If you have noticed excessive hair loss or balding, you might want to resort to a hair transplant procedure. Before making an appointment with the doctor, it is always better to do some research. In the following guide, we have put together all of the questions that may arise regarding the procedure. You will find out who is the right candidate for hair transplants, what ways of transplantation there are, the cost of it and many more. Do not hesitate to leave us feedback!
Is A Hair Transplant Effective?
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Today, thinning hair men are not that much of a rare phenomenon. Male pattern baldness has multiple reasons. Luckily, modern technology offers as many solutions to deal with hair loss men issues. Unfortunately, products that promise hair regrowth for men do not always appear that effective. However, there is such a method to restore hair like hair transplant.
Of course, you want to know whether it would work and meet your expectations. Based on reliable sources, we can say that hair transplant results are much more impressive than those from other hair restoration procedures and products. Here is the short summary:
- Up to 80% of the hair that has been transplanted grows back fully in the duration of around four months.
- The hair transplant becomes thinner after a while as well as your natural hair.
- If your hair follicles are dormant, then hair replacement procedure may not work for you as effectively. Consider plasma therapy instead.
- Hair transplants work majorly for those who have natural reasons for balding.
- Men who have too serious natural baldness, thick scars or have been given chemotherapy will find hair transplant surgery less effective.
How Do I Know If I Am Eligible For A Hair Transplant?
Before resorting to hair implants, you should consider several factors. First, have you tried to restore your hair using hair loss drugs, such as Finasteride and Minoxidil, for example? If they do not work for you, then you should estimate whether your supply and demand regions are of an equal size. If the former is too small compared to the latter, then you are not eligible for a hair transplant. Surgeons will also help you to determine this.
In case you have wavy or coarse locks, then you are pretty lucky, as thanks to the thickness and abundance your pelt has, a hair transplant will suit better. This also concerns men with looser scalps.
As for the age limits, there are no strict rules. However note, if you get it at a young age, then there is a big chance that you will have to repeat the procedure.
What Is a Hair Transplant?
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Generally speaking, a hair transplant is male hair transferred from hairy area to a bald one. The most common area is your head’s back. Yet, other parts can sometimes work too. Before the procedure, the donor area will be sterilized and locally numbed with the help of an anesthetic by the surgeon. If you do not want to stay awake during the surgery, ask them for sedation.
There are two methods in which you can get hair transplants, which, by the way, affect the hair restoration cost: Follicular Unit Transplantation (FUT) and Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE). Let’s take a closer look at each of them.
Follicular Unit Transplantation (FUT)
This procedure also has another name, which is FUSS (Follicular Unit Strip Surgery). Here are the steps that the surgeon will follow when performing an FUT procedure:
- With the help of a scalpel, a part of the scalp will be removed. The length of the strip ranges between 6’’ and 10’’.
- The donor area will be then stitched to close the opening.
- Using a scalpel, the removed strip will be divided into tiny patches called grafts by the surgeon and assistants. There can be up to 2,000 grafts from one strip.
- The surgeon will make puncture holes in your scalp and insert grafts into them. This is the grafting stage.
- The surgical area will be covered with the help of gauze or bandages.
How many grafts there going to be is affected by the following factors:
- Your hair type.
- The transplant area size.
- Your hair quality and thickness.
- The color of your hair.
Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE)
Here is what you can expect from an FUE hair transplant:
- The hair on your head’s back will be shaven off by the surgeon.
- Individual hair follicles will be extracted from the skin. There will be small marks left.
- The holes will be punctured in your scalp and the follicles will be grafted into them by the surgeon.
- The surgical area will be covered with the help of gauze or bandages.
How Do I Recover From A Hair Transplant Procedure?
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Both methods can be completed in hours or days, which depends on how much work your surgeon will perform. You will be free to go home on the procedure day. After the transplantation, the bandages will be removed by the surgeon. If the site is swollen, you might get an injection of triamcinolone into it.
There is a big chance that both areas, removed and transplanted, will be sore for a few days. Thus, you may be prescribed the following:
- pain medicines;
- antibiotics;
- anti-inflammatory drugs;
- hair growth stimulants.
