Hair Transplantation Surgery
Anybody faced with the problem of hair fall, realises the importance of having a thick, healthy and shiny mane. Hair loss is a major problem faced by men and women today. It is complicated problem to deal with as the causes may range from vitamin or mineral deficiency, hormonal changes caused by stress/medical condition or certain medications.Sometimes it may also be a combination of causes that is causing your hair to fall. Methods of treating hair fall are varied as well. There are hair growth vitamins, pills, and serums available online. More drastic measures include laser treatments and hair transplantation surgery.
Hair transplantation surgery is a cosmetic procedure that involves taking a strip of skin that has hair from usually the back of the head and transplanting it to areas of the head from where hair loss has taken place.
Different types of hair transplant surgeries
There are various types of hair transplant procedures of which the surgeon will pick the one that is best suited to you. Even so, there are three that are picked most commonly:- Hair transplant graft:
This is performed under local anaesthesia and the surgeon picks grafts from the donor site containing hair and transplants them on the sites that need coverage. The donor site is first prepared by trimming the hair on it so that it is more conveniently handled. The surgeon may decide to use 'punch grafts', which are round shaped and contain up to 15 strands of hair or 'mini-grafts' that have 2 to 4 strands. For extensive coverage 'strip grafts' can also be used that can contain up to 40 hairs. This procedure usually requires more than one sitting and healing between successive sittings can take months. It can take up to 2 years before you see full results. - Flap surgery:
This procedure is used in cases of extensive hair loss. It requires a patient to stay in the hospital for a longer period of time and is performed under general anaesthesia. In this procedure, the surgeon inserts balloon like devices under the hair bearing skin. Over a period of weeks, these devices are filled with more and more saline solution, which expands the skin. The skin on the balding area is then cut out and a flap of graft containing hair is then lifted off the head while still being attacked at one end. It is brought into place and then stitched. Now, it is left to heal and develop new blood supply. - Scalp reduction surgery:
Also known as advancement flap surgery. Here sections of balding scalp are completely removed and skin bearing hair is loosened and pulled on top of it and sewn in place. This procedure is done for bald patches on the top and the back of the head. The part of scalp that has to be removed is usually cut out in 'U' or inverted 'Y' shape. The size of the area removed depends on the extent of coverage required.
According to National Institutes of Health:
After any of these procedures, it would be considered normal to feel some degree of pain, swelling, or numbness on your scalp. The healing will take some time, depending on the procedure and you may have to wear bandages for a few days to cover the stiches. It is imperative to know that even though hair transplant surgeries show results they make take time and like most surgeries are not devoid of side effects or complications.
Risks or Complications
The general risks involved with undergoing any surgery with general anaesthesia remain. There may be excessive bleeding, scarring, or infection. Nerve damage and allergic reaction are also some other general risks involved.Complications specific to this type of surgery that may arise are inadequate growth of the graft giving a patchy appearance, permanent death of the graft or infection of the hair follicles present in the grafted scalp.
Another aspect to consider for those who decide to undergo hair transplant surgery is that after the procedure is done and healing has taken place, hair loss can still take place.
Considering the risk and complications involved and not forgetting the cost of surgery, it is important to know that there are other less invasive and drastic solutions available today. Surgery should be kept as the last option, to be resorted to only if other simpler methods do not work.
Pros and Cons of Hair Transplantation Surgery
| # | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | If the procedure is successful it usually shows drastic results, which brings back a lot of confidence. | Surgery is costly ($6000 - $15000) and time consuming. |
| 2. | One can resort to hair transplant surgery even in extreme cases of hair loss. | It rarely shows results after one sitting. Depending on the severity of hair loss the surgeon will call you for more than one session and generally some time is needed for healing in between sessions. |
| 3. | Surgery can help with hair loss caused due to burns, injuries, or even other surgeries. | Comes with all the risks of invasive surgery and there is also a chance that the graft will not "take". |
| 4. | - | If the graft is not accepted properly. It can lead to a patchy appearance. Touch-up surgery may be required then to rectify this |
| 5. | - | It will not give you new hair; it will only change the position of already existing hair. |
| 6. | - | It can take up to 2 years after the surgery to start seeing visible change. |
Alternatives to Hair Transplantation Surgery
Hair transplantation surgery is not a "cure" which means that if you suffer from baldness, this type of surgery will mask areas that have lost hair rather than check further hair loss.This is the reason why hair transplantation surgery often has to be combined with other hair growth methods. Also, one should know that hair transplant surgery can take up to 9 month before you start seeing visible results.
If you suffer from androgenetic alopecia or male pattern baldness, or female pattern baldness, there is not guarantee that your hair will not fall out after the surgery. Often, here it is advised to continue with natural hair growth methods.
These products contain no dangerous components and promote only safe hair growth, improved hair health, better appearance, and improved self esteem.
