Understanding the risks

Every treatment offered at Maison Hair Clinic carries risks, and none of them is appropriate for everyone. This page sets those risks out plainly, service by service, so that anyone considering treatment can make an informed decision before booking.

Individual results vary and depend on multiple clinical factors. A consultation with an AHPRA-registered medical practitioner is required to determine whether any procedure is suitable in an individual case.

How care is structured at Maison

At Maison Hair Clinic, clinical decisions, meaning whether a person is a suitable candidate, the treatment plan, and the hairline or brow design, are made by Dr Sarah Chiapello (AHPRA MED0002319194) and Dr Alexandra Curran (AHPRA MED0002329104), both AHPRA-registered medical practitioners.

The procedure itself is performed by Amy Burns, registered nurse, under their direct supervision. Assessment is by a doctor, the plan is made by a doctor, and the same clinical team provides aftercare.

FUE hair restoration

FUE (follicular unit extraction) is a surgical procedure. It involves removing individual follicular units from a donor area, usually the back and sides of the scalp, and placing them into areas of thinning. It is carried out under local anaesthetic. Because it is surgical, it carries the risks common to surgical and invasive procedures, alongside risks specific to hair transplantation.

Risks of the procedure

• Bleeding. Some bleeding is expected during and after the procedure. Excessive or prolonged bleeding is a recognised risk.
• Infection. Any procedure that breaks the skin carries a risk of infection at the donor or recipient sites, which may require treatment.
• Scarring. FUE leaves small scars at the donor sites. In most cases these are difficult to see at normal hair length, but scarring varies between individuals and can be more visible in some people, including raised or keloid scarring.
• Poor wound healing. Healing times and quality vary between individuals. Delayed or impaired healing is a recognised risk, and can be increased by certain health conditions, medications and smoking.
• Altered sensation and numbness. Temporary numbness, tingling or altered sensation in the treated areas is common. In some cases these changes can be prolonged or, rarely, permanent.
• Variable graft survival. Not every transplanted follicle survives. The proportion that takes and grows varies between individuals and cannot be guaranteed. A further procedure is sometimes needed to reach a person's goals, and is not always possible.
• Shock loss (temporary shedding). Existing hair around the treated area, and the transplanted hair itself, commonly sheds in the weeks after the procedure. This is expected, but the extent varies and is occasionally prolonged.
• An outcome that differs from what was discussed. Even with careful planning, the final result may differ from what was expected or discussed. Density, coverage and how the hairline matures over time vary between individuals.
• Reaction to local anaesthetic. As with any procedure using local anaesthetic, there is a small risk of an adverse reaction.
• Folliculitis and ingrown hairs. Inflammation around the transplanted follicles can occur during healing and usually settles, but sometimes requires treatment.

Recovery takes time to assess

The outcome of an FUE procedure cannot be judged early. Transplanted hair commonly sheds within the first weeks, and new growth is gradual. It generally takes around nine to twelve months before the result can properly be assessed, and full maturity can take longer. Redness, scabbing and shedding in the first weeks are a normal part of the process.

Brow transplantation

Brow transplantation uses the same FUE technique, with follicular units taken from the scalp and placed into the brow area under local anaesthetic. It is a surgical procedure, and every risk listed above for FUE hair restoration applies equally to brow transplantation. The considerations below are specific to the brow area.

• The treated area is highly visible. The brows sit on the face and cannot be covered by surrounding hair during healing. Redness, scabbing and crusting in the first weeks are visible, and the recovery period should be planned for.
• Transplanted brow hair behaves like scalp hair. Because the grafts come from the scalp, they continue to grow at scalp rate and texture. Ongoing trimming is needed, generally for as long as the hair is present, and the texture may differ from the original brow hair.
• Growth direction and angle. Brow hair grows at a shallow angle in a specific direction, and grafts are placed to match. Some transplanted hairs may not settle in the intended direction, and may need grooming or, in some cases, a further procedure.
• Asymmetry. The brows are compared to each other constantly, so small differences in density, shape or height are more noticeable here than elsewhere. Some degree of asymmetry between the brows is possible, as it is in untreated brows.
• Variable graft survival is more apparent. In a small treatment area, the loss of a proportion of grafts has a more visible effect on the result than it would across a scalp.
• Underlying causes may continue. Where brow loss is caused by a medical condition, a medication, or a habit such as plucking or pulling, that cause can continue to affect the transplanted hair. Suitability depends on the cause being identified and stable.

Restoration therapy

Restoration therapy covers the non-surgical treatments offered at Maison. These are medical treatments rather than cosmetic services, and each carries its own risks. Which treatments are appropriate, if any, is determined at consultation.

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy

PRP involves drawing a small volume of the person's own blood, separating the platelet-rich fraction, and injecting it into the scalp.

