What are some of the most common benefits of this procedure?
Hair transplants can provide a new, natural-looking head of hair. While hair transplants do not actually add any hair to the head, they can provide the appearance of more hair.
Your doctor will begin with a complete medical history. He/she may also take photos, and give you specific instructions about how to prepare for the procedure. Be sure to tell the doctor if you have had previous hair replacement surgery, if you smoke, or if you take any drugs or medications, including aspirin.
How is a hair transplant performed?
Strips or patches of hair are taken from the back of the head. Hair from this area is less likely to thin, regardless of where it is transplanted. Hair removal from this area is also virtually undetectable. As much as half of the hair in this area can be taken without producing a noticeable difference.
The removed patches, or strips, are cut into smaller pieces, which are then “planted” in the balding area. This transplanted hair continues to grow just as it did before. It will not thin or die unless hair in the region of the head from which it was taken also thins or dies.
There are two common methods used for removing hair to be transplanted. Hair can be removed in small circular areas (plugs), each containing between eight and twelve hairs. Or, hair may also be removed in long strips along the sides or near the bottom of the hairline. The advantage of the second method is that it provides the physician with more hair to cut and mold into different-sized plugs and/or grafts. Thousands of grafts can be created from one strip of hair, each containing as few as 1-2 hairs.
Next, incisions slightly smaller than the plugs are made in the balding area. For grafts, even smaller incisions are made with a tiny scalpel, or even a needle. Your doctor may use a laser to make these tiny cuts. (Despite marketing claims, a laser in this situation has no special advantage over other incision tools.) The plugs/grafts are carefully spaced in order to allow adequate blood supply and produce a natural angle, growth direction and appearance.
Sutures are applied to close the area where the grafts or plugs were taken from. The skin will naturally stretch to cover a wider area. No sutures are required in the area where the plugs and grafts have been placed. The body’s natural fluids will bond the plugs and grafts to the head.
A hair transplant can be done in an outpatient surgery center or in an office surgical suite. Most hair transplants are performed under local anesthesia (like that used by dentists) combined with a sedative to make you drowsy. You'll be awake but relaxed, and although you may feel some tugging and mild discomfort, you won’t feel any pain.
How much pain is there?
The amount of pain depends on the extent of the procedure, and varies from person to person. Immediately following the procedure, there may be some mild discomfort that can be alleviated with oral pain medication. You should discuss your goals, budget, and pain tolerance with your doctor in order to help him/her determine the procedure, or combination of procedures, that will produce the best results for you.
What can I expect after the procedure?
During the first two or three days following the procedure, there may be some discomfort in both the area that hair was taken from as well as the area of the transplant. Mild headache, swelling and bruising around the eyes are common.
Bandages are usually applied after the procedure and should be left in place overnight. The sutures are removed about 10 days after the operation. It is common for medical staff to shampoo the hair the first time after the procedure, and your doctor will give you instructions regarding hair grooming during your recovery. Some scabbing usually occurs in both areas, and should disappear within about 8-10 days some numbness may also occur, and may last for up to 2-3 months.
There is a small risk of the plugs/grafts coming out, so you should avoid vigorous or strenuous exercise until scabs have completely healed.
What is the recovery period like?
Other than avoiding vigorous exercise, most people are able to return to their normal routine the day after the procedure.
About two days after the procedure, the hair from the graft will begin to fall out, and hair re-growth may be thinner for several months. This is normal, and is caused by the brief period of diminished blood supply that occurs during the procedure.
During the first month and a half, little or no new hair will grow in. However, within three months of the operation, new hair will begin to sprout in the grafts. After another three months, the procedure may be repeated to fill in spaces between the grafts, for an even fuller, thicker head of hair.
What is the long-term outcome like for most people?
Because the plugs and grafts are taken from areas where hair is strong and healthy, transplants should continue to grow throughout an individual’s lifetime. While it normal for some of the grafts not to take, most people are pleased with the results of their hair transplant.
Who is an Ideal Candidate?
In general, the best candidates for hair transplants are:
- Mature enough to fully understand the procedure
- Knowledgeable about the procedure
- In good physical and psychological health
- Wanting to improve their appearance
- Realistic in their expectations
- Non-smokers or able to stop smoking during the healing process
- Possessing healthy hair on the sides and back of the head
- Informed about the effects of their hair texture on the outcome
The above is only a partial list of the criteria that your surgeon will consider in determining whether or not this procedure is appropriate for you. Be sure to ask your surgeon if he / she consider you an ideal candidate for this surgery.
What are the possible risks and complication?
Complications are usually minor when a hair transplant is performed by a qualified board-certified plastic surgeon with experience in performing hair transplants. You can reduce your risk of complications by closely following your doctor's instructions both before and after the procedure. You should be aware that:
- Scarring may occur on the graft sites. However, most scars are small and are covered up by growing hair.
- Infection can occur in the grafted areas. Your physician may decide to prescribe antibiotics before the procedure, as a precaution, or afterward if infection occurs.
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