Hair Transplantation
What is hair transplant surgery?
Hair Transplantation refers to the surgical procedure that involves removing strips or circular units of skin containing hair follicles from one part of the body and relocating them to a balding area. When a hairy patch of skin on the body is relocated to a bald spot on the body, it also takes the genetics with it, enabling hair to continue growing in the new donor site. Hair on the back and sides of the head are considered “lifetime hair” and will not stop growing even if grafts or plugs are removed, which is why these two areas are often used as donor sites. Hair transplant surgery methods have greatly improved in the last few decades. The major difference today has to do with the graft or plug size. Hair transplant surgeons discovered that the patchy or sprouty look was a result of larger grafts. Consequently, they improved their techniques on the basis that smaller grafts and plugs would lead to better results.
Who can benefit from hair transplant surgery?
Hair transplant surgery is mainly used to treat Androgenetic Alopecia, also known as “pattern baldness”, yet it can also be beneficial to people who are experiencing hair loss due to chemotherapy, thyroid disease, physical or emotional stress and hormonal change. Hair transplant surgery has replaced all other hair loss therapy methods, pills and creams that have not been proven effective. Hair transplant surgery has become the leading treatment for hair loss and hair replacement therapy.
Hair Transplant Surgery Methods
FUT Method
Description of FUT Method: Follicular Unit Transplantation involves the removing of thin strips of skin from the donor site (typically the back and sides of the head), and implanting or relocating them to a bald spot on the head, often the front and top of the head. The size and shape of the grafts depend on the degree of baldness, color, texture and thickness of the hair. Coarse and light-colored hair, such as grey or blong, often results in better coverage than fine, dark-colored hair.
Note that no new hair is added during this procedure, hair follicles are simply relocated from one location to another on the body!
Pre-surgery: The hair on the donor area will be trimmed short so that the grafts can easily be removed. Both the donor and the recipient areas will be treated with local anesthesia. The patient will have a consultation with the hair transplant surgeon prior to the surgery to determine the size, shape and number of the grafts needed to be transferred. This will depend on the size of the bald spot and the color and coarsness of the hair.
How should I prepare for hair transplant surgery?
One week prior to your hair tranplant operation:
- Refrain from Aspirin and Vitamin E intake one week before your operation.
- Refrain from smoking or limit the amount.
- Do not get a haircut.
- You may dye your hair one week before your surgery but you cannot dye it for 6 weeks after.
- If you use hair replacement, please remove it one week before the operation.
- Stretch the skin in the donor site area at least five times a day.
- Refrain from alcohol consumption one day before the surgery.
- Eat a light breakfast the morning of the operation, and after the operation eat a light lunch.
- Wear a button-down shirt the day of the operation.
What does the FUT procedure entail? After the donor and recipient areas have been anesthetized, your hair transplant surgeon will use a scalpel to carefully remove strips of the donor scalp, which will then be stapled or stitched. The FUT procedure will leave a thin scar on the back of the head where the strips The hairy strips will be examined under a microscope and then divided into smaller pieces and categorized according to the number of hair follicles per root. In the top, frontal area of the head (assuming that this is the recipient area), tiny holes or slits will be made for where the grafts will be implanted. Your hair transplant surgeon will use a pen-like instrument to pack the graphs into the tiny holes in the recipient area.
After the graphs have been transplanted, your scalp will be cleansed and covered with gauze. Normally, your surgeon will require that you wear a pressure bandage for approximately one week following the surgery.
Hair transplant surgery (FUT Method) aftercare:
- Avoid alcohol consumption for 5 days after operation
- The affected areas may need to be bandaged overnight.
- Your doctor will give you a head band to wear around the donor site for at least one week, which will protect the affected area from infection and reduce swelling.
- Avoid strenuous activity during the first few days after your hair transplant surgery.
- Expect swelling, bruising, headache and mild discomfort. These symptoms can be alleviated with over-the-counter pain relievers.
- Scabs will form at the graft/recipient site. Let them fall off naturally, or wait until your visit back to the doctor to have your staples removed, so that the scabs may be removed hygenically and diligently.
- Do not use an electric razor for 6 months after your hair transplant surgery.
- Avoid saunas, artificial or natural sunbathing and wearing a motorcycle helmet for 2 weeks after surgery.
- Avoid scratching or picking at your scalp for the first 3 months after your surgery, as it may cause an infection or pimples.
- On the day of your hair transplant surgery, after surgery, make sure you ice your eye and temple area for 10 mintues every hour.
- Sleep with a raised pillow for the first few nights after your surgery.
- 3 days after the operation, you may gently wash the affected area.
- Your doctor may prescribe or recommend a medicated lotion to rub on the affected area until the scabs fall off.
What should I expect after hair transplant surgery? Because of the lack of oxygen transported to the transplanted roots, the transplanted hair will fall out within 1-2 months. The transplanted roots will strengthen in about 12-14 weeks, in which time new strands will be produced. New hair will start to grow in the grafted area within 3 months. You should expect full results after 8 months – 1 year. The normal rate of hair growth per month is approximately 1 cm. The day after the surgery, you may brush or comb your hair without exerting any pressure on the affected area.
Hair tranplant surgery risks: Hair transplant surgery risks are very minimal. One may experience an allergic reaction to the anesthesia, like any other surgery. Infection is possible, but very rare. The only risk is that the results may not be exactly what the patient expected.
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Choose Visit and Care: Why should you go through the hassle of dealing with several different parties to make reservations and appointments with a doctor when we can handle all of that for you without it costing you a penny more than what you would pay if you were to do everything yourself directly. What is our incentive? We get paid by hospitals and clinics when we refer customers to them. In our agreement with the hospitals and clinics we work with, it states that our customers will not be charged any extra fee by a hospital or clinic, in order to compensate for our fees to them. So, if a procedure costs you 500 dollars when you arrange it through the hospital directly, it will also cost you 500 dollars when you arrange it through Visit and Care. Our goal is to connect our customers to top English-speaking medical professionals in their destination of choice. If you have any inquiries or would like to learn about a procedure that is not listed on our website, please feel free to contact us 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. We will return to you with an answer as soon as possible.
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