Hair transplantation: Ideal candidates, procedure, and benefits
Hair loss is a common concern of males and females across the globe. It can happen due to
various reasons like environmental toxins, underlying genetics, age, changing lifestyles, a
scalp injury, and others. In such a scenario where other alternatives hair restoration and
regeneration treatments are not working, to restore hair growth and prevent or stop hair loss,
a hair transplant surgery can be very effective for the patient to regain their natural confident
look with a head full of strong and healthy hair.
What is hair transplantation?
Hair transplantation is a surgical procedure to transfer healthy hair follicles from the donor
site (i.e. usually the back or sides of the head and sometimes from other hair body parts like
legs, arms, and chest) to an area of the scalp that may be thinning or balding (i.e. recipient
site). There are two proven approaches or types of hair transplantation: FUE (Follicular Unit
Extraction) or FUSS (Follicular Unit Strip Surgery). In this article, emphasis is given to the
FUE method which is most common among the patients.
Ideal candidates for hair transplant surgery:
The factors that determine the candidacy of an individual for FUE hair restoration includes:
● Hair density in the donor site- For the hair transplantation surgery to be successful,
there must be enough donor hair available. If people have a widespread pattern of
hair loss covering the entire scalp, then they may not be eligible for the procedure. In
addition, the natural dynamics of the hair, hair quality, and health of the donor hair
help determine the eligibility of the candidate for hair transplantation. FUE method is
suitable for people who wish to maintain shaved or short hairstyles.
● Age and health- Hair loss mostly affects individuals between 35 and 65 years old but
it can affect people even at a younger age. A suitable candidate for FUE hair
restoration is the one who has crossed 25 years of age as at this age hair loss and hair
thinning have stabilized and the hair professionals can establish its pattern. In
addition, the person must be in good overall health to qualify for a hair transplant.
● The cause of Baldness- Hair transplantation by the FUE method can be
recommended for people who have been suffering from alopecia (a hair loss
condition that prevents natural hair growth) or those who have trauma such as burns
or scarring on their scalp. An individual might also qualify for the procedure if the
hair loss or hair thinning treatments don’t work for the patient. Hair transplantation is
not a good solution for people who have hair loss due to medication or chemotherapy
and also for those who form keloid scars on the transplantation site after injury or
surgery. To know more about hair transplant in Delhi, visit Rakshaa Clinic.
What to expect in an FUE hair transplant?
Before commencing with the procedure, the hair expert examines the scalp condition of the
patient to find out the hair density at the donor site and how much hair must be transplanted
and select the donor area. FUE hair transplant is a time-consuming method that may take
anywhere from 4 to 8 hours.
To carry out the FUE procedure, the following steps are taken by the surgeon:
● The hair at the back or side of the head (i.e. the donor area), as well as the transplant
site, is shaved.
● A micro punch tool is used to take individual hair follicles out of the scalp skin. Tiny
marks are left behind in the donor area after the removal of hair follicles.
● In the recipient region, the surgeon makes tiny incisions or create open channels with
a small sharp tool or needle where the extracted follicles are to be transplanted.
● The hair follicles as grafts taken from the donor area are then inserted one by one into
the holes. This is done with full precision and every graft is placed in the right
direction (i.e. appropriately oriented) so that the results are natural-looking.
● Lastly, the surgical site is cleaned and covered with gauze or bandages for recovery.
During the recovery, in the first week, the patients can repeat their dressing depending upon
their condition. For a few weeks, it is normal to observe temporary loss and growth of the
hair following which there is hair regrowth that stays for a lifetime. The natural look and
healthy hair growth can be seen from 6 to 18 months.
Benefits of hair transplantation:
● With hair transplants, people no longer have to worry about receding hairline,
thinning of hair, or bald spots.
● The restored hair is natural-looking and goes unnoticed by others.
● With a head full of thick and healthy hair, the person feels more confident with their
appearance and has a boost of self-esteem.
● In the long run, it is a cost-effective surgery providing lifetime desired results.
● The new hair is easy to manage and care for and there is no need to use special hair
products.