Transgender Hair Transplantation

Through the ages, hair has always been a defining feature of self-expression. Our own living and growing hair, whether cut, colored, styled, shaved, buzzed, braided, curled, or straightened, has always reflected how we feel inside.

For those transitioning, however, there may be a mismatch in hairline shape, hair quantity, quality, and other features, like hair location. Therefore, it is not uncommon for both male-to-female (MTF) and female-to-male (FTM) transgender people to seek the advice and skills of a board-certified hair restoration surgeon.

The goal of each transgender patient is to obtain the hair that best comports with their gender identity. At Bauman Medical, Dr. Alan Bauman has been compassionately providing transgender hair transplantation procedures for over twenty years. His artistry, technical expertise, compassion, and extensive experience in female hairline transplantation, as well as being one of the first surgeons to routinely perform facial hair and beard transplantation in the U.S., has made him one of the most sought-out surgeons for transgender hair transplants in the world.

What makes a transgender hair transplant different?

While technically, the transplantation of hair follicles in transgender patients is similar to a traditional transplant, the difference is the artistry required to create a natural, gender-affirming hairline while also understanding the unique challenges for patients who are in the midst of their transition journey.

Understanding the nuances between a female hairline and a male hairline in terms of shape, density, as well as hair growth patterns, such as hair angulation, styling issues, and more, is critical for achieving an aesthetic result that is pleasing to the transgender patient.

MTF Male-To-Female Transgender Hair Transplant

While a key factor for MTF transgender patients is the treatment of AGA androgenetic alopecia (male pattern hair loss) with sophisticated pharmaceutical, non-chemical and regenerative therapies in order to create a lasting look, it is also important for the surgeon to understand the subtle nuances that truly define a natural and aesthetically pleasing female hairline. Eyebrow transplantation is another common procedure for MTF transgender patients seeking a more feminine eyebrow shape.
Dr. Bauman is a well-known expert in eyebrow transplantation–taking care to design a unique gender-affirming shape for each transgender patient. In addition, Bauman Medical offers laser hair removal services for those looking for that extra feminizing step from head to toe.

FTM Female-To-Male Transgender Hair Transplant

For FTM transgender patients, hairline-lowering procedures are typically less common, but there are still a variety of features, more than simply a hairline redesign, that defines a male hairline, such as the Temporal Point, as an example. In FTM cases, eyebrow and facial hair transplantation can be useful procedures to create gender-affirming beards, mustaches, sideburns, and eyebrow shapes. Dr. Bauman is an expert in sideburn transplants, beard/mustache transplants as well as eyebrow transplants.

How is Transgender Hair Transplantation different from FFS Facial Feminization Surgery?

Traditional FFS Facial Feminization Surgery often included a forehead reduction by pulling a large flap of hair-bearing scalp down onto the forehead. This kind of invasive surgery, akin to a reverse facelift, minimizes the forehead size but unfortunately leaves the patient with a long, and often wide, visible linear scar at the hairline and rarely accomplishes a truly natural feminine hairline shape. It also fails to address the ongoing AGA or pattern hair loss which can reveal the scar to an even greater degree in the future.

Thankfully, this process is continuing to fall out of favor, and the MTF transgender patient can now achieve a more lasting and natural hair restoration result using modern methods of hair transplantation pioneered by ABHRS board-certified Hair Restoration Physicians who are the true experts in male and female hairline design.

How does a Transgender Hair Transplant Procedure Work?

Before beginning any procedure, a gender-affirming design is created and agreed upon with a collaboration between the patient and Dr. Alan Bauman, the surgeon, who has over 25 years of hair transplant experience as a full-time hair restoration physician.

As previously mentioned, transgender hair transplantation is similar in method to traditional male or female hair transplantation, where healthy hair follicles are harvested from the back of the scalp or Donor Area and implanted into the Recipient Area.

Hair follicles are extracted in their natural groupings of 1, 2, or 3 follicles, called “Follicular Units,” using an FUE or Follicular-Unit Extraction approach. Please note: At Bauman Medical, we do NOT perform the outdated procedure of linear or “strip” harvesting called FUT, which leaves patients with a tell-tale linear scar in the back of their heads. FUE procedures leave absolutely NO linear scar, which might impair hairstyling, and the recovery process is dramatically shorter and more comfortable since there are no staples or stitches used.

Recipient Sites are artistically created by Dr. Bauman in the Recipient Zone (e.g., hairline, temples, eyebrows, or facial hair areas) with the appropriate angle, orientation, direction, and density to achieve the most aesthetic outcome for the transgender patient.

Harvested grafts are then carefully placed into the recipient sites. This process takes many hours to complete but is comfortably and painlessly performed under gentle local anesthesia and ProNox (nitrous oxide) on-demand. Once the transplantation of all the grafts is completed, a light bandage may be applied, and you are able to go back home or to the hotel and relax and rest. Most patients will stay locally in town to take advantage of Dr. Bauman’s high-touch healing visits postoperatively, which can accelerate healing and enhance your return to regular activities in about a week.
Hair growth from transplantation begins to be visible in approximately four to six months, but the final result takes about a year. In some cases, depending on the desired results, additional transplant procedures may be required.

If you have previously had FFS Facial Feminization Surgery, a forehead reduction, hairline lowering surgery, browlift surgery, or facelift and have been left with an unsightly scar(s) in the hairline or unwanted sideburn loss, we are confident that hair transplantation with Dr. Alan Bauman can improve the situation dramatically.

How can we make your head of hair thicker and fuller?

Dr. Bauman may use a combination of medical therapies (finasteride, minoxidil, dutasteride, etc.), non-chemical therapies (photobiomodulation, nutraceuticals) and regenerative therapies (PRP, PDOgro, TED) and more to preserve and improve the vitality and function of each and every hair follicle on your scalp. Some of these therapies can be included at the time of your hair transplant procedure or continued at home or in the office for a maximum hair growth result.

Why Trust Dr. Alan Bauman for Transgender Hair Transplantation?

For over twenty-five years, Dr. Bauman has compassionately helped over 30,000 patients with their hair loss issues, and he has performed over 13,000 artistic hair transplant procedures on both male and female patients. Nearly 50% of all Bauman patients travel in from out-of-town to see Dr. Bauman for their evaluations and procedures. You can be assured that the award-winning Bauman Medical team understands the nuances of your transgender journey, including transgender hair transplantation, and how they differ from traditional hair transplant and hair restoration patients.

But more than just extensive hair transplantation experience using the latest minimally-invasive hair transplant techniques combined with modern regenerative therapies and a well-trained aesthetic eye, Dr. Bauman and his team have the compassionate care required to help each and every transitioning patient achieve their ideal head of hair.

If you are already undergoing a life-changing transformation, Dr. Bauman and the entire Bauman Medical team would love to be a part of your journey. We will compassionately bring to bear our artistry, skill, and expertise to help you achieve the goals you deserve. If you’d like to learn more about Dr. Bauman’s transgender hair transplant procedures, schedule your private, one-on-one consultation in-office, or virtually here or call +1-561-394-0024.

Please note: At this time, Dr. Bauman does not offer transgender hair transplantation to patients under 21.

*Each individual's treatment and/or results may vary

If you or someone you know has hair loss, hair thinning, baldness, or eyebrow / eyelash concerns, click to start either a long-distance virtual consultation OR an in-person, in-office consultation with Dr. Bauman. You can also Ask Dr. Bauman a Question or simply call Bauman Medical Group  at +1-561-394-0024.