Hair transplants are an effective way to restore luscious-looking hair on your scalp, most of the time.
While there are a plethora of hair transplants made to give your scalp natural-looking results, a lot of operations in the past have left patients with noticeable plugs and undesirable hair parts. In other words, a surgical failure.
However, in the present day, the technology to create natural-looking hair transplants has grown extensively. Natural hair transplants are now incredibly easy to recreate, and both the technique and technology have come to a point where success is almost guaranteed.
With millions of Australians and people around the world experiencing hair loss as they age, this is great news—as they don’t have to shrink behind a thinning and balding scalp later in their lives.
But you may be thinking, how exactly do hair transplants work nowadays? If that question popped up in your head, then you’re in the right place. In this article, we’ll demystify the hair transplant process and explore the fascinating process in greater detail.
Let’s get started.
Why Does Hair Loss Happen?
Before you attempt to understand hair transplants, it’s important to comprehend the main issue that this procedure is trying to address: hair loss.
Hair loss is a distressing condition wherein parts of the scalp, typically the hairline and the vertex (middle part of the scalp), start to recede. If left untreated, it can cause the complete inability of parts of the scalp to grow hair naturally. This can affect both men and women.
There are many reasons why hair loss can occur. It can affect men and women as they age. Here is a potential list of reasons why you or a loved one may be experiencing signs of hair loss:
- Genetic factors: If you’ve had a family history of balding, you’re likely to have a reduced hairline over time as well.
- Hormonal imbalance: When hormones like estrogen and testosterone drop in women and men respectively, this can interfere with the growth cycle of hair and cause it to fall out. Thyroid hormone deficiencies can also contribute to hair loss.
- Nutritional deficiencies: If you lack iron, protein, and vitamin D, your hair structures can become weak and thin. This can make it easier for you to experience hair loss.
- Stress: High levels of stress can release cortisol, which can make your hair follicles rest earlier than it should. This, in turn, leads to quicker thinning and shedding.
- Medical conditions: Autoimmune diseases, scalp infections, and skin disorders can hurt healthy hair growth and cause follicles to rest and hair to recede.
- Environmental factors: Exposure to harsh UV radiation, pollutants, and harsh chemicals can accelerate hair loss.
- Medications: Certain medications like Minoxidil and antidepressants can contribute to hair loss as a side effect. Stopping the medication or adjusting its dosage as prescribed by your physician may alleviate symptoms of hair loss.
In an overwhelming amount of cases, hair loss is a product of genetic factors.
This means that if your father, grandfather, or great-grandfather has faced hair loss in their lifetime, you’ll likely come down with the same health issue as well. Heredity pattern baldness affects both men and women, although it’s more common in men.
Fortunately, men with access to modern technology can fix this issue. Some men may opt for a hair transplant in Melbourne, where specialised, one-day treatments are available for those experiencing male pattern baldness.
3 Most Common Natural Hair Transplant Methods
Male and female patients diagnosed with treatable hair loss can undergo one of three hair transplant methods: follicular unit transplantation (FUT), follicular unit extraction (FUE) or Precise Follicle Placement (PFP).
Let’s uncover each procedure down to the nitty-gritty.
1. Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE)
Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) is a minimally invasive hair transplant method that’s a popular option for many hair loss patients.
This method involves the extraction of individual hair follicles using tiny punches from the donor area (i.g. The area in your head that experiences natural growth, like the back or side of the scalp). The extracted follicles are then carefully transplanted into the recipient area or the site where hair loss is noticeable and prominent.
The transplant undergoes a careful and meticulous process. The surgeon first outlines areas of the scalp and zones out the donor and recipient areas. Once these areas have been confirmed by the patient, the procedure can proceed.
The surgeon administers an anesthetic to the scalp to numb the scalp then performs the extraction, extracting a few grafts with a surgical device and planting them to the recipient area. The surgeon acts with precision, consciously minding the angle, direction, and depth of placement of each follicle.
This method leaves behind a few spread-out, dot-like scars that aren’t very visible once hair growth has taken place, making this procedure ideal for people looking to grow short hair.
This method also offers a quick recovery time with minimal postoperative pain.
Follicular unit extraction is a good and permanent solution to visible hair loss, but the removal of the donor's hair will also entail a permanent loss in that area of the head—so be sure that there’s sufficient hair in the donor areas before proceeding with this method.
2. Follicular Unit Transplantation (FUT)
Follicular Unit Transplantation (FUT) is another hair transplant method that’s as popular as the FUE procedure. This method involves taking a strip of tissue containing individual follicular units from the donor area, and then dissecting and preparing them to be transplanted in the recipient area.
This method is ideal if you want to cover a large area of balding skin since it transplants a large piece of tissue from the recipient area to the donor area. This high-density transplant moves more hair follicles per transplant, making it good for those with severe hair loss.
This operation is among the most cost-effective options out there, yielding a high number of grafts per operation. This makes it ideal for people who want a cheap but effective procedure to restore hair growth.
That said, some notable drawbacks to this technique are worth mentioning. One of them is the visible stitching and scar line that patients may experience following the procedure, which may limit the hairstyling options to longer styles for people who want to conceal the transplant.
This procedure also has a longer recovery time because it’s quite invasive. Follow-up care for scar management is to be expected. It may also come with side effects like nerve damage and infection post-procedure.
3. Precise Follicle Placement (PFP)
Precise Follicle Placement (PFP) is a hair transplant method that combines elements of FUE and direct implantation methods. It’s among the best hair transplant methods out there, only needing a single procedure to reap positive results.
Like the FUE method, PFP utilises a punch tool to individually extract hair follicles from the donor side to be transplanted to the recipient side. This method helps reduce the visible scarring in the scalp.
However, unlike in the FUE method, PFP doesn’t need to make an incision in the recipient hole to implant the extracted grafts.
This method can directly implant a high-density graft with minimal invasiveness, making it a superior option if you want to minimise post-operative discomfort and maximise the impact per procedure.
The Best Hair Transplant Procedure
Ultimately, it’s vital to talk with a hair restoration surgeon from a hair loss clinic to know for certain the best approach for your specific needs.
Everyone has a different set of circumstances, and the origin of your hair loss plays a big role in deciding what hair transplant method is best for you.
As a general rule, FUE is good for people who want to rock short hair without visible scarring. FUT is more cost-effective and can yield high graft transplantation in a single session. PFP is the best choice for people who want the best of both worlds at a slightly higher price point.
Your hair is an asset, and in any case, you should always do your research alongside a specialist before proceeding with any singular technique.
Good luck with your hair transplant journey!
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