Hair loss is a plaguing issue among both men and women. Interestingly, the problem is more ‘psychological’ than ‘physical’ for most people. It has a negative impact on people’s confidence leading to unwanted stress and depression.
But the medical world has evolved considerably today. Numerous treatments have surfaced in recent years, helping thousands of people regain their lost hair. More importantly, these treatments are easily accessible now, thanks to the availability of thousands of experienced dermatologists and hair specialists in your cities.
Now, a really popular hair restoration treatment that’s carving a name for itself is the hair transplant procedure. In this, hair is moved from a healthy area of your head to the bald area.
But before you go ahead and get one, you must understand a few things about this treatment that will help you decide whether it is the right treatment for you or not. Here are 6 such things
1. There are two types of hair transplant procedures
Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) and Follicular Unit Strip Surgery (FUSS) are the two common types of hair transplant procedures. In FUE, follicles are extracted one by one from the donor area using a punch tool. In FUSS, a strip of skin is removed from the donor area and divided into individual grafts. The hair specialist or the dermatologist will choose the right method for you based on the magnitude of your hair loss.
2. Hair transplant procedure is ideal for most people
Anyone can get a hair transplant procedure, irrespective of their age. All that you need is an acceptable donor area, reasonable expectations, and good health. Both men and women with well-defined baldness, limited hair loss, or hair thinning are good candidates for this procedure.
However, it is always recommended to consult a dermatologist or a hair specialist to determine if you are a good candidate for a hair transplant procedure or not.
3. A second hair transplant might be needed in special cases
If you are in the advanced stages of baldness, you might require more than one transplant procedure to cover the bald patch. The frequency of the transplant, on the other hand, depends on the health of the donor area.
For instance, if the donor area can support two sessions within a week, then your dermatologist will perform the procedure in quick succession. But in most cases, there will be a gap of at least 6 months between two sessions.
4. Hair transplant is a painless procedure
Hair transplant is a painless procedure mainly because you will be given a local anesthetic to numb the pain. The sting of the anesthetic needle is the only discomfort you might face at the time of the procedure. The FUE procedure is more painless than the FUSS procedure. Ultimately, the pain levels and the speed of recovery all depend on the experience of the dermatologist.
5. It is not recommended to use hair from other parts of the body for a hair transplant
A very common question asked to most hair specialists is – can I use the hair from my underarms, beard, or chest for the hair transplant procedure? The answer is ‘No’ because hairs obtained from different parts of your body have varying characteristics in terms of length, color, thickness, pace of growth, and texture.
In other words, these hairs don’t grow as long and as well as that on the head. So the end result might not be appealing visually. Also, the number of grafts one can take from the other body parts is quite limited. The survival rate of these grafts on the scalp is also not high.
6. There are some rare side effects associated with hair transplants
Like every other skincare and haircare procedure, the hair transplant procedure might produce certain rare side effects. Being an invasive procedure, it might leave a small, temporary, and negligible scar on the scalp. This scar will disappear in a few months after the procedure.
Apart from that, here are some more rare side effects one might experience after the procedure –
- Infection
- Scalp pain
- Swelling
- Bleeding
- Pus in surgical sites
- Losing sensation in and around the surgical sites
- Inflammation of hair follicles
Final Thoughts
A hair transplant procedure is a great choice for all those looking to regrow hair on their bald spots. Over the years, this procedure has become safer, more effective, and painless. However, a hair transplant’s success solely depends on your dermatologist’s experience. So pick your clinic and doctor wisely and regain your lost hair in no time with minimal side effects.
