Hair Transplant is an ultimate solution to the hair loss miseries of a majority of people worldwide. While most of them don’t mind losing hair, many still prefer fighting this ailment with the advanced, safe and effective hair restoration technique. This blog gives a deep insight into this procedure.

Put into simple words, hair transplant is a procedure to populate the thinning or bald areas of the head with hair. For this, the surgeon extracts hair from a fertile area (or donor site) and transplants them to crown regions or hairline & vertex (recipient site).

Started in Japan in 1939 with a single scalp hair transplant, it has today transformed into an unparalleled treatment for hair loss or baldness problems. With persistent refinement in the technique, seasoned surgeons now find it easier to make way for natural hair growth by harvesting single follicular units in the treated areas. Unlike other medications, this procedure promises to furnish long-lasting results, without any severe side-effects. Still, taking requisite precautions is essential.

HAIR TRANSPLANTATION PROCEDURES

Hair restoration surgeons usually prefer two types of surgeries – Follicular Unit Transportation (FUT) and Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE).

FUE Hair transplant

This procedure requires the surgeon to extract individual follicles from the donor site and transplant them to the recipient site. Each of these follicular units comprises a cluster of 1-4 hairs, also called follicular unit grafts. The technique can fetch appreciable results for most of the needful people, including Grades 6-7 patients. Those having lesser success with FUT may also opt for it.

FUT Hair Transplant

In this procedure, the surgeon takes out hair follicle strips from the fertile zone of the head scalp and transplants them to the bald or thinning portion. Each of these strips consists of 1-3 follicular units, which in turn include oil glands, tiny muscle value and nerve hairs. Usually, a single session involves transplanting 1000 to 4000 small grafts to the recipient area. FUT is likely to leave strip scar, which makes it a less preferred method as compared to FUE. the scar is barely visible with hair on. it does not damage to deep structures. this methods scar will be linear and the rest area of the scalp is undisturbed so you can do second sitting from the same donor area. the preferred method for young candidates who are prone to lose hair in future. this method can be done without full shaving so preferred by professionals like doctors and lawyers.

WHO IS AN IDEAL CANDIDATE FOR HAIR TRANSPLANT?

A hair transplant Surgeon would recommend the treatment for:

• Females with thin hair
• Males with pattern baldness
• People losing hair due to scalp injury

Be aware that the surgeons would not recommend hair transplant procedure for:

• Females observing hair loss patterns throughout their scalp
• People having fewer donor sites for transplanting hair to the recipient site
• Patients who have undergone chemotherapy or some other medication
• People having keloid or thick fibrous scars caused post-surgery or because of an injury

Moreover, a surgeon would advise reconsidering the decision to go under the knife to:

• People aged below 18 year
• Patients with miniaturizing or thin donor sites
• Patients suffering from diabetes, blood thinning, heart conditions, etc.

Feel free to approach us for expert consultation on your candidature for hair transplant treatment.

HAIR TRANSPLANT PROCEDURES IN DETAIL

FUE Transplant

The surgeon performs the following steps for FUT:

1. Gives anaesthesia to the scalp
2. Selects follicular units from the donor site
3. Creates a circular incision (or cut) of around 1 mm diameter around the selected area
4. Extracts multiple follicular units from the fertile area
5. Creates slits or small holes on the recipient site
6. Transfers the follicular units in these slits
7. Cares properly for the transplanted hair at the recipient zone

FUT Transplant Procedure

The surgeon will carry out the following steps for FUT hair transplant surgery:

1. Gives anaesthesia to the scalp to start with
2. Cuts a hair strip from the fertile area, mostly from the back or front portion
3. Stitches the incised area, leaving behind a fine scar that will go invisible due to covering by the remaining hair
4. Cuts the strip into tiny follicular units using precise microscopic dissection method
5. Drills small holes on the scalp’s recipient area
6. Transplants the follicular graft units
7. Applies a disinfecting solution to the scalp and covers the donor area with a bandage

SOME IMPORTANT POINTS TO PONDER

1. Usually, a single hair transplant may take around 6 to 8 hours to complete
2. The surgeon may recommend more sittings if the results in the first session are below your expectations or you have a large bald patch.
3. Each session will take places in 8 to 9 months, depending on the extent of balding
4. The cost will vary depending on the session counts.
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5. Stitches will be removed in 10 days
6. The patient’s recovery may take around 10 to 14 days in FUT and 3 to 7 days in FUE procedure
7. FUE procedure is free of stitches but the extensive scarring. you cannot use the same donor area again for FUE.

LIFE AFTER HAIR TRANSPLANT

• The hair restoration surgery helps you regain your lost hair but the transplantation of follicles may lead to certain after-effects:
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• Soreness in the scalp after the treatment
• Infection, swelling, short-term pain, etc.
• Probable hair shedding or fallout of the transplanted hair within 2-3 weeks
• Thankfully, the fallen out hair will lead to the growth of new hair within a few months.
• 60% of hair regrowth will take place within 5 months of the hair transplant procedure
• Overall, patience and precautions hold the key to fruitful results

COMPLICATIONS OF HAIR TRANSPLANT PROCEDURE

Several possible hair transplant side effects are as below:

1. Bleeding:The patient may face minor to persistent bleeding. While the former is controllable with simple pressure, the latter would require additional stitching.

2. Hair Thinning: A temporary fall out, it will result in the growth of new hair. Loss of pre-existing hair is also a possibility, but you will regain it in around two months.

3. Infection: Quite a rare possibility, you can avoid infections by using antibiotics such as Tetracycline.

4. Scars: FUT procedure is likely to leave a single linear scar on the patient’s scalp. while FUE will lead to multiple dotted scars on your scalp. NO PROCEDURE IS SCARLESS

5. Itching: Minor to severe itching may arise due to the formation of a scab. You can avoid it by regular shampooing. If it persists, better consult your surgeon.

6. Pain: Temporary pain usually disappears without any medication. In extreme cases, you may use painkillers like Paracematol to reduce the pain.

7. Swelling: Minor side effects like swelling in the forehead or near eyes may last up to two days. If the condition persists, taking Prednisolone would be ideal.

8. Numbness: This common side effect of the hair transplant surgery usually influences the donor site for around 4-5 months.

9. Cysts: The pimple-sized lumps will vanish on their own.

10. Hiccups: Around 20% of hair transplant candidates are likely to get hiccups. They may take some hours to several days to last.

COST OF HAIR TRANSPLANT COST

Few important points about the cost of hair transplant procedure:

1. For FUE treatment in India, the minimum cost lies between 40 INR to 100 INR per graft, exclusive of taxes.
2. For FUT treatment in India, the minimum cost lies between 40 INR to 100 INR per graft, exclusive of taxes Hence, the minimum cost of hair transplant in India lies between 40 INR to 100 INR per graft
3. The cost of a complete hair transplant procedure in India is around 70,000 INR to 3,40,000 INR
4. The cost of a complete hair transplant procedure in the UK or US is around 1000,000 INR to 2500,000 INR (10,000 USD to $35,000 USD), which is around 75% more than in India.
5. The cost per graft in Europe and USA is around $4 – $8 and $ – $12, respectively.

THE OUTCOME OF THE HAIR TRANSPLANT PROCEDURE

After the surgery, your hair will continue growing in the transplanted area at a slow or fast pace depending on Follicle density, hair curliness, hair quality and aftercare. Hence, make sure to take proper medicines and prefer not to go for PRP or laser therapy after the hair transplant. Finally, abiding strictly by the doctor’s suggestions would help you ensure a commendable hair regrowth after undergoing the hair transplant procedure.

Surgery Before & After Photos