To get the best results from a hair transplant surgery, it’s important to choose the best hair transplant surgeon. You should read hair restoration surgeon reviews to help you narrow your list of suitable surgeons in your area, but the International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery (ISHRS) is a resource you cannot overlook.
In the San Francisco Bay Area, patients will find their choices for hair transplant surgeons are plentiful, and many are members of the ISHRS. Only one doctor is currently a fellow of the ISHRS in the Bay Area, and this information is very important to California hair loss patients. Learn more about the importance of the ISHRS and Dr. Sheldon Kabaker, an ISHRS fellow and hair restoration surgeon in Oakland, California.
What is the ISHRS?
The ISHRS specializes in hair loss treatments. The society was founded in the early 1990s, and their reach extends to doctors and patients around the world. The goal of the ISHRS is to ensure hair transplant surgeons continually improve their skills and knowledge of hair loss treatments. The group also strives to educate the public on their options and the latest treatments and technology.
Why is This Society Important to Me?
When you’re searching for a hair transplant surgeon, your search should begin by finding a list of suitable doctors. You don’t want a resource, however, that pushes doctors who spend more money on advertising. Your choice should be based on skill and training, not advertising and referral fees. The ISHRS has a hair surgeon finder tool to make it easy to find qualified surgeons in your area. If you prefer, you can call the ISHRS’s consumer information line at (800) 444-2737 and have them find the best doctor for your hair restoration surgery.
What is the Difference Between an Associate Member, Member, and Fellow?
The ISHRS offers three member categories: associate member, member, and fellow. To become an associate member, the doctor must have a valid medical license. A member meets the same criteria as an associate member, but that doctor also must meet the ISHRS’s minimal education requirements. Finally, a fellow goes beyond the expectations of a member and actively supports the ISHRS through various activities and measures. Fellows complete a training program of one or two years with a director who has at least 10 years of practice in the field of hair restoration.
What Does it Take to Become a Fellow of the ISHRS?
For a hair restoration surgeon to become a fellow of the ISHRS, he or she must fill out an application and enter into a fellowship training program that lasts one or two years. The surgeon is assigned to a specialist in hair restoration surgery and then works closely with this doctor performing 50 to 70 hair restoration procedures per year, depending on the length of the program, and at least 1 out of every 10 of these cases must be considered to be a complex procedure.
Each of these procedures is recorded in a log that the program director evaluates at the end of the one- or two-year period. In addition to this training, the surgeon must hold Advanced Cardiac Life Support certification and board certification in at least one specialty.
Dr. Sheldon Kabaker joined the ISHRS in 1993, the same year the society formed, and is a fellow and former ISHRS president. He performs many forms of hair restoration, but follicular unit grafting using a microscope is one of his most popular procedures. He also specializes in hair restoration in women. Read more about Dr. Kabaker’s hair restoration options to discover your options. When you’re ready to schedule your California hair restoration with the ISHRS fellow, call (415) 379-9015.