• Injection site reactions. Pain during injection, tenderness, bruising, swelling and redness of the scalp are common in the days following treatment.
• Bleeding and infection. As with any injection, there is a risk of bleeding and of infection at the injection sites.
• Blood draw reactions. Bruising at the blood collection site, lightheadedness and fainting can occur.
• Headache and scalp tightness. Temporary headache or a sensation of tightness across the scalp is reported after treatment.
• Temporary shedding. Some people experience increased shedding in the period after treatment.
• Response varies and is not predictable. PRP does not produce the same response in everyone, and some people see no measurable change. Response cannot be predicted in advance.
• Not a one-off treatment. Where there is a response, maintenance sessions are generally required for it to be sustained. Stopping treatment may be followed by a return to the prior rate of loss.
• It does not remove the underlying cause. PRP does not stop the cause of hair loss, and loss can continue during and after a course of treatment.

Prescribed medication

Where medication forms part of a treatment plan, it is prescribed by an AHPRA-registered medical practitioner following assessment.

Medicines used in the treatment of hair loss have recognised side effects. Some are common and settle with time, others are uncommon but can be significant, and a small number can persist after the medicine has been stopped. Some are not suitable during pregnancy, when planning a pregnancy, or while breastfeeding, and some interact with other medicines or existing health conditions.

Which medicine is appropriate, and the specific risks that apply to it, is determined by the prescribing practitioner in each individual case. These are discussed at consultation, and the relevant Consumer Medicine Information is provided before any medicine is started. Anyone experiencing a side effect should stop and seek medical advice rather than continue.

Supportive treatments

Some treatment plans include supportive therapies during recovery, such as hyperbaric oxygen therapy or low-level light therapy. These are not suitable for everyone and are screened for before use.

• Pressure-related effects. Hyperbaric oxygen involves breathing oxygen at raised pressure. Discomfort or injury to the ears and sinuses caused by pressure change is the most common effect. Temporary changes to vision, and, rarely, effects related to oxygen exposure, are also recognised.
• Confinement. Some people find the enclosed environment of a chamber uncomfortable or distressing.
• Existing conditions and medications. Certain lung, ear and eye conditions, some medicines, and recent surgery can make these treatments unsuitable. Current health conditions and medications should be disclosed at consultation.
• Light exposure. Where light-based therapy is used, eye protection is required. Some medications and skin conditions increase sensitivity to light, and temporary warmth or redness of the scalp can occur.

Treatments still under investigation

Some treatments used in the hair restoration field are still being studied and are not supported by the same level of evidence as established treatments. Where a treatment falls into this category, that is stated at consultation, along with what is and is not currently known about it, so that it can be considered on that basis.

Bespoke scalp analysis

A scalp analysis is an assessment rather than a treatment, and carries no physical risk. Two things are worth understanding about it.

• An assessment is not a prediction of a result. An assessment identifies the pattern and likely cause of hair loss and sets out the available options. It cannot predict how an individual will respond to treatment.
• Some findings need onward referral. Hair loss is sometimes a sign of an underlying medical condition, or a side effect of a medication or another treatment. Where an assessment suggests this, the appropriate step is referral to a GP or specialist rather than cosmetic treatment.

Not everyone is a suitable candidate

Treatment is not appropriate for everyone, and for some people the right decision is to wait or to consider other options. Suitability depends on factors including the supply and quality of donor hair, the pattern and stability of hair loss, general health, current medications, and realistic expectations. These are assessed by a doctor at consultation. Sometimes the honest answer is that treatment is not the right step, and where that is the case, it will be said.

Making an informed decision

Anyone considering treatment at Maison is encouraged to take the time they need, ask questions, and understand both the process and its risks before proceeding. A consultation with an AHPRA-registered medical practitioner is required to determine individual suitability before any procedure. There is no obligation to proceed after an assessment.

Important information

FUE hair restoration and brow transplantation are surgical procedures that carry risks, including bleeding, infection, scarring, poor wound healing, altered sensation, variable graft survival and an outcome that differs from what was discussed. Non-surgical treatments, including platelet-rich plasma therapy, prescribed medication and supportive therapies, carry their own risks, which are discussed individually at consultation. Individual results vary and depend on multiple clinical factors.

The information on this page is general in nature and does not replace a consultation with a registered medical practitioner. A consultation with an AHPRA-registered medical practitioner is required to determine individual suitability before any procedure.

Clinical decisions at Maison Hair Clinic are made by Dr Sarah Chiapello (MED0002319194) and Dr Alexandra Curran (MED0002329104), AHPRA-registered medical practitioners. Procedures are performed by Amy Burns, registered nurse, under their supervision.

Maison Hair Clinic, 63 Ferry Road, Southport QLD 4215.