A Brief Introduction About Modern Hair Transplant
A hair transplant is a procedure that has grown in popularity within the 21st century. With the growth of medical science over the last decades, there are now more available options to treat scalp issues like hair loss and thinning. Though doctors would typically recommend topical types of treatments first, a hair transplant can be the ultimate solution if a patient is unresponsive to other remedies.
Hair loss and thinning may be caused by different factors like genetics, aging, hormonal changes, stress, or medication side effects. Though some cases may only be temporal, permanent hair loss can still occur among many patients. For those who are suffering from male or female-pattern baldness, a hair transplant might be a good solution as it can address hair loss permanently.
Can Everyone Get a Hair Transplant?
For those who are suffering from extreme hair loss, a hair transplant can be considered a last resort. It can bring back a patient’s confidence as it typically restores the image of a full head of hair. However, if hair loss is quite severe throughout the scalp, doctors might need to do an assessment first whether they could push through with the procedure.
If the donor areas of the scalp are not enough, then a hair transplant procedure might not be possible. For some cases where the patient is suffering from hair loss due to an injury, fibrous scars might also hinder doctors from performing the procedure. Doctors would also not advise patients undergoing chemotherapy to get a hair transplant as most of them would only go through temporary hair loss.
A hair transplant procedure is done using the existing hair follicles on your scalp. For many people, about 80 percent of the transplanted hair can fully grow back in 4 months. Studies have also suggested that plasma therapy can drastically help the growth of newly transplanted follicles. This is why it’s always important to consult your doctor about different options you can try for a more successful procedure.
The Procedure
There are generally two types of hair transplant procedures. In this part of the article, we’re going to briefly discuss how each procedure is performed. We’ll also talk about the recovery period and the possible medication doctors might prescribe after the procedure.
- Follicular Unit Transplantation
FUT or follicular unit transplantation is a type of procedure where a doctor removes around 6 to 10 inches of skin from the head. This strip of skin can be divided into as many as 2,000 tiny grafts depending on the patient’s condition and the location of the hair transplant. Small incisions are then made into the areas of the scalp where each graph would be transplanted.
- Follicular Unit Extraction
FUE or follicular unit extraction is done by taking individual hair follicles from abundant areas of your scalp. Patients are required to shave their heads in preparation for the procedure since doctors will have to remove individual follicles from the scalp. Tiny incisions are then made to carefully place each follicle into the skin. It’s always important to note that the number of follicles that will be extracted will depend on the patient’s hair and condition before the procedure.
Recovery Period
A hair transplant procedure can last for hours and even several sessions to complete depending on the patient. Patients might experience some soreness in areas of the scalp where the procedure was performed. In these situations, doctors might prescribe pain medication or antibiotics to manage the soreness and prevent infections.
