Overview
Hair transplantation is a procedure that adds hair to balding or thinning areas of the head. Hair from other parts of the body or thicker parts of the scalp is removed and grafted to the scalp’s balding or thinning section.
Hair loss affects approximately 50% of women and 60% of men around the world. People frequently use OTC (over-the-counter) products to address this issue, including topical treatments like Rogaine (Minoxidil).
Another method of restoration is hair transplantation. In Japan, the very first hair transplant was done with a single scalp hair in 1939. Doctors invented the technique called ”plug” in the decades that followed. Large hair tufts can be transplanted as part of this procedure.
Surgeons began to use micro and mini-grafts to enhance scalp appearance over the time.
Is it true that hair transplants are effective?
Hair transplantation is more effective than hair restoration solutions (products) in most cases (over-the-counter). However, some considerations must be made.:
- In three to four months, between 10% and 80% of the Hair that has been transplanted will regrow completely.
- When time goes, Transplanted hair starts becoming thin like natural hair.
- There may be fewer transplants for people who have hair follicles dormant, which contain hair but are dormant. Plasma therapy, on the other hand, was found to aid upto 75% of hair transplants grow back completely in a study published in 2016.
The success of hair transplants is not always guaranteed. They’re commonly used for hair restoration if you’re thinning or balding naturally, or if you’ve lost hair as a result of an injury.
Because most hair transplants use your own hair, they aren’t as effective for those people who have lost their hair:
- widespread baldness and thinning
- hair loss because of certain medications or chemotherapy
- Having scalp scars
What are the costs of hair transplants?
The cost of a hair transplant session can be from 4,000 to 15,000 dollars per session. The exact cost may differ depending on the circumstances:
- Transplant procedure extent
- Surgeons availability
- Surgeon’s experience
- The technique of hair transplant
Since hair transplantation is cosmetic, insurance is not going to support you for the therapy. Aftercare medicines can also increase the final cost.
What is the procedure for a hair transplant?
A therapy of hair transplant is a procedure in which your existing hair is transplanted into the site where you don’t have any. It’s usually taken from the back of your head, but other parts of your body can be used as well.
Your surgeon sterilizes the hair removal area and numbs it with a local anesthetic before beginning the transplant. If you want to sleep through the procedure, you can request sedation.
Your surgeon will perform one of two transplant procedures from the following:
- Follicular unit transplantation (FUT)
- Follicular unit excision (FUE)
FUT
Follicular strip surgery is another name for FUT (FUSS). Following are the steps that your surgeon will take to perform a FUT procedure:
- A scalpel is used to scrape a piece of your scalp from the back of your head. The strip is usually 6 to 10 inches long, but it can stretch all the way around your head.
- The piece of scalp was taken off, and stitches were used to close the wound.
- The scalp strip will be cut into smaller pieces by your surgeon and his or her assistants with a scalpel. They have the ability to cut the piece into as many as 2,000 grafts or smaller fragments. Only one hair could be present in some of these grafts.
- The surgeon pierces your scalp with a needle or blade, creating small holes into which hair will be transplanted.
- Hairs pulled from the scalp are inserted into the puncture holes by the surgeon. Grafting is the term for this type of procedure.
- After that, bandages or gauze are used to cover the surgical sites.
Your following condition determines the number of grafts you receive.:
- Hair type
- Transplant site size
- Quality of hair (including thickness)
- Hair color
FUE
Your surgeon follows these steps to perform a follicular unit excision:
- The back hair is scraped off.
- Individual follicles are then extracted from the skin of the scalp by the surgeon. Each follicle will have a tiny mark where removed.
- Like the FUT method, a small hole is drilled into the scalp, and hair follicles are grafted into these holes.
- After that, they cover the surgical site with bandages or gauze.
Management after hair transplant surgery
The time it takes to complete FUE and FUT procedures can range from a few hours to many days. The work performed by the surgeon plays a part in this. You’ll be able to go home on the same day your procedure is completed.
Your surgeon carefully removes any bandages after the surgery is completed. Your surgeon may administer triamcinolone to reduce swelling if the area is swollen.
There is a good chance that pain or soreness will develop at the transplant site and in the area where the hair has been removed. Medications for the next few days may be prescribed by your surgeon:
- pain medications (ibuprofen)
- Antibiotics
- Anti-inflammatories (oral steroid for swelling)
- Medications (topical and oral) for hair growth
Here are some suggestions for care after transplant surgery:
- Avoid washing your hair for several days after the surgery. For the first few weeks, only use gentle shampoos.
- In about three days, you should really be able to go to work or regular activities.
- Avoid brushing or combing the new hairs for about three weeks.
- Wear no hats, pullover shirts, or jackets until you’ve received permission from your doctor.
- Take a week off from exercising.
If a few hairs fall out, it’s not a big deal. This is a common occurrence during the procedure. For a few months, the transplanted hair may not grow or blend in and the surrounding hair.
Adverse Effects Of Hair Transplant
Scarring is the most common side effect, and no procedure can eliminate it. Other possible negative effects include:
- Infections
- Pus drainage or crust from the surgical site
- Swelling, itching, and scalp pain
- Folliculitis (hair follicle inflammation)
- Bleeding
- Loss of sensation at the surgical site
- Hair that doesn’t match the rest of the head or is noticeably thinner
- If you’re still losing hair, it’s because you’re balding.
Minoxidil also has some adverse effects, including:
- Sexual dysfunction
- Breast, foot, or hand swelling
- Irregular heart rate
- Headaches
- Chest pain
- Dizziness
- Irritated scalp
Summary:
Consult your doctor or a transplant surgeon before deciding on one of these hair transplant procedures.
It’s important to keep in mind that neither procedure is guaranteed to work, and scarring may occur. Due to the volume or quality of your hair, you may be ineligible for either procedure.
References:
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- Garg S. Outcome of Intra-operative Injected Platelet-rich Plasma Therapy During Follicular Unit Extraction Hair Transplant: A Prospective Randomised Study in Forty Patients. J Cutan Aesthet Surg. 2016 Jul-Sep;9(3):157-164. doi: 10.4103/0974-2077.191657. PMID: 27761085; PMCID: PMC5064679.
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- Rose PT. Hair restoration surgery: challenges and solutions. Clin Cosmet Investig Dermatol. 2015 Jul 15;8:361-70. doi: 10.2147/CCID.S53980. PMID: 26203266; PMCID: PMC4507484.
- Sethi P, Bansal A. Direct hair transplantation: a modified follicular unit extraction technique. J Cutan Aesthet Surg. 2013 Apr;6(2):100-5. doi: 10.4103/0974-2077.112672. PMID: 24023433; PMCID: PMC3764754.
- Shiell RC. A review of modern surgical hair restoration techniques. J Cutan Aesthet Surg. 2008 Jan;1(1):12-6. doi: 10.4103/0974-2077.41150. PMID: 20300332; PMCID: PMC2840892.