Hair transplantation
A hair transplant is a surgery that moves hair to bald or thinning areas of the scalp. Also called hair restoration or hair replacement. Dermatologists (healthcare providers specializing in the skin) or plastic surgeons (healthcare providers specializing in cosmetic and reconstructive procedures) perform hair transplants.
How does a hair transplant work?
The healthcare provider takes grafts, or small pieces of skin, from areas of the body that contain healthy hair. This area is called the donor site. It’s usually on your head, at the back of your scalp where hair tends to be thickest and least affected by the ageing process. The healthcare provider moves the grafts to hairless parts of the scalp. Once the transplanted skin heals, it should continue to grow hair.
Who is a good candidate for a hair transplant?
Are you a woman/man and in your 20s, who is experiencing hair loss? For best results, you may be asked to wait to have a hair transplant and start treating with a hair loss medicine. Men and women of all races can be good candidates for a hair transplant.
To be considered for a hair transplant, you need two things:
- Enough healthy hair on your scalp that can be transplanted to the area that needs hair
- The ability to grow hair on the thinning area of your scalp
During a consultation with a dermatologist, you can find out if you have both. A dermatologist will give you a thorough scalp exam. To find out why you have hair loss, you may also need a blood test. This can check for things going on in your body that may be causing your hair loss. Some patients need a procedure called a scalp biopsy. Your dermatologist can quickly and easily take what is needed for the scalp biopsy during the consultation. If the exam and tests show that you are a good candidate for a hair transplant, your dermatologist can tell you what results you can expect. A full head of hair may be unrealistic, but a fuller head of hair can be the goal.
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How does a hair transplant work?
The healthcare provider takes grafts, or small pieces of skin, from areas of the body that contain healthy hair. Healthcare providers call this area the donor site. It’s usually on your head, at the back of your scalp where hair tends to be thickest. The healthcare provider moves the grafts to hairless parts of the scalp. Once the transplanted skin heals, it should continue to grow hair.
There are many reasons you might lose your hair. Sometimes hair loss is temporary, but it can be permanent. Hair implants may help with permanent hair loss caused by:
- Alopecia areata, an autoimmune disease that attacks hair follicles.
- Androgenic alopecia, or pattern baldness.
- Thyroid diseases or hormonal imbalances.
- Traumatic injuries or burns.
What are the other options for hair transplant surgery?
There are several different ways to perform hair transplant surgery, including:
- Grafting.
- Scalp reduction.
- Flap surgery.
- Tissue expansion.
How is grafting performed?
Hair grafting is the most common type of hair transplant surgery. A healthcare provider cuts tiny pieces of the scalp containing healthy hair. Sometimes they use a small, round punch to remove skin that contains about 10 to 15 hairs. People used to call these grafts “hair plugs.” Micro-grafts contain one to four hairs.
The procedure can take several hours. Most people stay awake during the surgery, but they receive medication to numb the scalp. You may need several procedures depending on how much hair your provider needs to move. Your scalp will need to heal for a few months between procedures.
How is scalp reduction performed?
Providers also call scalp reduction alopecia reduction. During this procedure, a surgeon removes a small area of bald skin from the scalp. They loosen nearby skin containing hair and pull it over the bald area. Then, they stitch it in place.
Scalp reduction is ideal for bald areas on the top and back of the head. These sections are usually surrounded by skin with hair. Sometimes providers use scalp reduction and hair implants together to achieve full coverage. Like grafting, scalp reduction usually only requires numbing medication on the scalp. You don’t need general anesthesia.
How is flap surgery performed?
Your surgeon may recommend flap surgery if you have large bald areas near the front of your scalp. Flap surgery occurs in several phases over a few weeks. The surgeon makes superficial cuts around three sides of donor site. The fourth side remains attached, maintaining its original blood supply. This technique helps the surgeon cut the flap and lift it over bald areas. Flap surgery requires general anesthesia. This isnt a commonly performed operation in today’s age.
How is tissue expansion performed?
If you have scalp baldness or disfigurement due to burns, your provider may perform tissue expansion surgery. Tissue expansion requires general anesthesia and involves several steps:
- A reconstructive surgeon inserts an implant under the scalp, where hair still remains. Shaped like a balloon, they call it a tissue expander.
- Over several weeks, the expander is gradually inflated to stretch the skin.
- The surgeon performs a second procedure to cover the bald area with the stretched skin.
For a normal person hair transplant by FUE method is done in our set-up. Depending on the patient requirement tissue expansion of the scalp may be used. Other techniques are now obsolete as their final outcome appears unnatural.