Surprising as it is, your hair’s health reflects your overall wellness. Healthy and vibrant hair symbolizes good health as your body produces enough nutrients. With surplus nutrients, the body’s organs operate at their optimum conditions.
If your hair is curly and unhealthy, it may be a sign of bad health. Therefore, you may need to shift your diet and hair care routine to promote overall wellness.
Fortunately, you can transplant your hair. But how? I’m sure you have unending questions at this point. Is it effective; how is it done; will it have a lasting effect; does it have side effects? If you’re asking yourself these questions, worry not, for you’re at the right place.
This article uncovers all you need to know about hair transplant and their role in promoting overall wellness. Learn more about frontal hair transplants with Dr. Bonaros.
What Is a Hair Transplant?
A hair transplant is a procedure by professionals whereby hair from the side of the scalp experiencing plentiful growth is transplanted to an area with hair loss. The most common cause of hair loss is female or male pattern baldness. However, other reasons can also cause hair loss, including:
- Unmanaged stress
- Poor diet
- Consistent illness
- Hormonal imbalance
- Some medications
Types of Hair Transplant
There are two types of hair transplants.
Follicular Unit Transplantation (FUT)
In this type of hair transplant, the surgeon removes a scalp skin with hair follicles from an area with plentiful growth. They then separate the strip of skin containing hair follicles into smaller chunks, later transplanted to the area of your scalp with hair loss.
Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE)
Follicular Unit Extraction works almost the same way as Follicular Unit Transplant – hair follicles are extracted from the area of your scalp with plentiful growth and transplanted to the area with hair loss. The only difference is that in Follicular Unit Extraction, individual hair follicles are removed separately and transplanted into tinny holes drilled in the scalp area with hair loss.
Most individuals prefer FUE as it’s an experience of minimal scarring – you don’t need to strip your skin. This method is also common because it has less postoperative pain, and healing takes a shorter period than FUT. Moreover, unlike FUT, FUE lets you use hair from any body part for the transplant procedure.
How Does a Hair Transplant Work?
Follicular Unit Transplantation (FUT)
Below is the process for hair transplant with the follicular unit transplantation method.
- Using a scalpel, the surgeon extracts scalp skin from an area of your head with plentiful hair growth, probably at the back of the head.
- The surgeon then closes the area, removing the scalp skin with stitches.
- The scalp skin is then separated into smaller pieces using a sharp surgical knife and magnifying lens.
- The small sections are then transplanted to the area of the scalp with hair loss, achieving natural-looking hair growth.
Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE)
- The surgeon cuts out hair follicles from the head section with plentiful growth.
- Tiny holes are made on the area of the head with hair loss using a needle or blade.
- The surgeon then inserts extracted hair into these tin holes.
- The surgeon then covers the area with transplanted hair with a bandage or gauze. Keep the bandage for a few days.
Note that a single session may take up to four hours, and you may need up to four sessions (several months apart) for a complete hair transplant.
Risks and Precautions
Hair transplants have low risks and manageable side effects. The plentiful blood vessels in the scalp supply sufficient blood for quick healing. However, you may experience the following side effects.
- Bleeding in areas of hair follicle insertion
- Swelling in transplanted zones
- Head pains
- Temporary numbness, though there may be a few cases of permanent numbness
- Temporary hair shedding
- Non-cancerous cysts
Do Hair Transplants Last?
Whether or not a hair transplant lasts depends on the follow-up care. Mostly, after a transplant, there will be thick growth of natural hair in the transplanted zone. However, with time, they may start experiencing hair thinning and eventually loss, resulting in unnatural patches.
ASPS reports that some transplanted hair follicles die and fail to grow. The study also showcases how no new hair grows where it died before. Hence the need for follow-up transplants. We also recommend touch-up procedures to fill in areas with unmatching patches.
Things to Consider Before Having Hair Transplant Surgery
Keep in mind the following before considering a hair transplant surgery.
- Manage your expectations. A transplant won’t make you have luxuriant hair if you naturally don’t have dense hair.
- Thick and light/grey colored hair gives better results than thin and dark colored hair.
- You may have to wait up to nine months after surgery to achieve natural-looking hair.
- Check whether your health insurance can cover your hair transplant. This may happen if the causal agent for your hair loss is burns or trauma.
- Quit smoking before opting for hair transplant surgery. Otherwise, you’re more likely to experience complications.
- Practice follow-up treatments after undergoing surgery.
Postoperation Self-Care Practices
Do the following practices after undergoing a hair transplant operation.
- Follow up with the surgeon and hair technician instructions to the latter.
- Refrain from doing strenuous activities to keep the blood pressure low. You may need to abstain from sex for at least ten days.
- Report any complications, including severe pains and excessive bleeding.
Conclusion
You should have a hair transplant if you experience hair loss or thinning. This practice will improve your overall wellness and boost your confidence. The good thing is that most hair transplant processes succeed, though it may take time to achieve the desired results.
However, some may be unsuccessful and end up with unmatched patches. The secret is to follow the surgeon’s instructions to the latter.
