Hair Restoration in Dominican Republic

Hair restoration treatment is a solution for those who are battling hair loss or balding due to aging or diseases. The main goal is to give patients a full head of hair, as well as to improve their appearance and confidence. Hair restoration can be performed by dermatologists or plastic surgeons. There are numerous different types of hair restoration, ranging from non-surgical to surgical treatments. Some of the most common are:

• Prescription medicine – your doctor can prescribe medicine, such as minoxidil and finasteride, to help stop hair loss and regrow hair. These medicines are usually prescribed for those with pattern (hereditary) baldness, but may not restore as much hair as other types of hair restoration.
• Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) – this is a therapy procedure that involves drawing injections of a concentration of your own platelets to your scalp. It is commonly used for androgenic alopecia or male pattern baldness.
• Microneedling – during microneedling, a skin roller with small needles are used to cause minor skin injury to regenerate the health of the hair follicles, resulting in new hair growth. This procedure is recommended for alopecia areata, androgenic alopecia, and male pattern baldness.
• Scalp micro-pigmentation (SMP) – this is a type of hair tattooing to give an illusion of having a fuller head of hair. It can be done on any form of hair loss, including those with thinning hair, severe baldness, alopecia, as well as cancer patients and people who want to conceal scars from a hair transplant.
• Hairline lowering surgery – this procedure is best for those who have receding hairlines. It involves “moving” your hairline to its old position or a little closer to your brows. 
• Hair transplant – this is the most popular and effective hair restoration procedure. It works by moving hair follicles from one part of your body or scalp with healthy hair follicles to a balding or thinning part of your scalp. It can also be done to restore hair on other parts of the body, such as your brows.

How Long Should I Stay in Dominican Republic?

The length of stay in Dominican Republic can be different for every person, depending on the type of hair restoration procedure you underwent. In general, you may need to stay in Dominican Republic for 2 to 7 days until you are allowed to travel home. 

What's the Expected Recovery Time?

Different hair restoration procedures have different recovery times. With medications, microneedling, and PRP, no recovery time is usually needed. However, you may be advised to take it easy and avoid strenuous activities for 24 to 48 hours. With scalp micro-pigmentation, hairline lowering surgery, and hair transplant, you may need to take around 5 to 10 days off work. During this period, you should also avoid any strenuous activities.

What Aftercare is Required?

A detailed aftercare instruction will be given by your doctor. It is vital that you follow all of these instructions to get the best results and avoid complications. You may be asked to avoid hair accessories and styling your hair until your scalp has fully healed. 

What's the Success Rate?

With continuous research, improvement in treatment techniques, and advancement in technology, hair restoration procedures are now more successful and safer than ever before. For example, the success rate of hair transplant now ranges from 95% to 98%, and modern hair transplant gives more natural results.

Are there Alternatives?

If you do not want to undergo any medical procedures or take any medications, you can try other hairstyles or use a wig as the non-surgical alternatives. It is best, however, that you consult your doctor regarding the best alternatives for your specific case. 

Hair Restoration in and around Dominican Republic

About the Dominican Republic

The Dominican Republic can be found on the island of Hispaniola and is a part of the island group, the Great Antilles. The nation has diverse natural environments and land features. Characterized by rugged mountains on one side and the other side consist of low lying valleys and coastal plains. It is the world’s leading producer of professional baseball players. It is also home to the highest mountain, Pico Duarte, and the largest lake, Lago Enriquillo in the Caribbean Region.

In recent times, the Dominican Republic has become popular with medical tourists. Tourists, particularly from the United States, visit the country for Plastic and Reconstructive surgeries, especially for Breast Augmentation procedure. About 25,000 to 30,000 patients visit the Dominican Republic yearly for various medical treatments. The most sought-after services are general, Plastic and cosmetic surgeries, dental procedures, weight-loss, oncology, and orthopedic treatments.

Most medical service providers are situated around the capital city Santa Domingo and Santiago. The medical establishments offer competitive healthcare services with highly-qualified and internationally-trained surgeons. The following clinics can be found in Santa Domingo: Dr. Rafael E. Estevez - Plastic, Reconstructive, and Aesthetic Surgeon, Dr. Gustavo Almanzar Plastic Surgery Clinic, Alba Reyes Skin, and Hair Transplant Institute and Dr. Ivan Strachan Bariatric Clinic.

Popular Parts of Dominican Republic

The Dominican Republic is an unmatched destination with amazing natural sceneries, intriguing history, and diverse culture. It offers ecotourism adventures in splendid national parks, mountain ranges, beaches, and rivers.

