> Minimal
Obstructive sleep apneaNot presentMild/moderate (no CPAP)On CPAP
CV disease (HTN, CHF, CAD)NoneMinimal (no meds)Mild (1 med)Moderate (2 meds)Severe (≥3 meds)
DiabetesNoneMild (no meds)Moderate (PO meds only)> Moderate (insulin)
Immunocompromised∗∗NoModerateSevere
ILI symptoms (fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, diarrhea)None (Asymptomatic)Yes
Exposure to known COVID–19 positive person in past 14 daysNoProbably notPossiblyProbablyYes

CAD, coronary artery disease; CF, cystic fibrosis; CHF, congestive heart failure; COVID-19, novel coronavirus; CPAP, continuous positive airway pressure; CV, cardiovascular; HTN, hypertension; ILI, influenza-like illness; med, medication; PO, by mouth.

Hematologic malignancy, stem cell transplant, solid organ transplant, active/recent cytotoxic chemotherapy, anti-TNFα or other immunosuppressants, >20 mg prednisone equivalent/day, congenital immunodeficiency, hypogammaglobulinemia on intravenous immunoglobulin, AIDS.

Patient Factors Score: 16

Patient factors include those that are known to be associated with higher incidences COVID-19 mortality. At Houston Hair Transplant Center, we only qualify healthy patients for our procedures. We are serious about the health and safety of both our patients and the proud healthcare professionals on our team. At Houston Hair Transplant Center, patient factors are not a factor because, even before COVID, we always qualify patients who are physically and mentally ready for our safe and simple FUE hair transplant procedures.

Factor12345
Age, y<2021–4041–5051–65>65
Lung disease (asthma, COPD, CF)NoneMinimal (rare inhaler)> Minimal
Obstructive sleep apneaNot presentMild/moderate (no CPAP)On CPAP
CV disease (HTN, CHF, CAD)NoneMinimal (no meds)Mild (1 med)Moderate (2 meds)Severe (≥3 meds)
DiabetesNoneMild (no meds)Moderate (PO meds only)> Moderate (insulin)
Immunocompromised∗∗NoModerateSevere
ILI symptoms (fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, diarrhea)None (Asymptomatic)Yes
Exposure to known COVID–19 positive person in past 14 daysNoProbably notPossiblyProbablyYes

Dev Note: consider adding This Table

Neograft FUE Hair Transplant Total Score: 50

The cutting edge nature of the FUE hair transplant procedure with Neograft means that you will see transformative results without any worry for your health and safety. We are experienced practitioners in the art of hair restoration. FUE has always been both an elegant and effective aesthetic procedure. But now, under the microscope of the COVID-19 epidemic, we can further affirm our personal pledge to give you a safe cosmetic upgrade so you can easily get back to your life.

A higher cumulative score, which can range as high as 105, is associated with poorer perioperative patient outcomes, increased risk of COVID-19 transmission to the healthcare team, and increased strain on hospital resources. In a similar manner, a lower score can be assigned to help preserve operation room capacity and our precious supply of personal protective equipment for our front line workers. Once again, both thresholds can be dynamically adjusted to respond to the immediate availability of resources and local conditions.

Your Safe Consultation at Houston Hair Transplant Center

Virtual consultations are now available so that you can begin your journey of transformation from the safe comforts of home. Dr. Goran Jezic is the medical director and founder of Houston Hair Transplant Center. Our vision of high-quality hair restoration at an affordable price started with him. He believes that every patient should be treated with the utmost care and respect.

Dr. Jezic is double board-certified. He went to medical school at the University of Texas, Houston, and he received specialty training at the University of Utah in Salt Lake. He began performing hair transplants in 2013 when he became aware of the astounding advancements in the field. Dr. Jezic saw that he could provide top quality hair restoration at the lowest price to the people of Houston. 

Rapid Recovery

We all can’t wait to get back to normal. That’s why FUE hair transplantation is simple and minimally invasive. Here’s what you can expect in the days and weeks following the procedure. 

Post-Transplantation Timeline

  1. Return to normal activities and light exercise after several days.
  2. More strenuous exercise can resume after a week, but avoid sweating excessively
  3. You may resume all normal activities after two weeks. 

The Cost of Hair Restoration During COVID

Houston Hair Transplant Center believes prices should be upfront and transparent! Houston Hair Transplant Center only performs FUE with Neograft. That puts us at the top of our industry in terms of quality. What about price? Well, you may have noticed that our competitors’ costs are a well-kept secret. But you can rest assured that Houston Hair Transplant Center will provide you with solid numbers you can trust. Call 713-864-2300 to contact us and schedule a consultation. Virtual consultations are available.

Once you get a quote from us, your final figure will not move or change. If you have been researching hair restoration or hair replacement, you know that natural-looking results are pricey. This is especially true when you are considering a premium procedure like FUE with Neograft. At Houston Hair Transplant Center, we like to distinguish ourselves from the rest because we offer the most competitive pricing in the market. 

References 

  1. Nalluri, R., & Harries, M. (2016). Alopecia in general medicine. Clinical Medicine, 16(1), 74–78. doi: 10.7861/clinmedicine.16-1-74
  2. Prachand, V. N., Milner, R., Angelos, P., Posner, M. C., Fung, J. J., Agrawal, N., … Matthews, J. B. (2020). Medically Necessary, Time-Sensitive Procedures: Scoring System to Ethically and Efficiently Manage Resource Scarcity and Provider Risk During the COVID-19 Pandemic. Journal of the American College of Surgeons. doi: 10.1016/j.jamcollsurg.2020.04.011
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