Hair transplant Treatment

How Does a Hair Transplant Work?

Both procedures involve the extraction of follicles and moving them to the front side of the scalp. During FUT, the surgeon cuts and extracts skin strips from the scalp’s backside; however, FUE involves extracting individual hair follicles.

In FUT, the surgeon uses a scalpel to cut the skin tissue into strips leaving a linear scar in the donor area after suturing it. However, FUE involves no such extraction and is performed with a tiny needle to create microscopic holes or punch incisions. 

Hundreds and thousands of hair follicles are implanted in the target area. Later, the scalp is bandaged for recovery. It’s preferred because it’s scar-free and allows quick recovery.

How Grafting Is Performed?

Here’s the step-by-step procedure for grafting:

• Grafting starts with preparing the donor area, which is thoroughly cleaned; local anesthesia is administered to prevent discomfort.
• The surgeon cuts tiny pieces of skin grafts from the donor area, which is usually the back or side of the scalp, as it contains denser hair growth.
• A small punch is used to harvest the grafts containing 10-15 hair strands. These are known as hair plugs, and are divided into micro-grafts containing 1-2 hair strands. This technique is used in FUT and takes around 3-4 hours to complete.
• In FUE, the surgeon extracts single hair from the root. Depending on the requirement, the surgeon may perform multiple grafting procedures.

Cost of the Treatment

The exact cost of FUE depends on the target area’s size, grade of baldness, number of sessions, presence of scarred tissue, clinic’s location, and practitioner’s skill.

FUT Recovery: It takes 14 days to heal the scalp and scabs. From 14 days to 2 months, you will notice the shedding of new hair grafts and hair will grow after 4 months. Some patients may feel swelling or discomfort around the scalp after FUT. Also, FUT leaves a linear scar at the donor site, unlike FUE.

FUE Recovery: You may experience some tenderness or pain on the scalp. The scalp is covered in bandages and takes a week to recover. Your surgeon may prescribe antibiotics, painkillers or anti-inflammatory medications for fast healing. After 2-3 weeks, you’ll notice new hair growth.

Who Is Ideal for Hair Transplant?

Anyone above 18 years old and looking to regrow hair in sparse areas or bald patches. It’s ideal for:

• Male pattern baldness
• Female pattern baldness
• Hormonal hair loss
• Androgenetic alopecia
• Hair loss due to burns or scalp injury
• Sparse hair growth in eyebrows and beard area

Benefits of Hair Transplants 

1. Relatively pain-free: Unlike other hair restoration procedures, hair transplant is relatively pain-free. In FUE and FUT, numbing cream is applied before the session to reduce If you experience slight pain, you can take prescribed painkillers.

2. Scar-free method: FUE leaves little to no scarring because harvesting is precisely done on the extraction site and heals on its own in a few days.

3. Low downtime: The recovery time is significantly less and doesn’t take months, unlike other procedures. You can resume your daily activities after 1-2 days, as it’s a low-maintenance treatment with fuss-free post-care instructions.

4. Quick procedure: It’s an in-office procedure that doesn’t take up much time, allowing you to conveniently go about your daily routine and even drive right after the procedure.

5. Natural-looking results: The results are long-lasting and natural. Especially, FUE transplant gives a hairline you can flaunt.

6. Permanent solution: Unlike medications and other hair loss treatments, transplants offer permanent and sustainable results.

7. Cost-effective: It’s cost-effective compared to temporary methods that involve countless clinic visits. Considering the high success rate and results, it’s a worthy one-time investment.

8. No significant side effects: Contemporary scientific developments have made transplants a minimally invasive procedure with low side effects. Plus, it doesn’t involve post-surgery complications like long-term medications or elaborate recovery time.

9. Improved confidence and self-image: After the transplant, you can expect a voluminous hairline to boost your confidence.

Despite the rare complications, the recovery time in FUT transplants is manageable but long. It is not uncommon to experience swelling, bleeding, numbness, infection, ingrown hair and shock loss after the treatment—these occur when a patient isn’t idea for transplants, or the surgeon lacks expertise.

FUE hair transplant is minimally invasive and relatively safe. Since it only works on the upper scalp layers, it barely leaves any signs of extraction. When an experienced surgeon performs it, there are no significant risks or side effects.

Recovery & Outlook

The recovery process depends on the patient, scope and method of surgery. In FUE, your scalp is bandaged to heal faster, and recovery lasts 10-14 days in the donor area and about a week in the treated area.

You are advised to avoid any strenuous activities during the recovery period. You may experience shedding during the initial days post-treatment, but it’s normal. FUE hair transplant offers 100 per cent natural-looking results, and hair growth will be thicker, denser and resistant to future hair loss. However, you may experience natural ageing and greying.

Conclusion 

As we age, we experience hair thinning, hair loss and balding due to the shortened hair growth cycle. But it varies from person to person. Some start experiencing bald patches in their 20s, while others experience them much later.

If you are experiencing pattern baldness, hormonal hair loss, hair thinning, or all of it, and looking for natural-looking and permanent results, consult your dermatologist to know more about FUE transplant.

FAQs on Hair Transplant Treatment

Is hair transplant a permanent solution?

FUE offers a permanent and easily-manageable solution for a long time. After six months of the procedure, the hair starts growing naturally and follows the greying process. Generally speaking, it lasts for about 20 years.

What are the causes of hair loss?

The most common cause of hair loss is family history. Hormonal changes, stress and some medications can also lead to hair loss.

If you notice any painful sensations, swelling or numbness or suspect any infection in the scalp, you should immediately consult your healthcare provider.

Which areas can be a donor for hair transplant?

The back and sides of the head are usually the donor areas for hair transplant as they contain maximum hair follicles and denser hair growth than other regions of the scalp.

Does donor area hair grow back?

Yes, donor area hair grows back after it gets healed.

Can I wear a hat after a hair transplant?

The dermatologist recommends not wearing a hat or covering the scalp for 1-2 weeks after the transplant.

Can a hair transplant be done on burnt skin?

Yes, a hair transplant can cover burnt areas of the scalp. It is also helpful in recreating eyebrows, beards, moustaches, and other body parts that bear hair.

How do you get rid of transplant scars?

Laser treatment is often recommended to heal scars left behind after a transplant.