Women are not shy about going under the knife to have the look they want. Women account for 86.4% of cosmetic procedures worldwide, but only 13% of hair transplant patients are female.
An FUE hair transplant is the most advanced and permanent solution to a hair loss problem for men and women. But unlike male hair transplants, there are more challenges for female patients which may explain the reasons why hair transplant is not as common as male hair transplant
Hairloss is still a taboo
Even though “fewer than 45% of women go through life without hair loss” a full head of hair for women of all ages continues to be the cultural norm. Dermatologists agree that bald women are rarely accepted cosmetically, while women are more under societal pressure to look attractive. The negative quality of life is likely to be worse for women as a result. Getting a hair transplant is perceived to be the ultimate resignation to hair loss therefore, for female patients, it is harder to come to terms with it.
The survival rate is lower
In FUE hair transplant the hair graft survival rate in female hair transplants is 95%, so the surgery is very successful. However, if it’s diffuse thinning due to female androgenetic alopecia, the patient will lose their new hair even after the surgery. It’s because hair is susceptible to the effects of DHT. In that case, a hair transplant is not very successful and is not recommended.
Shaving the hair is a “No-no”
The biggest giveaway of a hair transplant procedure is that your hair will get shaved. For many women, the thought of shaving their hair is near enough unacceptable. But many surgeons offer unshaven FUE or only partial shaven FUE procedures too. So female patients can keep their long hair and cover the shaved donor area after the surgery.
Despite all the odds, there are many success stories of Female Hair Transplant. One of them has been Paigey Cakey, the English MC, singer and actress, from Hackney, London. Cakey had her hair transplant in Turkey in 2018, and since then she has been a major influence for both female and male hair transplant patients chosing Longevita.
We asked our femail patients how they feel about the concept:
Z.S. (age 26, from London): “Shaving my head was something that made me feel a little scared.”
Why do you think women feel uncomfortable about hair transplant?
Z.S: The main reason why I felt uncomfortable was shaving my head, because it was something that made me a feel little scared. A woman’s beauty start from how healthy her hair is. The worry came from knowing that I would have bald patches in my head for the next few months. Which is why it took me so long to decide if I even want to go forward with it.
Were you nervous before the procedure?
Z.S: Yes, very. Infact I cried before the procedure as I was hearing people talking about their experiences online which made very anxious. A lot of the reviews I had seen were of people that describe the injections as painful. But during the procedure I didn’t even flinch. Everyone in the surgery room reallly helped me relieve my anxiety which put me at rest.”
J.W. (age 37, from London) : “Big forehead and bold pacthes kind of resemble men’s issues. Maybe that is why this procedure is still a taboo amongst women.”
Longevita: Why do you think women feel uncomfortable about hair transplant? How were you feeling about it before you had it done? And do you think it’s still a taboo?
J.W.: “I feel like good hair is such an important aspect of every woman’s beauty. It is the image of femininity and an expression of sexuality. When the hair is ruined, it feels like all is taken away from you. And I felt that way because my hair used to be tick and it used cover little more of my big forehead.
Having hair transplant feels quite different to having the breast or nose operation. It felt a little more unusual and almost embarrassing because it is usually done by men. Big forehead and bold patches kind of resemble men’s issues. Maybe that is why this procedure is still a taboo amongst women. It’s not sexy at all.
I’ve never been overly sensitive over my high hairline. But working around it with different hairstyles to cover it used to frustrate me. And having curly hair makes it unpredictable too. Now I have a gentle look when I take pictures and it’s easier to style my hair. It is still growing and thickening but the difference is awesome. I would recommend it to every woman to have it done – even if they want to keep it as a secret.
There are a plenty of materials online for girls to educate themselves about the procedure, without showing the faces of the girls who had it done. I’ve never knew any girl who had it done, only men. But I still decided to go for it. Because I am a risk taker, and this wasn’t even much of a risk. It is well worth it!”
Paigey Cakey on Twitter: “Getting a hair transplant was the best thing I have ever done. My edges were literally holding on for dear life.”
“I am very happy with the outcome and I’m very happy with how my hair is growing. I feel very confident now!”
