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Hair Transplant
Hair transplant is a relatively minor surgical procedure that is very safe. It’s the transferring of hair-bearing skin to the bald or thinning parts of the scalp.
The transplanted hair above the scalp will initially be shed and for about 6-12 weeks, its roots will remain dormant. New hairs should begin to grow after this period.
Candidates for Hair Transplant
An ideal candidate for hair transplant surgery are those who have experienced permanent hair loss. This includes patients with male pattern baldness, women with thinning hair (female pattern baldness), those with areas of scarring from injuries or hair loss after undergoing facelift procedures, and those who simply want to thicken or restore beards, eyebrows, or eyelashes.
At your initial free consultation, RVB will carefully evaluate your present hair pattern to determine the best possible design for your new grafts. Not everyone is a hair transplant candidate, so if we feel a hair transplant is not in your best interest, we will tell you so! The procedure will be completely explained and you will know in advance all costs involved. RVB will ask for a complete medical history and will conduct a careful examination to evaluate your overall health. Pre-transplant and post-transplant photos will be taken .
The hair transplant procedure usually takes about 3 to 8 hours and is performed on an out-patient basis with local anesthesia with some sedation. The transplant itself involves removing a strip of permanent hair-bearing skin from the “donor area” (usually the back or the sides of the scalp). Using various techniques, the strip is then dissected into micrografts (containing 1 to 3 hairseach. These micrografts are then planted into the thinning or balding area of the scalp (also called the “recipient area”). Creating very small micrografts (follicular units) allows very natural, feathered hairlines to be grafted and helps avoid an abrupt, clumpy look.
Depending on the degree of baldness in the frontal and crown area, 1 to 3 procedures involving several hundred (or perhaps even 1,500 or more) grafts may be required in order to achieve the ideal result. Naturally, more procedures may be required if hair loss continues or if greater density is desired. Within 24 hours, you can expect to see small crusts forming on each graft which will shed in around 7 to 10 days. Grafted hairs are observed to start growing by 6 to 12 weeks after the procedure and can be expected to grow from then onwards.
It is possible that minor infections can occur around a newly transplanted hair follicle, similar to that of an infected ingrown hair or pimple. Minor scars can also be expected. Patients may experience mild swelling around the forehead area for a few days following surgery and on rare occasions, some patients may even experience a black eye if the frontal scalp is transplanted.
Note that risks may vary from patient to patient. You should be fully aware of the medical risks involved in a procedure before consenting to undergo surgery. Please be advised that it is your obligation toinform your surgeon of any key medical information that may affect the outcome of your desired procedure.
To minimize swelling and bruising, patients may be required to sleep in a semi-upright position for 2-3 days following the procedure and to use moist compresses or sprays. Small crusts that may form on each grafts can be camouflaged by combing existing hair over the recipient area. Rest assured that these crusts usually flake off around 10 to 14 days after the surgery. Any feeling of numbness that may occur in either the donor or recipient areas usually disappear 2 to 8 months after the surgery.
The hair transplant procedure takes place in the clinic’s operating theatre , so there is no need for expensive hospital stays. The procedure is safe and simple in the hands of the experienced staff. The staff recommends that a friend or loved one drive you home after the procedure.
In most cases, patients will leave the office without even a bandage. A baseball cap works well to hide the graft implanted area for the first few days.
Will I need more than one procedure?
That will depend on the extent of your hair loss and the number of implants per surgery. It takes about 4 months to see the new growth. That is a good time to return for further evaluation to see if more sessions are indicated.
What does the healing process involve?
Although there may be some redness and swelling for a few days following your procedure, it is usually not very noticeable. Existing hair, if possible, may be combed over the grafted area to hide them while they are healing. You may shampoo gently 24 hours after your procedure. Sutures in the donor area are to be removed in 10 days.
Will my new hair look natural?
The old hair plug days of “Doll” hair are long gone. Hair transplant technicians today (worldwide) use various techniques that transfer one to five hairs maximum (per graft) from the donor area to the recipient area. By implementing these techniques, your new hair will look and feel natural and no one will know the difference unless you tell them.