Hair Transplant

Over the counter and prescription medications are not the only hair loss treatments available. Hair transplants are a surgical procedure that involves the harvesting of donor hair follicles and the relocation of them surgically and permanently onto areas that are affected by baldness.

It is an expensive procedure, although in the last decade the prices have dropped as modern techniques have made it an easier procedure. It does, however, have severe side effects, and if the scalp and operated area is not treated correctly after surgery, then the results could be quite disappointing. If correct care is taken, however, the results are effective and new hair will grow on areas that were bald or balding.

What is the procedure of hair transplant?

A hair transplant involves moving hair follicles (found in the dermis and epidermis of the skin on the scalp) from one part of the head to another. It is most commonly used to treat male pattern baldness but can also be used in plastic surgery to restore eyelashes, eyebrows and even fill in areas that do not have hair anymore due to scarring.

Unlike a regular skin graft, hair transplants contain all the dermis and epidermis that surround the hair follicle. Also, even if a large strip of skin is harvested, it is first cut into smaller, tinier sections. The graft is never one big strip of skin, like a normal skin graft, but rather many tiny ones.

The donor hair is harvested before the hair transplant, while the patient is under local anaesthetic. There are two different ways to harvest hair. The method used is decided by the doctor and the person undergoing the hair transplant:

Strip harvesting - the patient is put under local anaesthetic and a strip of scalp is removed. The strip that is removed contains healthy hair follicles that will be used during the transplant. The strip is then cut into small pieces of tissue that are reinserted into the balding part of the scalp using a blade. Strip harvesting leaves a linear scar where the strip was removed from, which can be covered with hair. Results are permanent if the areas of hair are cared for correctly after surgery.

FUE (follicular unit extraction) harvesting - this is a much more meticulous and drawn out surgical process as it involves taking out individual hair follicles using micro removal. Each follicle is then reinserted back into the scalp in the area where the hair is thinning or bald. The benefit, other than the results being permanent, is that the process leaves no scars and requires no stitches.

The side effects of hair transplant

The results of a hair transplant are permanent, should the post op area be cared for correctly. Many doctors give the patients a special shampoo; shampooing the scalp and affected area keeps the skin soft and moist and prevents any scabbing. Scabbing is what would potentially damage the results.

‘Shock loss’ or temporary hair loss is also a side effect of a hair transplant. This is when the hair from the newly moved hair follicles will fall out within ten days of the operation. This is normal, but they should grow back within several weeks. There may be temporary swelling on the scalp and forehead, which can be monitored with specific medications.

Years after having a hair transplant, more hair on different parts of the scalp may start to fall out. Because the transplanted hair is from follicles that will never bald, they will remain to grow, so you could suffer from some very odd looking balding patterns.