The goal of hair transplant surgery is to regrow hair in bald or hair-thinning areas of the scalp. There are various kinds of hair transplant surgery. These most frequently include hair transplantation, but other hair restoration techniques include scalp reduction surgery, flap surgery, and tissue expansion of the scalp. To give the patient the best results for hair replacement, any one of these surgical procedures can be utilised alone or in combination.

During a hair transplant, tiny fragments of hair-bearing scalp are removed from a donor site and used as grafts to be transplanted to bald or thinning areas of the scalp.

Types of hair restoration

Procedures for hair restoration can be divided into two categories. In the follicular unit transplant procedure, a strip of scalp skin containing hair follicles is removed. After that, the hair follicles are taken out of the skin strip and inserted into the recipient site.

Individual hair follicles are taken from the back of the scalp using the follicular unit extraction technique without removing a strip of skin. The hair follicles are then implanted into the recipient site in a manner akin to the other procedure.

Other surgical options

The hair-bearing scalp can be made larger through tissue expansion in order to assist cover parts of the scalp without hair.

In a procedure called a scalp reduction, bald patches of the scalp are surgically removed, and the hair-bearing patches of the scalp are advanced or brought together.

The truth about hair loss

Baldness is frequently attributed to inadequate scalp blood flow, vitamin deficiency, dandruff, and even prolonged hat use. These theories have all been proven false. It's also inaccurate that men in their 40s who haven't lost their hair will never do so, and that you can tell if you're going to lose your hair by glancing at your paternal grandfather.

The following factors may contribute to hair loss:

• Aging
• a hormonal change
• baldness running in the family

In general, baldness will grow more severe the earlier hair loss starts.

If you have good hair growth on the sides and back of your head, which might act as donor areas, you can be a candidate for hair transplant surgery.

• The parts of the skull called "donor sites" are where grafts and flaps are extracted.
• The cosmetic outcome may also depend on additional elements like hair color, texture, and waviness or curliness.
• In hair replacement surgery, various approaches are employed. To get the greatest results, two or more procedures may occasionally be used.

Although hair transplant surgery can improve your appearance and self-confidence, the results may not always be what you were hoping for. Think carefully about your expectations and talk to your surgeon about them before deciding to get surgery.

It's crucial to realise that every hair restoration process makes use of your natural hair. Finding the best usage for existing hair is the aim of surgery.

Patients who want a more subtle alteration in hair fullness typically undergo hair transplantation procedures such as punch grafts, mini-grafts, micro-grafts, slit grafts, and strip grafts. Patients who want a more dramatic transformation are typically better candidates for flaps, tissue-expansion, and scalp-reduction treatments.

Keep in mind that there are restrictions on what can be achieved. It might not be recommended for someone with very little hair to have a hair transplant.

When carried out by a trained, experienced, and board-certified plastic surgeon, hair transplant surgery is typically safe. However, physical responses and healing capacities differ widely between people, thus the outcome is never entirely foreseeable.

Infection is a possibility during any surgical surgery. Some scalp-reduction operations can induce excessive bleeding and/or broad scars, which are commonly referred to as "stretch-back" scars because they were caused by stress.

There is a chance that some grafts won't "take" during transplant treatments. Even while it is typical for the hair enclosed within the plugs to come out before starting to grow again in its new location, the skin plug can occasionally pass away and require additional surgery. Patients who get plug grafts occasionally have little lumps at the transplant locations on their scalp. Usually, the hair in the vicinity can conceal these places.

An unnatural, "patchy" appearance may develop when hair loss worsens following surgery, particularly if newly-placed hair is close to regions of hair that are still losing hair. Additional surgery might be necessary if this occurs.

The scope and difficulty of the surgery will determine how you feel afterward. Your doctor can prescribe pain medication to help you manage any hurting, excessive tightness, or throbbing. If bandages are applied, they are typically taken off a day later. Within two days of operation, you can gently wash your hair. In a week to ten days, any stitches will be removed. Talk to your surgeon about the potential for inflammation, bruising, and drainage.

You may be told to avoid hard exercise and contact sports for at least three weeks since they increase blood flow to the scalp and could make your transplants or wounds bleed. Some medical professionals also suggest avoiding sexual activity for at least 10 days following surgery.

Your doctor will likely want to see you multiple times during the first month following surgery to ensure that your incisions are healing appropriately. Any advise you are given at these follow-up appointments must be strictly followed.

Returning to normal

The length, complexity, and nature of your surgery will determine when you can return to your regular activities. After a few days, you could feel well enough to resume light, everyday exercise and your job. Many transplant patients (whether they have plugs or other grafts) are shocked to discover that their "new" hair falls off six weeks following surgery. You should be aware that this condition is typical and typically transient. It will take another five to six weeks after hair shedding before hair growth picks back again. A half-inch of growth should be anticipated each month.

Follow-up procedures

After your incisions have healed, you could require a surgical "touch-up" operation to get results that look more natural. The hairline may occasionally need to be blended or filled in using a combination of mini-grafts, micro-grafts, or slit grafts. Or, if you have a flap treatment, a tiny hump on your scalp known as a "dog ear" can still be noticeable. Once the wound has healed completely, your doctor can remove it surgically.

Generally speaking, it's preferable to plan on needing a touch-up process. How involved your follow-up surgery will be may typically be predicted by your surgeon.

What is hair transplant surgery? Hair transplant surgery is performed to restore hair to areas of the scalp that are bald or that have thinning hair. There are multiple types of hair replacement surgery. Most commonly, these involve hair transplantation, but flap surgery, tissue expansion of the scalp and scalp reduction surgery, are also methods used for hair replacement. Each of these types of surgeries can be used alone, or in combination, to provide the patient with the best possible outcome for hair replacement. Hair transplantation involves removing small pieces of hair-bearing scalp from a donor site and using them as grafts to be relocated to a bald or thinning area of the scalp. Types of hair restoration There are two main types of hair restoration procedures. In the follicular unit transplant method, a strip of skin with hair follicles is removed from the back of the scalp. The hair follicles are then removed from the strip of skin and placed into the recipient site. With the follicular unit extraction method, individual hair follicles are removed from the back of the scalp without removing a strip of skin. Similar to the other method, the hair follicles are then inserted into the recipient site. Other surgical options Tissue expansion allows the hair bearing scalp to be expanded to help cover areas of the scalp that have no hair. Scalp reduction surgery involves surgically removing bald areas of the scalp and advancing, or bringing together, the hair bearing areas of the scalp. The truth about hair loss Baldness is often blamed on poor circulation to the scalp, vitamin deficiencies, dandruff and even excessive hat wearing. All of these theories have been disproved. It's also untrue that hair loss can be determined by looking at your maternal grandfather, or that 40-year-old men who haven't lost their hair will never lose it. Hair loss is primarily caused by a combination of: Aging A change in hormones A family history of baldness As a rule, the earlier hair loss begins, the more severe the baldness will become. Next: Candidates