Seneca Hair Restoration in Scotland

Hair loss or hair thinning can occur at any age and can be due to a variety of factors. It can have a negative effect on self-esteem for both men and women. Seeking a solution can be very difficult and stressful. When choosing a hair transplant clinic, it’s crucial to consider all key factors that can affect the success of the surgery.

Seneca is an excellent choice for those considering a high-quality hair transplant. With clinics and diagnostic centres across Scotland, in Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen, Seneca is welcoming patients from all over the UK in its flagship clinic in Glasgow.

Seneca transgender patient talks about her experience with her transplant treatment

“I am a 61-year-old transgender woman. I have been invited by Seneca Medical Group to write an article about transgender women and men (MtF & FtM) who suffer from Androgenic Alopecia (AGA) and require special treatment.

When I first visited my GP to talk about my increasing levels of gender dysphoria, one of the topics that we discussed was what type of medical intervention would be required to ease my dysphoria. The most common types of medication prescribed for transgender women are hormone gels or patches to increase estrogenic levels and Finasteride which acts as a testosterone blocker. One of the effects of finasteride is that it can slow down hair loss in transgender MtF people.

When I first started my hormone replacement therapy, I was already showing typical signs of male balding, with my hair beginning to recede at my temples and thinning on the crown of my head. However, after a year of taking finasteride, I saw that my hair was beginning to grow back, albeit slowly on my crown. Sadly, it was too late to stop the hair thinning at my temple and although it hadn’t receded that much, it was still something that caused me a great deal of anxiety. I researched hair shampoos and treatments and experimented with some of these over the years but still, my hair was slowly thinning. I also had gender reassignment surgery in September 2021, and this had such a traumatic effect on my body that I began to see an increase in the thinning of my hair.

I decided in January 2022 to start researching the possibility of a hair transplant to try and stop my hair from receding and to hopefully give me more confidence as a person. I spoke to various clinics in London and Spain about my specific concerns and the best way to treat them. I also spoke to one of my male work colleagues who had just had hair treatment carried out in Athens in 2019 and he was extremely pleased with the regrowth of his hair, and it was through him that I was introduced to the Seneca Medical Group.

There is no doubt in my mind that the best thing I did for my hair was to contact Seneca Medical Group. I called around February 2021 and that is when I first got to know Chryssa Giannakakou, Head of International Sales and Customer Care.

Chryssa took me through every step of the process via facetime and messages. She explained everything to me without glossing over things and was straight with me and that was very reassuring. No matter what my concern was or if I had something to discuss, I only had to message her, and she would reply the same day. This went on for a few weeks and she remained patient and her replies to my concerns were always clear and concise.

After taking a few weeks to digest all the information from various clinics, it was obvious that Seneca was the one I wanted to use for my hair transplant. I started to arrange my trip to Athens for late April 2021.

The care package that Chryssa created for me was to have me picked up at the airport, taken to a hotel for two nights, all paid for by Seneca, and be driven to and from the clinic and also back to the airport for my flight back home. I decided to extend my stay for a full week and that is when Chryssa helped me find a lovely AirBnB apartment to go to after my two days at the hotel.

When I arrived in Athens, there was a driver to take me to the hotel and even came in and helped me get some snacks before I retired to my room.

The next morning, I was up bright, had a light breakfast, and relaxed for a while until the driver came to collect me at the agreed time to take me to the clinic. When I arrived at the clinic, which is a fabulous building, all newly decorated and fitted out to a very high specification, I was taken through the whole procedure by Chryssa and the medical team to make sure I understood exactly what was going to happen. They drew examples of hairlines both on a sheet of paper and on my forehead to enable us all to agree on what the most appropriate hairline would be for my face. I naturally drew a deep hairline low on my forehead, but they quickly explained that this would look odd on my face and upset the whole balance of my facial proportions and they were correct. We finally agreed on a good solution and the procedure then took place.

The treatment was split into two stages. The first stage involved taking the strong follicles from the back of my head and preparing them for the transplant area at the front of my head. This took place in the morning and there was no discomfort at all although due to being given a local anaesthetic. I was awake the whole time and was able to chat with the doctor and the nurse during the whole procedure. After that, I had a relaxing 45-minute lunch break with a light lunch provided by Seneca and some time to just relax and prepare for the afternoon session.

