Thinning hair and balding, usually genetically-induced, affect around one-third of the male population over 35. Many find hair loss a cause of insecurities and reduced self-esteem.
Sitting with the Bangkok Post to shed light on treatment options are Dr. Jate Jatechayanon and Dr. Jirayu Jatechayanon, hair transplant surgeons from Bangkok Hair Clinic.
“One of the biggest misconceptions about hair loss is that everyone who experiences it requires a hair transplant,” says Dr. Jate. “In fact, it’s medically considered as a last resort to treat thinning hair and balding.”
He explains that standard treatments range from oral or topical medication to injection therapy to hair transplant. For patients whose symptoms are mild or just started, “Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP)” therapy, where the concentrated platelets are extracted and injected into the weakened areas, could be sufficiently effective to restore hair growth. Vigorous international research indicates that the therapy is to be performed once a month for 3-5 times consecutively and then once every six months.
Some might be better-suited to the similar “Cell Therapy” where hairs are regenerated through the power of the patient’s natural follicular cells after being processed by the novel Rigenera Activa technology. This is a cutting edge technique that only requires a one-hour treatment per year.
In more severe cases, hair transplant is recommended, says Dr. Jate. “Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) is a type of hair transplant where individual hair follicles are taken from your skin, usually around the back part of your head, and moved to the balding area where hair follicles are absent,” he explains.
Unlike the older procedure called “Follicular Unit Transplantation” (FUT) which could leave signs of extraction, FUE is a minimally invasive procedure that rarely leaves keloid, requires no suture cutting, and has much lower risk of bleeding. An outpatient procedure, FUE allows patients to resume their daily lives and recover quickly (except for water-related or rigorous exercise for about 2 weeks).
In addition, some clinics might offer “Direct Hair Implantation (DHI)” where surgeons use an implanters instead of the traditional metal forceps to improve the survival of grafts and shorten the length of surgery.
“At Bangkok Hair Clinic, we offer both the standard and DHI techniques, depending on each patient’s specific needs. Generally, those with more risk factors such as older age, smokers or previously on no medication, are recommended DHI,” says Dr. Jate.
Regarding the effectiveness of FUE, Dr. Jate explains: “Firstly, surgeon expertise plays a crucial role in the success of the operation. FUE involves many steps, each affecting the effectiveness, including extraction, creation of incisions and implantation. Aside from ensuring a perfect technique for these steps, knowledge of the appropriate direction and angle of hairline, depth, weight of transplant, timing and graft-holding solution temperature are vital for success. Surgeons should perform first-out-first-in technique to minimize the time hair grafts are out of the body. Even a slight slant could make the hairline look unnatural or wig-like. It truly requires meticulous eyes and hands of the surgeon to achieve natural, thick hair transplant with little or no bare area.
“Another defining factor is the patients themselves and their hair care. Some congenital diseases might affect the result as well as habits such as smoking. Frequent follow-ups are highly recommended. The result of your hair regrowth will start to emerge after 3-6 months and become fully mature at around a year.”
Browsing reviews of hair transplant clinics across Bangkok of Thai and foreign patients paint mixed picture. Some have had to redo the hair regrowth processes due to previous inappropriate treatments.
Dr. Jirayu recommends clinics with excellent after-care service: “For instance, at Bangkok Hair Clinic, we provide strict hair washing instructions by our staff for three consecutive days after the hair transplant day, so it’s already the fifth day when you gain enough confidence to take proper care of your transplanted hairs. We are also very keen to follow-up with our patients regularly to ensure the treatment pan out smoothly over the course of the year. We share the journey with our patients as their hairs grow.”
Dr. Jirayu says each clinic offers different advantages. “For example, our clinic creates our own hair graft-holding solutions, and we use a micrografting technique that increases the density of the hair transplant. We also offer Low-Level Light Laser Therapy (LLLT) to accelerate hair growth and provide house-brand creams and shampoos that reduces dryness and itchiness after hair transplant.”
Bangkok Hair Clinic is treating over 300 cases of thinning hair and balding a year, with ages ranging from early 20s to 60s. Around half of the patients are foreigners. The clinic offers bilingual services and simultaneous interpretation services. Its past patients come from Japan, Australia, Germany, Belgium, the United States, Mexico, Brazil, the United Kingdom, France, South Korea, Qatar, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Turkey, Bhutan, China, Myanmar, and Pakistan.
Both Dr. Jate and Dr. Jirayu trained as physicians in the United Kingdom at University of Nottingham and Birmingham. Dr. Jate later earned a master’s degree in clinical dermatology from King’s College London, United Kingdom. Dr. Jirayu completed hair restoration training with the world-renowned, award-winning Dr. Tayfun Oguzoglu. They both agree that their strongest suit is highly researched, well-informed, detailed communication.
“I once had a hair transplant, and the experience was absolutely horrible,” says Dr. Jirayu. “Despite being a medical student at the time, I didn’t know much about the procedure and the result was so unnatural. The incident motivated me to go study with the best master in Turkey, which is the hub of hair transplanting in the West. Therefore, in my own practice, I dedicate my time to consulting with my patients and explaining all the details to ensure that they make a sound decision based on accurate information. Some patients had to do a second or third transplant due to previous unsuccessful attempts and a common denominator is that they were not told sufficient facts. Some stopped their medication and had to face long-term undesirable effects. Some simply had poor results. Again, due to lack of proper knowledge going into the operation.”
Speaking from his experiences with various patients of different nationalities, Dr. Jirayu finds a pattern in preferences.
“We draw a simulated hairline onto the patient’s head, and it’s lovely when all the relatives gather around reassuringly. Generally, Thais like a non-linear hairline while Westerners prefer what resembles their natural hairline with more curves. Some bring photos of their younger selves or celebrities they’d like their hair to look like, but everything must be done in a medically reasonable fashion.”
Bangkok Hair Clinic welcomes patients with as few as three visits for consultation, hair transplant, and hair washing as this facilitates those living abroad or having a busy schedule. The first free consultation can be online, so you can enjoy premium care while on-site at the clinic for as little as two days.
Bangkok Hair Clinic includes a routine one-year follow-up without additional charge.
Their hair transplant program starts at THB 49,000 with use of their special micrografting technique for every case! To restore hair density without the need for surgery, they offer Hair PRP starting at THB 7,500 per session and Cell Therapy at a comparatively affordable price starting at THB 50,000 when purchased together with a hair transplant package.
If you are interested, you can make your first appointment or ask for more information by visiting Bangkok Hair Clinic at the Racquet Club, Building 6, 4th floor, in Soi Sukhumvit 49/9, for a free consultation. The doctors also respond to inquiries in Thai and English on the clinic’s online social media platform at LINE Official: @bangkokhairclinic, Facebook: @bkkhairclinic, Instagram: @bangkokhairclinic, or email: bangkokhairclinic@gmail.com.
