Hair transplant surgery can restore a fuller head of hair, but it’s not the right option for everyone. To ensure you’re a good candidate for this life-changing procedure, follow these helpful tips to prepare.
Your surgeon must know your scalp’s condition and how it will change as you age.
Age
There’s no age limit for hair transplant surgery – provided you have the correct counseling and realistic expectations. However, it’s not recommended for young people as their future hair loss pattern is difficult to predict.
During the procedure, surgeons extract hair from the back of your head using FUSS or FUE techniques. They then re-implant these hairs in the balding areas of your scalp. After the operation, your doctor might recommend PRP treatments to help heal and promote faster regrowth. They will also tell you to expect shedding and regrowth for a few months. Facial swelling is expected. These side effects usually subside after a few days.
Genetics
Hair transplant surgery is a cosmetic procedure that moves scalp hair and follicles from thicker areas of the head to places with thinning or baldness. It can give you a dense, natural-looking hairline and a fuller head of hair.
The surgeon takes healthy hair from the back and sides of your head (the donor area). They may also use body or beard hair if you don’t have enough hair on the back of your head.
Losing some of your original hair when new hair grows is normal. This is called shock loss, and it’s usually temporary. However, some people experience persistent shock loss. Talk to your doctor about this.
Lifestyle
In addition to diet, lifestyle factors can affect hair transplant surgery results. For instance, consuming alcohol can dehydrate you. Smoking can also increase your blood pressure, reducing blood flow and nutrients to the scalp.
Hair transplants require surgeons to cut away areas of skin containing hair growth, such as the back and sides of your head. The surgeon then moves these grafts to hairless parts of your scalp.
It would help if you were gentle while washing your hair after a hair transplant. This means avoiding harsh shampoos and using a spray that doesn’t blast your scalp with water. You should avoid dyeing your hair, tight styling, and excessive sweating.
Health
Hair transplant surgery is a surgical procedure. Your healthcare provider may use a knife to cut tiny pieces of hair-bearing scalp from the back and sides of your head. Known as grafts, these are placed in areas where you have thinning or balding.
Your doctor may also use a technique called tissue expansion. This involves placing balloon-like devices under the skin of a balding area. Over time, these expand with saline, encouraging your scalp to grow more hair-bearing skin.
Choosing a surgeon with extensive training and experience in this type of surgery is essential. You want a surgeon who will give you natural-looking results and will be able to perform any necessary follow-up procedures to ensure your results last.
Hair Type
Hair transplants have been around for decades. Surgeons take healthy hair follicles from the back of your head, where it is thicker, and shift them to thinning or bald areas on your scalp. These follicles then “take root” and grow the hair they were programmed to.
The hair follicles used are either micro or mini grafts, each containing one to three hairs, as opposed to the older punch grafts with 10 to 20 inches. People with thinner hair may need more grafts for a natural-looking result. Thicker, light-colored hair often produces the best results. But the process is not without risk. Some new follicles may die from shock loss after surgery or fail to grow.
Hair Loss Pattern
Hair transplant surgery involves moving hair follicles from an area of dense hair on the back or sides of your scalp (the donor area) to areas where your hair is thinning or balding. The surgeon removes the follicles with either a needle or a scalpel, then places them into tiny holes or slits in the balding area. The grafts vary in size – circular punch grafts, for example, contain 10 to 20 hairs; micro/mini grafts contain one to three follicles; and strip grafts, which are removed with a long piece of skin, have 30 or 40 hairs.
You will need several surgical sessions to achieve the desired results, and these must be spaced several months apart to allow each transplanted follicle to heal. Your transplanted hair may fall out temporarily after the procedure but will regrow within a few months.
Scalp Condition
Hair transplantation involves moving scalp hair and follicles from areas with thick, full hair to an area of thinness or baldness. To perform this procedure, the surgeon uses a tube-like tool called a punch graft, tiny holes or slits made with a scalpel or strips of skin from the back or side of the head (called a donor area).
The surgeon can also use body hair, which takes more skill to harvest than scalp hair but is an effective option for patients who do not have dense hair on the sides or back of their heads. Hide from the chest, beard, and chin can also be used.
Some scalp conditions, like psoriasis, can prevent successful hair transplants. This is why it’s so important to undergo a detailed evaluation by a qualified physician before considering this treatment.
Surgery
Choosing the right surgeon is crucial to the success of your surgery. Look for doctors with dermatology or plastic surgery accreditations and who have experience performing hair transplantation.
Healthy hair follicles are moved to areas with thin or no hair during the procedure. This can produce a fuller head of hair or a natural-looking, dense forehead. Surgeons can also take hair from your chest, back, or beard for more comprehensive coverage.
It is usual for the transplanted hair to fall out after a few weeks. However, the procedure still needs to be completed. Your new hair is preparing to grow and will eventually regrow. Most patients will need multiple surgery sessions to achieve their desired result.