The afternoon session then consisted of the doctor inserting the new follicles into my hairline to make the hairline fuller and in my mind more feminine. This process took another 3 hours, but I was very comfortable throughout the whole procedure. All in all, it was a very good experience from start to finish, with no pain at all.

From start to finish, I cannot emphasise how professional everyone was and the facilities were incredible, it was just a wonderful experience altogether. Once the treatment had been completed, I was then given a comprehensive set of instructions on how to look after my hair and to come back to the clinic for one more check-up before going home. I was given a bottle of saline water to spray on my hair to stop the follicles from drying out. I was also given a bottle of saline water to make sure that I had enough for the next seven days.

But going back to my comment at the beginning, Seneca Clinic was the best choice of the clinic in my opinion, and I am so glad that I chose them to carry out my hair treatment.

Lastly, I would just like to say hand on heart, I would have no hesitation whatsoever in recommending Seneca Medical Group for hair treatment for anyone.”

                      Before                                                                 After

The Herald:

Androgenic Alopecia: what is it and how it can be treated

Androgenic Alopecia (AGA) is a common condition of both transgender women MtF and transgender men FtM and needs special treatment.

Transgender individuals have a gender identity that is different from their sex assigned at birth. Sex assignment at birth is based on the external genitalia, whereas gender identity refers to the internal sense of one's gender. This can induce gender dysphoria, a sense of unease that a person may have because of a mismatch between the two.

The process of gender transitioning commonly includes hormone replacement therapy with or without sex reassignment surgery, which can bring relief and alleviate feelings of gender dysphoria. The feminising hormones may be the reason for stabilising hair loss in trans women patients if they start at an early age before the onset of AGA. However, experts in the field of hair transplant notice increasing numbers of trans women who find AGA especially distressing due to the masculine appearance of the receding hairline.

The impact of gender-affirming hormones on androgenetic alopecia should be appropriated by all hair transplant specialists, while the hair loss concerns of each patient should be addressed individually.

Transgender and non-binary hair transplantation involves the same surgical methodology and technology as cisgender hair restoration procedures, however, requires a high level of precision, artistry, and skill to achieve the desired results. Transgender women MtF need a special approach especially when it comes to the hairline design where a feminine, softer, and more rounded hairline is often desired, whereas transgender men FtM might prefer a more male type, M shaped, hairline. Transgender men also have the option to create moustaches, beards, and sideburns to achieve a more masculine appearance.

 

Seneca’s Medical Personnel Expertise in Hair Loss Diagnosis and Treatment

Hair transplantation is a challenging and intricate process. The experts at Seneca Medical Group have vast experience in helping transgender individuals navigate the delicate and intricate process of achieving hair transplantation results that better match their unique gender identity.

Seneca pioneers in the Direct FUE technique using a special implanter pen to re-implant hair into the scalp. All patients are operated on by highly skilled surgeons using this technique to help achieve high-quality results that match natural hair direction, angulation, density, and flow.

Patients should also explore the benefit of nonsurgical treatments like minoxidil, finasteride, mesotherapy, PRP, supplements, and other hair products.

It is important to note that any patient with a hair loss problem needs to have a proper diagnosis by hair specialists, to exclude any other pathological causes such as autoimmune dermatological diseases, deficiencies, drug-related Alopecia, and other conditions that may mimic AGA.

 

Seneca’s Clinics

Seneca Medical Group has more than 35 years of experience in research, diagnosis, and treatment of hair loss.

It combines modern scientific treatment methods, new technologies, and the application of personalised solutions. All treatments are performed exclusively by physicians, certified by the Seneca Training & Research Centre, adhering to strict quality protocols.

Find below your nearest clinic in Scotland, and their scientific team will offer customised, effective solutions to your hair loss issues.

Locations in Scotland

  • Glasgow 15 Royal Crescent, Glasgow, G3 7SL 0141 536 0460
  • Edinburgh 30 Melville St, EH3 7HA 0131 297 7299
  • Aberdeen Alpha Clinic, 16 Carden Place, Aberdeen, AB10 1FX 0141 536 0460

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This article was brought to you by Seneca Medical Group and is not necessarily representative of the views of The Herald