What is hair transplantation?
Almost all men experience some sort of hair loss at some point in their lives. External and internal factors such as genetics, hormones, and age all play an important role in when hair loss occurs and how intense the loss will be.
Miniaturization, or known as hair thinning, is usually the primary stage of hair loss. The rate of hair growth mainly depends on a proper functioning hair follicle.
For the patient, the hair follicles move through a growth phase. When the hair thinning starts, the length of the loss phase increases. Since this phase is long, the channel of the new hair becomes thinner. Getting older results in making the loss phase long, resulting in eventually having a thinner hair and then making the follicles stop functioning completely causing follicle death where hair will no longer grow.
What is hair transplant?
Hair transplantation is a surgical procedure that involves the removal of all follicles and roots from one part of your head and transplanting them to the balding area. Hair from the normal removal site, also known as the (donor site), is then transplanted in the balding or thinning area of the scalp known as the (recipient site). The procedure is non-invasive and takes only a few hours to complete. This method could also be applied to other areas of your body, such as brows, and beard.
How is the hair transplant procedure performed?
The procedure is usually carried out under local anesthesia with or without sedation and is divided into two steps:
There are two commonly used methods of extracting donor hairs:
The follicular unit excision (FUE) technique which entails using a punch tool to remove follicular units (resulting in small round scars). This can be done manually, using automated punches or by a robot.
Direct hair implantation (DHI) is applied with the implanter pen. It is also called by names like the Choi pen technique and unshaven hair transplantation.
There are advantages and disadvantages of both methods, and some individuals are more suited to one or the other.
There are a wide variety of tools used to make recipient sites and implant the grafts, but angle, orientation, density and hairline design are key elements required to achieve a natural aesthetic result. At consultation, the area to be grafted should be agreed with the patient and the recipient: donor ratio determined. There are a finite number of hairs available in the scalp donor area and if the recipient area is very large then the area covered or the density that can be achieved might need to be compromised. Additional procedures can be carried out to increase density, however planning for the possibility of further hair loss should be considered. Transplanted hairs usually take 3 – 4 months to start to grow and it may be a further 6 – 9 months depending on the individual’s hairstyle and length of hair to be able to assess the aesthetic result of the procedure. The transplanted hairs may continue to improve in quality for up to 18 months post procedure.
Who can benefit from a hair transplant?
There are many causes of hair loss, trauma, surgery and burns result in scarring hair loss which can sometimes be very effectively treated with a hair transplant. Some dermatological conditions also result in scarring hair loss and can be treated with a hair transplant if the condition is fully resolved. Some types of non-scaring hair loss can be transplanted but most hair transplant surgeons would advise against transplanting in the common condition alopecia areata. Male and female pattern hair loss are very common examples of patterned alopecia.
What is the recovery process after hair transplant procedure?
Because the hair transplant procedures do not require any stitches, the recovery of the patient can be quick and without any pain. Once the surgery is over, the follicles get sealed by using a protective bandage, which facilitates healing. The doctor prescribes the patient certain medications so that he does not face any pain. Antibiotics are prescribed so that there are no chances of infection. The patient also needs to return to the doctor on the date provided so that the bandages are removed. Sometimes, patients complain of swelling, for which the surgeon may prescribe certain anti-inflammatory medicines. Medicines that strengthen hair follicles and help proper hair growth over some time may also be prescribed.
Most people can return to work about 3 days after having a hair transplant.
Patients need to be very careful with their transplanted hair for the first 2 weeks after the operation. The grafts will not be secure.
The patient may be told to cut down on exercise in the first month to reduce swelling.
2 days after: any dressings can usually be removed, but the patient should not touch the grafts.
Day 3: The patient should be able to wash his hair gently by hand.
After 10 days: crusts start to occur
After a few weeks: the transplanted hair will often fall out, and later start to grow back.
After 6 months: new hair will usually start to appear.
After 12 to 18 months: the full results should be seen.
What is the post op steps after a hair transplant surgery?
The surgeon will provide all the instructions that the patient needs to follow post-surgery. Some of the guidelines prescribed commonly include:
• Avoid all kinds of hard activities and exercises, which would increase blood pressure. This may result in bleeding of the newly formed wounds. You may also be asked to avoid sexual activities for ten days to two weeks.
• Follow all the guidelines and instructions for caring for your wounds.
These instructions are provided only for a given period, and you do not need to follow them forever. There is complete hair restoration, and the health of the patient is not affected in any way.
Things to consider before hair transplant surgery
There are certain factors to be considered by the patient before he undergoes a hair transplant surgical procedure.
• You should have realistic expectations. If you do not have so much hair as it needs to be, the hair transplant surgery will not give you a scalp with dense hair, because the transplanted hair is derived from the scalp of the patient only. That is why you should go for hair transplant surgery as soon as possible.
• Grey/light-colored hair gives better results as compared to dark/thin hair.
• It may take a maximum of nine months for the hair to catch their roots firmly and grow again.
• Smokers may face additional risks. Quit smoking if you want to undergo hair transplant surgery.
• In some cases, medicines may be prescribed for some time.
Are there any side-effects of a hair transplant?
Some side-effects (minor and temporary) of hair transplant surgery include:
• Infection
• Swelling in certain scalp portions
• Bruised eyes
• Itching
Hair continues to grow after the transplant is over. As said earlier, your surgeon may prescribe you a few medications, if any side effects occur. For instance, ibuprofen may be prescribed for pain, while antibiotics are prescribed for treating infections.
How to choose where to do your hair transplant
It’s important to find a surgeon who is qualified and experienced in carrying out this type of surgery.
You need to ask your surgeon
• about their qualifications and experience
• how many hair transplant procedure they’ve performed
• how many hair transplant procedure they’ve performed where there have been complications
• what type of hair transplant they would recommend for you and why
• what their patient satisfaction rates are
What are the side effects to expect from a hair transplant procedure?
It’s common after a hair transplant to have:
How much is the cost of a hair transplant procedure?
For more price details please contact us on our Email or WhatsApp number
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