Hair Transplants for Hair Loss
Before the dawn of medical and scientific advancements, the problem of hair
loss was dealt with preventive treatment or the use of wigs. Today, hair can
be aesthetically sewn into the scalp. This new development is known as hair
transplantation, which was introduced in the 1930’s and modernized during
the 1950’s to aid the growth of hair on bald spots and rid the patterns of
baldness for both men and women.
How it Works
Hair transplantation is done by simply getting hair follicles from a donor
site and implanting them onto the recipient site, also known as the bald
spot. The grafts that are taken are healthier and resistant to balding. This
is the reason why hair transplants are also considered as a permanent
treatment to hair loss. The donor site is hair at the back of the head which
does not fall out. Half of this area can be harvested without affecting
cosmetic appearance but a limit of 5,000 hair follicles can only be
harvested, and the area cannot be harvested all at a single time. The
thickness of new hair depends on how much hair is actually left on the
scalp, and how a person styles one’s hair to create a cosmetic appearance of
volume.
Discomforts of Hair Transplantation
Hair transplantation is not painful; however for patients with low pain
tolerance, discomfort will be felt during injection of the anaesthetic to be
used. After the procedure is done, a period known as “shock” occurs. This is
when a considerable amount of hair fall is observed by the patient. It
happens when transplanted hair is placed between growing hair, resulting in
the shedding of hair. But patients who experience this need not worry
because the strong hair in the scalp will continue to grow back while the
weaker hair strands, or those that are meant to fall out, may not.
Much like organ transplants, hair transplants are even more delicate, since
they cannot be donated by another person. The hair donor site must come from
your own hair or the scalp will not recognize it and reject the hair
re-growth. Also, if transplants are not done by 1-4 follicles, they may look
clumped together and may have a “corn row” appearance.
Recovery and Results
Hair transplantation can leave the scalp very prone to infection. This is
the major concern after the procedure so patients are given antibiotic
treatments. They are also given special shampoos and hair creams to hasten
the recovery of the incision sites. During the recovery period, patients are
advised not to participate in strenuous activity and avoid any foreign
object from having direct contact to the scalp. In 1-2 weeks scabs may fall
off and “shock” may occur but this is normal. Stitches are removed
approximately 10 days after the surgery and results should be expected to
appear in 3 – 12 months after. There is no guarantee that further loss of
normal hair will not happen, but the hair transplanted is expected to remain
resistant to subsequent hair fall.
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