Top attractions of the Dominican Republic:

• Santa Domingo – The capital city is where Christopher Columbus first set foot in the Americas. It is home to century-old buildings, most of which function as restaurants, shops, quaint hotels, and museums. Zona Colonial is the historic central area of Santa Domingo. It is the oldest European settlement and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  
• Punta Cana –Is a premier resort destination, bordering the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. It offers about 20 miles of white sandy beaches. The Bavaro Beach area and Punta Cana together form the Coconut Coast, an area of luxurious resorts. It is famous for water activities such as zip-lining, kayaking, windsurfing, and sailing.
• Samara Province –Is a city overlooking the Samana Bay. Its unique feature is the breeding point for thousands of humpback whales during their mating season in winter.
• Parque Nacional Del Este – Meaning the ‘Eastern National Park’, is one of the largest marine parks in the Caribbean. It also has an offshore coral reef system. Divers can watch a multitude of marine life within its waters. It is also home to hundreds of different species of birds, tropical forests and beaches.
• Lago Enriquillo – The massive hypersaline lake lies 140 feet below the sea level. You will see a large population of American crocodiles as well as pink flamingos, and various other bird species and you will even find iguanas at the entrance of the lake.
• El Limon Waterfalls – Being the tallest falls of the country, it is perfect for hiking and horseback riding through the rugged and steep mountain trail. The hike gives you a stunning view of the Caribbean landscape. The crystal-clear natural pool at its foot is a perfect place to cool off and relax.
• Kite Beach, Cabarete –Is a unique beach, about 20 minutes on foot from the main Cabarete Beach. Kiteboarders fill the otherwise quiet beach in the afternoons when the wind picks up.

Jarabacoa, Sosua, La Romana, Las Aguilas, and Puerto Plata & Playa Dorada are several other popular tourist spots in the Dominican Republic.

Weather and Climate in the Dominican Republic

The Dominican Republic has a tropical weather climate, and constant temperature throughout the year, with average yearly temperature, is around 77°F.

The hottest and humid period is from May to October. The mild winter season is from December to March. The period between November and April are the moderate seasons.

Rainfall is seasonal. The eastern and southern coasts experience rains between April and October. The northern coast receives rains throughout the year due to the influence of the north-eastern trade winds. The southern region is prone to hurricanes, with most striking in the months of August and September.

Getting Around in the Dominican Republic

The Dominican Republic offers easy access to the rest of the world with a myriad of flight options from North America and Europe. The main ports of entry into the country by air are the international airports in Santa Domingo, Punta Cana, and Puerto Plata. Santiago and Samana airports are other points of entry.

There are many flights from major cities of Canada and the US. The most frequent flights are from New York, Miami, Toronto, and Montreal. JetBlue, the budget airlines, operates flights from North America to Santo Domingo, Santiago, and Puerto Plata.

The Dominican Republic has a well-developed inter-country transport infrastructure with a large network of roads. It has many types of public transportation for moving around within cities such as buses, the metro, carro publicos, guaguas, and the motoconchos.

Carro Publicos are small car-public taxis and have a specific route displayed on their roof. Guaguas are privately-owned minivans and pick up travelers from any point and drop them off close to their desired location. Motoconchos are private motorcycle taxis that have reasonable fares and are ideal for short journeys.

Tourist Visas in the Dominican Republic

Citizens of countries such as the UK, USA, and Canada, and Schengen countries are not required to have a tourist visa to enter the Dominican Republic, under a bilateral agreement between the countries. However, they do need to:

• Carry a tourist card (Tourist cards allow you to stay for 30 days and allow an extension to stay beyond 30 days).
• Have a valid passport not expiring before six months with at least one blank page
• Carry proof of onward and return journeys and sufficient funds.

Nationals of countries like India, Sri Lanka, China, and Russia need to get a tourist visa to travel to the Dominican Republic. The visas are multiple-entry type and are valid for 60 days.

Additional Information

• The Dominican Peso (RD$) is the official currency of the country. As of April 2019, one US Dollar is worth about 51 RD$. Major tourist areas like Punta Cana accept US Dollars.
• You can find many ATMs in Santa Domingo and other popular tourist cities. Dominican Republic banks are members of the Maestro, Citrus, and PLUS networks. Hence, you can use the affiliate credit and debit cards here.
• Spanish is the official and major language of the country. Dominican Spanish forms its dialect. Very few locals understand and speak English.
• 93% of the population follow Roman Catholicism. However, many Dominicans do not go to church on a regular basis.
• Major holidays of the Dominican Republic are religious. While others are non-religious and national holidays. Other than Christmas and Good Friday, the Day of Our Lady of Altagracia (January 21), Corpus Christi (June 17) and the Feast of Our Lady of Mercy (September 24) are the religious holidays. Juan Pablo Duarte (January 26), Independence Day (February 27), and Dominican Restoration Day (August 16) are the national holidays specific to the country.