7 facts about hair transplant you should know

Hair transplant is not for everyone.

By: Debjani Arora | | Updated: January 27, 2018 3:35 pm

Some men (and women too) make peace with their receding hairlines and thinning of hair. But for others, hair loss makes a dent in their confidence and morale. This is completely understandable because how we look and present ourselves has an impact on shaping our own personality and social behaviour. Self-image can either make you a confident go-getter or make you retract into your shell. In all this, your hair plays an important role. No wonder hair clinics in every nook and corner are flourishing these days. Many opt for a hair transplant to reclaim their crowning glory and instil lost confidence. So, if hair fall is bothering you and you are thinking of opting for a hair transplant here are few things that you should know. Also, know these myths and facts busted by an expert.

Here Dr Viral Desai, Cosmetic Surgeon, DHI India and CPLSS India, Mumbai tell us few facts abouHt hair transplant.

1. Hair transplant is a permanent procedure

There are many options that can help you to address hair loss, but hair transplant is a permanent solution. So, before you opt for this procedure make sure you have spoken to your surgeon and learnt everything that is to be known about this procedure. Hair transplant cannot be reversed once done, so take an informed decision. Else, you can try for other less invasive methods like Meso hair therapy, platelet rich plasma therapy or laser hair therapy to treat hair loss. If these procedures fail to deliver results, then talk to your doctor about a hair transplant. Here are few tips to prevent hair loss.

2. Hair transplant is a surgical procedure

Unlike other hair restoration therapies, hair transplant is a surgical technique that involves removing hair follicles from a part of the body called the ‘donor site’ to a bald or balding part of the body known as the ‘recipient site’. It is primarily used to treat androgenic alopecia. In this minimally invasive procedure, grafts containing hair follicles that are genetically resistant to balding, (like the back of the head) are transplanted to the bald scalp. Hair transplantation can also be used to restore eyelashes, eyebrows, beard hair, chest hair, pubic hair and to fill in scars caused by accidents or surgery such as face-lifts and previous hair transplants.

3. There are two kinds of hair transplant procedure

There are two methods to remove the grafts – Follicular Unit Transplantation (FUT) and Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE). Also, read – a permanent solution to hair loss. In FUT method, a strip of scalp is cut out from the back of the head and is dissected into individual grafts. FUE method of hair transplantation involves taking the individual follicular units/grafts from the back of the head one by one by cutting around it through a tiny specialised machine and removing them. The process is tedious and takes a few hours but is painless after a few numbing injections are given.

If donor hair numbers from the back of the head are insufficient, it is possible to perform body hair transplantation (BHT) on appropriate candidates who have available donor hair on the chest, back, shoulders, torso and/or legs. Body hair transplant surgery can only be performed by the FUE harvesting method and, so, requires the skills of an experienced FUE surgeon. However, there are several factors for a potential BHT candidate to consider prior to surgery. These include understanding the natural difference in textural characteristics of body hair and scalp hair, growth rates, and having realistic expectations about the results of BHT surgery. Know more about the FUE and FUT method of transplant.

4. Hair transplant can be done for both men and women

For the longest time, people believed in this myth that hair transplant is only for men. This myth was widely accepted because more men suffer from baldness than women. However, a hair transplant can be done on both. In fact, men with male pattern baldness and females with thinning hair can opt for it. Anyone who has lost some hair from a burn or scalp injury can also go for a hair transplant.

5. Hair transplant isn’t for everyone

This might just contradict the previous fact but not everyone can go for a hair transplant but the selection doesn’t happen on the basis of gender. People who cannot opt for a hair transplant are women with a wide-spread pattern of hair loss throughout the scalp, people who don’t have enough ‘donor’ hair sites from which to remove hair for transplant, people who have keloid scars (thick, fibrous scars) after an injury or surgery, people who suffer from hair loss is due to medication like that of chemotherapy.

6. You cannot be lax about your post-operative care

It doesn’t call for much and for best results one needs to stick to the instructions doled out for post care which includes taking antibiotics and anti-inflammatory medications mandatory for three to five days, moistening the scalp and head wash is important, one should avoid direct sun exposure, heavy exercises and swimming for the next three weeks after the procedure, even usage of chemical product like gel or other chemical treatment should be avoided for at least one month.

7. Price of hair transplant

Hair transplant is a costly procedure which usually it starts from one lakh to 3 lakh, depending on the requirement of the number of hairs and the number of sessions.

Image source: Shutterstock

Published : January 26, 2018 1:11 pm | Updated:January 27, 2018 3:35 pm

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