What You Need to Know Before Your NeoGraft® Procedure

Committing to a hair restoration procedure can be a big, nerve-wracking decision. Before your first consultation, it might seem like all the questions are spinning through your head. Will this procedure work for me? Will the results be what I expect? What about timing—will the procedure put my life on pause? Will it be stressful? Finally, there’s always that one underlying question: Is this the right procedure for me?

While finding the right treatment professional and booking a consultation is the first step to fending off these nerves, some questions may persist. It’s fair to want to feel confident in your choices, particularly when those choices may alter your appearance. To help ease those nerves, we’ve gathered together everything you need to know before your first NeoGraft® hair restoration procedure to help prepare you for your first session.

How NeoGraft® Hair Restoration Treatments Work

NeoGraft® is a minimally invasive hair restoration procedure suitable for men or women looking to restore their own living, growing hair with transplantation. While many traditional hair restoration procedures employ the “strip method” technique—one that involves surgically removing a strip from the back of a patient’s scalp for harvesting donor hair—NeoGraft® uses a minimally invasive method known as the Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) technique. This method uses an automated handheld device to harvest individual hair follicles from high-growth areas that are naturally resistant to hair loss, thereby avoiding any linear scarring that is typically caused when using the strip method. The individual grafts are then implanted at the site of hair loss, regrowing as healthy, fully functioning hair over time. By using this technique, your NeoGraft® treatment provider is better able to attain more natural-looking results with no linear scarring while using a more comfortable method for you that significantly cuts back on recovery time. 

While most prospective patients can receive these treatments, there are some factors that may exclude an individual from being an ideal candidate for the NeoGraft® hair restoration procedure. These factors may include the total number of grafts required to achieve your desired results, the density and quality of the donor hair (your existing hair used for transplantation), your natural hair texture, the potential for future hair loss, and hair color. Because there are so many factors at play, it’s best to consult a certified treatment provider to determine if you are a potential candidate for the NeoGraft® hair restoration procedure.

How to Prepare for Your NeoGraft® Treatment

There isn’t much you will need to do to prepare for your treatment. For the most part, just a bit of a haircut may be in order, as hair from the donor site needs to be shorter to ensure easier extraction and better results. Cutting hair shorter may also make for a less noticeable change as you return to your daily routine post-treatment and the donor site heals and grows new hair. Your treatment provider will let you know if you need to cut your hair prior to your procedure. At the beginning of your treatment, your provider may also shave the donor site. Rest assured that you don’t need to get a total buzzcut. For those with longer hair, the NeoGraft® procedure can even be done by simply shaving just the small donor areas, allowing the rest of your longer hair to cover it over.

Depending on the number of grafts required, the treatment may take between four and eight hours to complete. While one treatment is often enough to attain desirable results, some cases may require additional sessions. Your treatment provider will be able to better assess your unique circumstances. The treatment will be performed by your physician with the help of certified NeoGraft® technicians, each with more than at least five years of experience and annual recertification, so you can trust you’re in good hands.

What to Know Post-Treatment

It’s important to note that results are never guaranteed and will vary between patients—we’re all unique after all and what looks natural on one person may not be best for another. To get an idea of the range of outcomes that may be possible, your treatment provider will likely offer some before-and-after photos from previous NeoGraft® patients to illustrate the range of incredible results that are possible.

Following your procedure, your treatment provider will send you home with detailed post-treatment care instructions. For optimal results, it’s best to follow all of their recommendations and if anything is unclear, request clarification before doing anything that may compromise the new grafts. You’ll likely be asked to hold off on any strenuous activities for the first week and should exercise restraint and caution when touching, cleaning, or otherwise interacting with the scalp and new grafts for the first 14 days post-procedure. Because there is no incision, there is no need to get any sutures removed, but you will likely be asked to return for a follow-up appointment to ensure results are on track.

The First Step

Before you get to all of the above points, though, you’ll need to locate a certified NeoGraft® provider near you and schedule your initial consultation. During that appointment, your physician can determine if you’re an ideal candidate for the NeoGraft® hair restoration procedure and you can ensure any lingering questions or concerns you may have are properly answered prior to signing on to the procedure. Click here to get started with locating a certified provider near you.