Q & A with Jon W. Gaffney, M.D., F.A.C.S.

What is your philosophy on hair restoration?
Hair restoration is an opportunity to help someone with a hair loss issue, with the added effect of restoring a person’s selfconfidence. I understand what my patients are going through and how an external change can make such a difference in the way a person feels. By working closely with my patients to understand what they want to achieve, I use my skill and artistry to maximize their hair restoration experience.

What should patients look for in a physician?
Most importantly, a patient should look for a physician with experience. The physician should show them a body of work as a testament to their ability. From viewing a physician’s portfolio of before-and-after photos, the patient will be able to get a sense of the physician’s aesthetic sense of artistry in regards to naturalness. A reputable physician should also allow someone seeking hair transplantation to meet and speak with previous patients who have agreed to serve this role. This provides a firsthand view of results a nd a firsthand account of what to expect. This is the best way to ensure that you will receive a quality hair transplant experience.

What can a patient expect in terms of a natural look and density?
Density is a combined effort of the physician’s skill and the patient’s donor area. Naturalness is an obligation on the part of the physician. It truly takes an artistic ability to create a natural look. The key is that no one should realize that you’ve had a procedure. I challenge people to identify my hair transplant patients.

What inspired you to become a hair transplant physician?
I started losing my hair in the sixties when hair was king. I was in medical school and had been losing my hair for about a year and a half. Driven by my own sense of personal loss, I read an article in a monthly dermatological journal and decided at that point that I was going to have a hair transplant. That article sparked my intrigue in the field and laid the foundation for my journey involving h air transplantation over the decades. That journey began in my residency and continues today through my practice.

What would you tell a patient considering hair transplant surgery?
They should do their homework and make sure they are dealing with a reputable company or physician. They should ask to see a physician’s body of work and ideally, talk with previous patients. Someone seeking hair transplant surgery should examine their motives and make sure they are doing it for themselves. These are all the things to keep in mind before deciding to move forward w ith hair transplantation to ensure the procedure proceeds as smoothly as possible.

What is your approach to patient care?
Each person should receive individualized care. Everyone is different and not one approach will appeal to everyone. No one size fits all. You should respect the action that a patient has taken to make a change in their lives. I feel that this respect should be manifested in the way I approach and care for each patient. Having undergone several procedures myself, I can identify with the patient on many l evels. As such, I take the utmost care to keep the patients as comfortable as possible.

What sets you apart from other hair transplant physicians?
I possess over twenty five years of experience involving many thousands of patients. I have a background in plastic surgery coupled with an innate sense of aesthetics. It’s this unique combination of skill level and experience that I believe makes me a great hair t ransplant physician.

How has hair loss affected you personally?
I lost my hair at a young age. I felt a loss of control and frustration. This is what ultimately drove me into hair transplantation. I know that through hair transplantation I have an opportunity to give back to my patients a sense of themselves that was lost w ith their hair.

Do you often work with patients who seek help due to undesirable results from older technologies?
A good portion of my work is doing what I call “salvage procedures”. Patients come to me with hair transplants that have been performed with older technologies or were not artfully performed. With years of experience doing reconstructive work, these procedures have a particular appeal for me. I am able to change perceptions of the hair transplant industry by the excellent quality o f work that is performed and the high level of patient care.

Is it better to begin addressing hair loss early?
More and more patients are deciding to address hair loss problems at a young age. Feeling empowered in dealing with hair loss is the first step to restoring a sense of control. This can allow people to avoid the psychological impact on one’s self image. Dr. Gaffney practices through a professional corporation separate from Hair Club, but which has a management services and license agreement with Hair Club

Do you perform Eyebrow Transplants?
Yes