Ethnic Hair Transplant

Written by Dr. Griffin

Dr. Thomas Griffin Considers Unique Factors with a Customized Approach to Hair Restoration in Philadelphia

An ethnic hair transplant at the Philadelphia-based Griffin Hair Restoration Center involves treatments that are used to address hair loss in non-Caucasian patients. Board-certified dermatologist Dr. Thomas Griffin specializes in treating different types of hair loss experienced by people from all ethnic groups, including African American, Hispanic, and Middle Eastern patients. He uses advanced techniques to provide the most natural looking ethnic hair transplant results possible and seeks to provide informed and culturally sensitive recommendations for treating hair aging concerns with ethnic hair transplants or other methods. He understands the complexities of each hair type.

People of all different ethnic backgrounds can experience hair loss from their scalp. For anyone suffering from hair loss, skin color and ethnicity are some of the unique factors that will need to be taken into consideration in order to achieve the most rewarding results. No matter what, it’s important to understand the cause of your hair loss and treatment options before pursuing a specific hair loss treatment plan.

For more advice about an ethnic hair transplant in Philadelphia, contact the Griffin Hair Restoration Center by calling (215) 561-9100, or submit a contact form to request a consultation and discuss ways to restore a thicker, fuller head of hair.

Real Patient Before & After Photos

before and 12 months after procedure -  photos of real patient

12 Months
Post Procedure

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How Does Ethnicity Affect Hair Loss?

What you should know if you’re considering an ethnic hair transplant is that the way and degree to which hair loss occurs differs among different ethnic groups. Hair-impacting factors outside of our control include genetics, hormones, and race. The presentations of hair concerns also differs among the various ethnicities.

With this in mind, if you’re considering an ethnic hair transplant, it can be helpful to know how people from all ethnic backgrounds lose hair and develop baldness.

There are structural differences in hair among different ethnicities. These differences impact how hair ages, and different groups tend to lose their hair in different patterns. Caucasians have the highest rates of male pattern baldness, followed by Afro-Caribbean people. Asian men—especially East Asians—have much lower rates of this condition. Research has shown that Native Americans have the lowest incidence of hair loss from androgenetic alopecia when compared to any other ethnic group. Additionally, hair loss tends to occur at a younger age for some ethnic groups than others. Dr. Griffin has experience in providing ethnic hair transplants for all ethnicities and genders.

Who Is a Candidate for an Ethnic Hair Transplant?

Patients who are healthy but have thinning hair, balding areas, or a receding hairline may be ideal candidates for an ethnic hair transplant. They will need to have a sufficient number of hair follicles at the donor site that can be transferred to other areas of the scalp. People who lack enough natural hair follicles at the donor sites to be transplanted or are not suffering from pattern baldness may want to consider another type of procedure instead of an ethnic hair transplant.

What Are the Unique Traits Associated with Hair Types That Should Be Considered for Ethnic Hair Transplants?

Each ethnic group is associated with a unique set of traits when it comes to hair growth and loss. As with Caucasian hair, the specific variations in thickness, texture, and growth/loss patterns are as unique as each individual. It is important that a doctor who performs ethnic hair transplants recognize the general traits associated with each ethnicity, yet be able to perform ethnic hair transplants that respect the individuality of each patient.

One thing that surgeons should take into account for ethnic hair transplants is that there are aesthetic differences in head shape and hairline design among different groups. Dr. Griffin also considers differences in hair characteristics, hair density, skin thickness, scarring, and cultural preferences when performing ethnic hair transplants. He will take special steps to reduce the risk of scarring on dark-skinned individuals of African, Asian, and Hispanic descent, who tend to be predisposed to keloids, which are raised scars.

Here are some of the common traits associated with hair types in different ethnic and racial groups:

  • African Americans tend to have coarser, tightly curled hair that grows in a curved shape. Dr. Griffin must take this into consideration when excising hair grafts for the ethnic hair transplant, since it can be difficult to see the curved shape beneath the skin. For a natural result, it’s important that the hairline created during the ethnic hair transplant reflects an African American hairline. Hair follicles will need to be transferred correctly to avoid the risk of hyperpigmentation.
  • Asians tend to have thick, straight black hair and a lower, wider hairline. When placing hair grafts for an ethnic hair transplant, Dr. Griffin must take care to set them at low angles so the hair lies straight and appears natural.
  • Patients from Middle Eastern countries tend to have thicker, coarser hair than Caucasians. The term “Middle Eastern” covers a large number of countries and cultures, making Middle Eastern ethnic hair transplants particularly challenging. Dr. Griffin must take the facial shape and hair loss pattern of the patient’s specific culture into consideration before performing the ethnic hair transplant.
  • Likewise, the Hispanic ethnic group covers a wide variety of individuals, including those from Mexico, Spain, Central and South America, and the Caribbean. As such, it is difficult to make generalizations about Hispanic hair, but hair loss is common among this ethnicity, and many people seek ethnic hair transplant as a solution. A surgeon performing ethnic hair transplants on people of Hispanic descent must be able to understand and respect this cultural diversity to create a natural result.

Real Patient Before & After Photos

before and 9 months after procedure -  photos of real patient

9 Months
Post Procedure

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What Is the Procedure for an Ethnic Hair Transplant?

Does a hair transplant work for African American hair? Can Asians get hair transplants? If these questions sound familiar to you, here’s what you should know about ethnic hair transplants in 2023 and beyond:

In general, the procedure for performing an ethnic hair transplant is the same procedure used for a Caucasian hair transplant. The goal is the same: to create the look of natural, healthy hair growth. The main difference for ethnic hair transplants is in how the hair grafts are positioned on the scalp after they have been harvested. Ethnicity is a factor that should be considered when determining how hair should be placed and which implantation techniques should be used.

The first step in any hair transplant surgery is to harvest hair grafts from the patient’s donor area. Hair may be removed using either the strip method or the Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) method. The strip method for ethnic hair transplants involves removing a horizontal strip of hair from the donor site and then extracting individual units, while FUE removes the units one at a time. The type of harvesting technique used will depend upon the patient’s unique hair type.

After the hair grafts have been obtained, they are surgically implanted in the balding areas of the head. Before the surgery begins, Dr. Griffin will plan where and how the grafts should be placed to mimic natural hair growth in the ethnic patient. He will then place each individual graft in the unique, designated pattern. The patient is able to return home after the ethnic hair transplant surgery and should follow the post-operative instructions given.

Want to learn more about the advantages of an ethnic hair transplant in Philadelphia? Get in touch with The Griffin Hair Restoration Center by calling (215) 561-9100, or submit a contact form to request a consultation and discuss ways to restore thicker, healthier hair.