By type
| Type | Suitable | Consideration |
|---|---|---|
| Male pattern, stable | Yes | The most straightforward case |
| Female pattern | Usually | Density work rather than a shaved look |
| Alopecia areata | Sometimes | Patches may regrow, changing the picture |
| Traction alopecia | Often | Only once the tension causing it has stopped |
| Scarring alopecia | Case by case | Must be inactive; scar tissue takes pigment differently |
| Telogen effluvium | No | It usually recovers on its own — wait |
| Rapid, recent loss | Wait | A plan drawn now may not fit in a year |
Assessed individually. Stability of the underlying process is the recurring deciding factor.
The common thread
Every "wait" in that table has the same reason behind it: the picture is still changing. Pigment is placed against the scalp as it is on the day, and a scalp that will look substantially different in a year is a poor foundation.
Common questions
Can it be done on alopecia areata?
Sometimes, though patches can regrow spontaneously, which changes the result. Stability over time is the deciding factor.
What about after chemotherapy?
Hair usually regrows after treatment ends, so waiting to see what returns is almost always the right order.
Is scarred skin treatable?
Often, if the process is inactive. Scar tissue holds pigment differently and results are less predictable, which is discussed beforehand.
How stable does loss need to be?
Stable enough that the plan drawn today still makes sense in a year. That is a judgement made from history and examination.
Can it be adjusted as I lose more hair?
Yes — additional sessions can extend coverage. Planning for that from the start is better than being surprised by it.
What an assessment establishes
- 1.Which process is causing the loss
Pattern loss, telogen effluvium, traction and scarring alopecia look similar in a mirror and behave nothing alike. The examination separates them, because the answer decides which routes are worth discussing at all.
- 2.Whether it is stable or still moving
Loss that is still progressing changes what any treatment can hold. It is the difference between planning around a fixed area and planning around one that will keep widening, and it is judged from history and examination rather than a single photograph.
- 3.Which routes are available to you, and which are not
Donor supply, scalp condition, skin type and how the loss is behaving each rule options in or out. You leave knowing what is on the table and what is not, without a price attached to the conversation.