Hair transplantation is a surgical process performed by a plastic surgeon, involving the relocation of hair from the densely covered area at the back of the head to the bald or thinning region. This procedure is usually done in a clinic under the supervision of an expert surgeon. The person is given local anaesthesia during the process of hair transplant so that no pain is felt. Baldness is categorised into various patterns and the main reasons for pattern baldness include a poor diet, chronic or severe illness, stress, and an imbalance of hormones. If a person is undergoing long-term treatment due to some illness, strong medicines can also cause hair loss in some people.
There are two main approaches to hair transplant:
- Follicular Unit Transplantation (FUT), is a procedure where a portion of the scalp is removed and dissected into follicular units
- Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE), is the process where the follicles are harvested individually. Hair transplants provide a permanent solution to hair loss by increasing hair volume, and density. Post the transplant the concerned person gets a fuller head.
What is the procedure for a hair transplant?
The surgeon takes a strip of skin from the back of your head where the hair growth is healthy and dense and it’s called the donor site. Usually, the skin piece is taken from the back of your head with healthy hair. The piece of skin is then grafted or moved to the bald patch on your scalp. Once the grafting is done, the skin starts to heal with proper medical care, you will start seeing the growth of new hair on your bald patch.
Side effects of hair transplant
You may experience a few side effects post the hair transplant procedure such as itching, redness, swelling in the scalp, formation of crusts, pain, etc. It is advisable to consult your dermatologist before opting for the surgery to be fully sure about the probable side effects and how to treat them post-surgery. Like any other surgery, hair transplant also has a few risks associated with it like, a failed graft, allergic reaction, blood loss, infection and, numbness in the scalp.
How long does a hair transplant last?
Hair transplant starts showing full results in a year, so you have to be patient with the process. The healing process may cause the fall out of the transplanted hair as the graft starts to heal. This is absolutely normal and you don’t need to panic at all. The hair will grow back with time and you may need to go for several visits to the clinic for a “touch-up” hair transplant series to get a natural-looking hairline.
Who is a suitable candidate for a hair transplant?
Any person who is suffering from excessive hair loss can opt for a hair transplant. You need to have a potent donor hair area, an infection-free healthy scalp, and overall good health. The procedure needs to be done by an expert surgeon who has years of experience and understands the individual requirements. If done by a trained surgeon, The results will be natural and satisfactory.
In a nutshell, hair transplant is a common practice but it is important to consult a professional surgeon who will do a proper diagnosis of the symptoms and past medical history. A head full of hair will bring back the confidence that you lack due to hair loss.
