Most clients are curious but have no idea where to start. This gives you the basics so you can explain what’s legit, how it works, and who it’s really for. Knowing how to talk about hair transplants not only builds trust but it helps you understand hair loss and scalp health on a whole new level.
Understanding Hair Loss: The Real Cause
Most male clients losing hair are dealing with something called androgenetic alopecia, also known as male pattern baldness.
Here’s what’s happening biologically:
- The hormone DHT (dihydrotestosterone) binds to receptors in certain hair follicles (mostly at the crown, hairline, and temples)
- Over time, these follicles shrink (a process called miniaturization)
- Hair gets thinner, shorter, and eventually stops growing
This isn’t about stress, shampoo, or hats. It’s almost always hormonal + genetic. And once a follicle dies, it can’t regrow, it must be replaced via transplant. Too many people see crazy posts on social media about some miracle spray but the reality is, once a hair follicle is dead, it’s not coming back. We will talk more about how medications can and do help and how they are essential for long term success but for starters, nothing will grow hair where the follicle is already dead.
Who’s a Good Candidate?
Key factors:
- Enough donor hair on the sides/back
- Stable pattern of loss (usually age 25+)
- Realistic expectations, it’s about density, not perfection
- Good general health
Most people don’t understand ‘when’ is the right time. Like almost everything else, people are bombarded with mis-information or just disinformation. Hair loss isn’t like getting in shape, no matter how much effort or money you spend you can’t bring back dead hair follicles. All this said, if hair is important to your clients, have them deal with it sooner rather than later… Handled early enough and you will get the results you want. Waiting only makes the procedure more difficult and the results less spectacular.
What to Watch for (As a Hair Professional)
You often see the early signs before clients notice:
- Widening part lines
- Crown thinning under bright lights
- Receding corners or temples
- Uneven density from left to right
- The flat wet look
Most men don’t see their thinning as it happens slowly and over time and pointing it out usually won’t win you any points but when they ask, having the facts and a direction to point them will help.
I Heard Turkey is the Spot?
Hair Transplants 101 