What is a hair transplant?
Hair transplant is an emerging cosmetic surgery procedure, where a dermatological surgeon alters the position of hair to the bald area of one’s head. The surgeon transplants it to the front side after moving it from the back of the head, where hair density is comparatively thicker.
The advancement in technology and the primary concept of utilizing follicular unit grafts have made this process easier over time. Hair transplant now provides natural-looking results that have encouraged balding people to choose this renowned surgical solution.
What are the types of hair transplants?
Primarily two types of hair transplant are there which include:
- Micrografts
- Slit grafts
Micrografts consist of 1-2 hairs per graft whereas slit grafts consist of 4-10 hairs per graft based on the required coverage.
Who will be benefited from a hair transplant?
Getting an advanced transplant can enhance anyone’s presence and boost confidence. The ideal candidates for transplant are:
- Thin-haired women
- Male having male-patterned alopecia
- Anybody who has lost their hair due to an accident
Hair transplant is not a top-notch option for:
- People lose their hair due to chemotherapy
- Women with a typical hair loss pattern across the scalp
- People who do not possess sufficient donor hair sites where the hair must be taken for transplant
- People who form fibrous and thick scars after a fatal surgery
How does a hair transplant work?
Hair transplant takes to possess and translocates it to a particular area of baldness. Before initiating a transplant, the surgeons, disinfect the hair removal area and render the area senseless through general anaesthesia. There are two leading methods to expel the grafts:
- Follicular Unit Transplantation (FUT)
- Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE)
Follicular Unit Transplantation (FUT):
In the FUT method, a portion of the scalp is cut from the patient’s back and is inserted into discrete grafts. To conduct the FUT method, the surgeon follows the steps mentioned below:
- With the help of a scalpel, the surgeon expels a small portion of your scalp.
- The size of the strip is generally about 6-10 inches long.
- Surgeons close that small segment where the scalp was detached with stitches.
- They isolate the scalp strip into tinier pieces utilizing a scalpel.
- They might rupture the piece into 2000 or tinier segments, known as grafts. Such grafts may consist of only one hair each.
- Utilizing a blade or needle, the surgeons prepare tiny holes in the patient’s scalp where the new hair is going to be transplanted.
- The surgeons insert hair from the separated piece of scalp into the penetrated holes. It is known as grafting.
- After that, they cover the transplantation sites with gauze.
Benefits of the FUT method:
- Greater bald areas can easily be recouped in a few sittings
- The rate of resection rate might be lesser, giving amazing outcomes
Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE):
The surgeon conducts the steps mentioned below to do an FUE process:
- They cut off hair from the back portion of your head.
- They remove those separated follicles from the scalp skin, and small marks can be seen where those follicles were expelled.
- Here surgeon makes tiny holes in the scalp and grafts or penetrates those hair follicles into the holes.
- Finally, they cover the operated site with gauzes.
Benefits of the FUE method:
- Such a transplantation method does not include the removal of a total strip of the scalp with strip surgery
- There is no stitch or cut
- The recouping time is much faster
- There will not be any linear scar
The recovery process after hair transplantation
Both the methods, the FUT, and FUE, takes numerous hours to accomplish. In various cases, patients are released from the hospital on the same day.
After the successful completion of the surgery, the surgeon diligently removes all the bandages. The surgical area might be swollen, and that’s why he might give triamcinolone to mitigate swelling.
Patients can feel soreness or pain from where the hair was taken out. Therefore, the surgeon may prescribe:
- Antibiotics to impede infections
- Some oral steroids and anti-inflammatory to mitigate swelling
- Application of minoxidil or finasteride to help invigorate hair growth
- Ibuprofen for pain medications
What are the complexities found after a hair transplant?
Some side effects may occur after a hair transplant, which is minor, and generally subside after a few weeks. Some complexities are as follows:
- Scalp swelling
- Bleeding
- Infection or inflammation of the follicles
- Itching
- Numbness on the operated areas
- Sudden or temporary loss of transplanted hair
- Pus or crust drainage throughout the operated areas
Cost affecting factors for a hair transplant?
The cost of a hair transplant might range starts from INR 60,000. The leading factors that affect the cost include:
- The absolute density is needed for transplant.
- The number of grafts.
- The technique of transplantation
- Qualification of the surgeon.
What is the long-term outlook?
Patients who have had typical hair transplantation will gradually grow hair in that transplanted scalp area. The new hair may grow more or less relying on:
- Hair curliness
- Follicle’s density in the transplanted area
- Scalp laxity
- Quality of the hair
Find a professional surgeon
Patients who are suffering from acute baldness and need to get the transplant done can visit the best hair plant hospital today. If you are searching for a veteran hair transplant surgeon, follow the tips:
- Only opt for an accredited and licensed surgeon
- Read online reviews before visiting
Talk to the surgeon personally before getting hair transplantation done. Understand that no process is highly warranted to be successful but that bloating is a risky one.
