Hair transplant

What is hair transplant?

One remarkable advancement in medicine, has made it possible to restore hair loss and achieve natural-looking outcomes with hair transplants.  This procedure can help many people regain a complete or fuller head of hair. Hair transplant surgery involves relocating existing hair to fill in areas with thin or no hair. How is a hair transplant performed? Grafts containing hair follicles are extracted from healthy hair areas like the scalp, chest, or beard, known as the donor site. If the grafts are taken from your scalp, they are normally taken from the back and sides of your head, just below the occipital bone an area referred to as the safe zone. The harvested grafts are then replanted on areas of the scalp that are bald or thinning. This procedure is performed under local anesthesia and the client is fully awake throughout the procedure.

How it begins

The procedure begins with mapping or demarcating the recipient area. Hair on the donor area is trimmed short just before surgery so that the grafts may be readily accessed and removed. The donor area is numbed and the healthy grafts are harvested. The recipient area, which is where the grafts will be implanted, is anesthetized after the grafts are harvested, and tiny channels are constructed where the grafts will be placed. A hair transplant might take anywhere from four to eight hours.

What is the recovery?

Hair transplants are outpatient procedures, which means you can return home the same day. The recovery process can vary from person to person. However, after 7 days, one is fully recovered and can resume normal daily activities.

Who can do a hair transplant?

Hair loss can be attributed to various factors such as genetic susceptibilities (Androgenetic alopecia), scalp injuries, past cranial surgeries, trauma (like traction alopecia), and more. Additionally, burns, scalds, and certain incidents may lead to permanent hair loss that can be restored through a hair transplant. Transplantation can also benefit scalps affected by inflammatory or autoimmune-related disorders, provided these conditions have been appropriately treated. A consultation is crucial to assess hair transplant candidacy, considering factors like donor area availability, the extent of hair loss, and scalp health before proceeding with the procedure.

When do I see results?

The growth of transplanted hair may differ from person to person. However, at 6 months, the majority of patients have achieved 50% growth, and full growth is expected within 9-12 months. It’s important to understand that the transplanted hair may fall out between two and eight weeks after surgery. This is very normal. The hair transplanted transitions to the shedding phase, which causes the fallout. The good news is that the follicles remain intact and begin producing hair shortly after this time.