After the procedure, you will also need to take these aftercare steps:
- Do not wash the hair for a couple of days.
- For a couple of weeks, apply a shampoo that is mild only.
- You will not get back to normal life until around three days after the surgery.
- For around three weeks, you must not interact with the hair transplant.
- Set aside all pullover clothes and hats unless the doctor allows.
- Take a week break from your workouts.
If you lose several hairs, it is okay. Also, it may take as much as several months before you notice that your transplant matches the rest of the hair or grows out.
What Side Effects Of A Hair Transplant May I Experience?
Considering how much is a hair transplant procedure, you might want to know what side effects it has. Even if you choose the best hair transplant clinic and surgeon, you are not immune to such a thing as scarring. Also, the possible side effects are:
- contagions;
- the drainage of pus or crust near the transplanted areas;
- swollen, itchy or aching scalp;
- follicles inflammation;
- issue of blood;
- absence of sensation near the transplanted areas;
- the transplanted hair does not match the rest of the hair.
- hair loss and bolding continue.
What Is The Cost Of The Procedure?
Finally, let’s discuss the question that might have concerned you from the very beginning. How much does hair transplant cost? There are several factors that affect the cost of hair transplant. They include the surgeon who performs the procedure, the place where you do it and the duration of it.
If you want to save some bucks, we might suggest you go to the country where hair implants cost less. Just type in “How much does a hair transplant cost?” on Google and you will get quite a lot of results. However, this could be rather risky, as no one can guarantee you the quality of the result. Thus, we advise you not to skimp on the hair transplant cost if you do not want to jeopardize your health and the outcome.
If you still have questions or doubts regarding the hair transplant procedure, then we strongly recommend consulting a qualified doctor. If not, we are happy that our guide has come in handy to you. Good luck with your hair restoration journey! We are looking forward to your hair transplant before and after photos.
Find A Surgeon
As you have probably understood, the success of the hair transplant surgery directly depends on the operating plastic surgeon. So it is vital to choose a specialist who is credible and highly qualified. Thus, when seeking out your perfect physician, you need to look for:
- Proof of their professional qualification, such as licenses and certificates.
- A portfolio containing evidence of their effective surgical treatment.
- Positive as well as negative reviews written by their patients.
Frequently Asked Questions
How successful is a hair transplant?
You will be pleasantly surprised to find out that a hair transplant is quite successful, especially compared to other hair products aimed at restoring your follicles. If you go for it, you can expect between 10% and 80% of the hair you got transplanted to regrow during 3-5 months. To improve the result, you can resort to plasma therapy, which increases the chances of the full hair regrowth as high as to 75%.
Is hair transplant permanent?
As you transplant the hair follicles that are viable, meaning, growing, they simply continue their growth in a new place even though this place was prone to hair loss before the transplantation. As for the new strands, there is no need to take extra precautions after they have settled down. Just do your regular hair care routine.
Is it safe to have hair transplant?
If the surgery is performed by a professional, then there is minimal to zero risk. However, as everyone is individual, it is not guaranteed that your body will react or recover according to some predictions. Hence, you must be aware that sometimes you may have to deal with such side effects as infection, pronounced scars, excessive bleeding, hair fallout and a “patchy” appearance as a result, which may require the surgery to be repeated.
How much is a hair transplant?
The cost of a hair transplant depends on many things. The most contributing factors are your location, the chosen procedure type, your surgeon’s skill level, the amount of hair that requires transplantation and travel expenses. On average, hair transplantation may cost you between $4,000 and $15,000.
Do hair transplants look natural?
Provided the physician who is going to perform the surgery is qualified and experienced, you can expect quite a natural result. You should not worry that the areas where you have the follicles transplanted will be noticeable, as the scar will heal and the hair will grow back, thus concealing any evidence.
REFERENCES:
- Hair transplantation is a surgical technique that removes hair follicles from one part of the body, called the ‘donor site’, to a bald or balding part of the body known as the ‘recipient site’. Source
- Dermatology. Source
- All the latest documentaries, comedy, videos, articles and more from the award winning digital channel. Source
- There are two hair transplant procedures that have largely replaced the hair plugs of old. Source
