Hair Transplants: Procedure, Costs and Before and After

 

What is Hair Transplant?

A hair transplant is done by either a plastic surgeon or dermatological surgeon takes hair from the back or the sides of the head and implant these hairs to the front or the top of the head. It is a clinically proven procedure that is used in order to increase hair growth and reduce balding, which in turn increases people’s self-confidence and self-esteem. It is not just for balding men, but the procedure can be done on women too!

 

Who is a suitable candidate for a hair transplant?

There are multiple reasons why people might opt for a hair transplant surgery. Some of the most common reasons are

• Men suffering with male pattern baldness
• Women with thinning hair
• People who have suffered from scalp burns

 

However, there are certain people who suffer with certain conditions that cause hair loss that are not suitable for a hair transplant procedure, such are people who

• Suffer from alopecia because they generally do not have enough hair to use for the Transplant
• People who form keloid scars
• People who do not have enough donor sites for the hair transplant

 

Male and Female Baldness and Thinning

One of the main reasons people receive hair transplants is because of balding and thinning hair. It is a great solution for people who are suffering from either of these conditions as it is proven to ensure the regrowth of hair and to reduce balding. Increasing hair growth and reducing hair thinning and baldness is a great way to improve confidence. It ensures a long-term solution to balding.

 

Receding Hairline

Another reason many people get a hair transplant is to combat a receding hairline. This can be a big source of insecurity for men and women, and it is generally the first sign of balding or hair loss. It is possible to treat this initially with hair growth shampoos and hair supplements, however if this does not work, a hair transplant can be the next best, and most permanent, solution. Having a hair transplant increases hair growth and can really increase your confidence.

 

Hair Transplant Surgery and Harvesting Methods

There are two main types of hair transplant surgeries. The first type of surgery uses strip harvesting in order to harvest hair follicles and transplant them. Though this surgery is more painful, it is cheaper and can be effective for people who have few donor sites in one location. The second type of surgery uses follicular unit extraction in order to extract hair follicles and relocate them to a different part of your head to reduce balding and increase hair growth. This is a more expensive procedure, but it has a much quicker recovery time and causes no scarring.

 

Strip Harvesting (FUSS)

FUSS stands for Follicular Unit Strip Surgery, which is a type of hair transplant surgery. Dermatologist or plastic surgeons extract donor hair in a linear strip from the back of the scalp. Then, the tissue is then dissected, and the hair follicles are reimplanted into the front and top of the scalp. It is quite a fast procedure and slightly cheaper than an FUE procedure. However, the procedure does leave a greater wound than an FUE procedure, meaning that the recovery time is quite a lot longer and it is more painful

 

Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE)

FUE stands for Follicular Unit Extraction which is a type of hair transplant procedure where a surgeon creates a small circular incision into the skin around a hair follicle and separates it from the scalp and then reinserts it into the front and top of the head. It does not create a scar and is less painful than an FUSS procedure. It also allows you to extract donor hairs from multiple sites and replant them into other parts of the scalp. It has a much quicker recovery time; however, it is a more expensive procedure than the FUSS procedure.

 

Hair Transplant Procedure:

Step 1: Pre-op consultation and inspection

Initially, a surgeon will consult the patient and ensure that they have enough donor sites in order for the surgery to be successful. They will also enquire as to what exactly the patient wants done. They will then book a surgery date that works for the patient.

 

Step 2: Anaesthesia

Then, on surgery day, you are injected with numbing solution in order to numb your scalp. This reduces the pain you experience and it much less risky than being put under general anaesthesia.

Step 3: Extracting healthy hair follicles

Then, hair follicles are either taken individually from the back or sides of scalp in an FUE procedure, or a strip of tissue containing hair follicles is removed and the technicians remove the hair follicles from the tissue.

 

Step 4: Hair implantation

Then, the hair is reimplanted into the front and the top of the scalp by the surgeon. Once the hair is implanted into the new area of the scalp it takes hold and regenerates the hair in that area of the hair.

 

Step 4: Recovery

While recovering from the procedure it is important to keep your wounds clean. For an FUSS procedure it takes 2-3 weeks to full recover from the surgery, however it takes roughly 8-10 days for the patient to recover from an FUE surgery.

 

How long does a hair transplant procedure take?

A hair transplant normally takes between 4 and 8 hours to complete. If you are having a large amount of hair transplanted, you may need to return the following day for more hairs to be removed and transplanted.

Are hair transplant procedures painful?

Generally, a hair transplant procedure is moderately painful at the transplant site. A doctor will probably prescribe main medications like ibuprofen and sometimes they prescribe antibiotics in order to ensure that you do not suffer from any infections. Though it is painful, the recovery time is between 12-14 days.

 

Recovery: What to expect after a hair transplant

Generally, you will experience some discomfort. You should also expect swelling at the incision site. Roughly 2-3 weeks after the surgery, you will notice that the replanted hair will fall out. Then you should begin to notice some hair regrowth within the next few months. Between 6-9 months post-surgery most people see about 60% regrowth. You should w ait a few days before you wash your hair and wait roughly two weeks in before you brush your hair with a comb or brush vigorously. You should also avoid wearing anything on your head and refrain from exercising for 2-3 weeks.

 

Side effects from hair implantation?

There are multiple different side effects that people suffer from hair implantations. Some of the most common side effects are:

• Infection
• Swelling
• Bruising
• Itching
• Numbness
• Temporary loss of transplanted hair
• Puss
• Crusting

 

Are hair transplants permanent?

Hair transplants are generally considered to be permanent as healthy hair is implanted into the balding or thinning areas. Though it may take between 6 months to a year in order to see proper results, after the procedure is completed should last a lifetime. Balding and hair thinning is generally a huge source of insecurity for a lot of people, and so this treatment can really improve confidence and self-esteem that lasts a lifetime. It is recommended to supplement with amino acids and vitamins that are needed to nourish the new hair. This is why many hair transplant clinics offer KeraHealth Hair Men to their patients to help ensure the maximum success of the procedure.

 

Hair transplant procedures before and after results

Generally, it takes between 6 and 9 months in order to see full results. However, after as little time as two weeks, slow regrowth is visible.

 

After 2 Weeks

After 1 Month

 

After 3 Months

 

How much do hair transplants cost?

Hair transplants range in prices. They can cost anywhere between 4,000 and 15,000 dollars. The more hair that is removed and reimplanted into the scalp, the more expensive the surgery can be. Depending on the location and the surgeon you decide to do the procedure with the cost will change too. It is important to maintain the scalp and hair- use good quality products such as Follicle Hero Shampoo and conditioner to endure the health of the scalp and hair and KeraHealth Hair Men to boost the growth of the follicles.

 

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