You Should Know Before Getting a Hair Transplant

You Should Know Before Getting a Hair Transplant

Hair transplantation has become one of the best choices for people who are facing hair loss problems. Whether we are talking about androgenetic alopecia (pattern baldness) or various other types of hair loss, a hair transplant may be the only solution for restoring your confidence and hair.

However, before undertaking this life-changing treatment, it is essential to be well-informed and prepared. Because hair transplants constitute a significant time and money commitment, knowing as much as possible beforehand will help guide your decision.

In this post, we will cover 5 fundamental subjects you ought to know before opting for a hair transplant. Understanding these variables will allow you to set realistic expectations and help pave the way for better success on your hair restoration journey.

Success Comes from Choosing a Surgeon Wisely

The skill and experience of your surgeon are two of the most crucial factors that will determine the outcome of your hair transplant procedure. Hair transplant is a very advanced procedure that requires an experienced surgeon, a keen eye for detail, and a thorough knowledge of hair growth patterns. Skills offered by different clinics and surgeons range widely, and so can the results based on who performs the surgery.

What it Takes to Find the Right Surgeon

Experience: The surgeon has completed a sufficient number of hair transplant procedures. Ask for their references and get before-and-after pictures of the patients they have treated.

Testimonials: Try to find your surgeon’s patients’ online testimonials and feedback. If you can reach them, you can determine if the testimonials are genuine.

Training and Education: A surgeon certified by a well-known board for hair restoration surgery does not mean your doctor is well-trained or educated. Always ask about your doctor’s experience.

Specialisation: Some doctors specialise in specific hair transplant procedures like Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) or Direct Hair Implantation (DHI). One should choose an expert surgeon for the type of surgery they require. It is also better to be sure that your surgeon only performs hair transplants; some aesthetic surgeons perform multiple types of operations, which means they have less experience in hair transplants.

Consultation: A trained physician will undertake a comprehensive consultation before suggesting a hair transplant. During this consultation, they will evaluate your scalp and determine why you are losing hair before discussing solutions.

It is also essential to avoid falling for inexpensive hair transplant deals, particularly those offered at destinations famous for medical tourism. While cheaper options abroad can be tempting, these clinics do not always provide the same level of expertise or aftercare as much as pricy ones, which may result in unsatisfactory outcomes or even side effects. Turkey has been the capital of hair transplants for more than a decade; Istanbul’s hair transplant clinics are well known for their cheap and magnificent results. It is only sometimes wise to seek the most affordable among the cheap.

Hair Transplant is Not For Everyone

Before considering a hair transplant, it is essential to understand that not all are candidates for the same. You must consult your surgeon and try to understand possible outcomes if you have a hair transplant. Everyone has an ideal look in mind; if the result of your hair transplant has a high chance of meeting your expectations, then you can have it. Otherwise, the result may upset you; sometimes, people wish they did not have the procedure.

Hair transplant functionalities are not some form of “one size fits all” process; it is yet again one more factor that includes a result for the surgeon to contemplate before deciding. The thickness of your hair, the size of your donor zone, donor zone density and the size of your recipient zone are significant factors that directly affect the result of your hair transplant. So, an experienced surgeon must give you the best possible outcome and predict if this will match your expectations. A thorough consultation with a surgeon is needed to determine if a hair transplant is appropriate for you. Based on this analysis, your surgeon would provide appropriate advice before recommending what to do.

Donor Hair Supply: In a hair transplant surgery, donor hair is taken from one area of the head (usually the sides or back) and transplanted into areas without hair. If your donor area hair density is low, you might not be a good candidate for the treatment.

Big recipient zone: If you have lost most of the hair on the scalp ( Norwood 5-6-7 ), you will need multiple sessions, and you may not have dense hair like when you were young.

Blood Thinners and medical conditions: People taking blood thinners or with certain medical conditions, such as uncontrolled diabetes, would not do well with hair transplantation due to healing problems.

Understanding Different Types of Hair Transplant Techniques

There are various hair transplants, so different terms refer to them. Some of them are misused, which can be confusing for anybody who has just started exploring the realm of hair transplantation.

Follicular unit extraction (FUE) and follicular unit transplantation (FUT) are main extraction technics.

FUT is the oldest technique where your surgeon cuts a part of your skin with many grafts, and then the surgeon stitches the open wound. Later, these grafts are transplanted by the forceps into minor cuts created by the surgeon. It is mainly chosen for African Americans nowadays since their grafts tend to be coiling under the skin, and it can be hard to extract them with regular FUE punches, which are linear tools. Most surgeons use the FUT technique, which is less desirable amongst patients since it leaves a scar that resembles a smiley face when seen from the back of the person.

FUE is the method by which surgeons extract grafts individually with the help of a micromotor. This motor spins a small sharp tube, which is called a punch. This punch cuts through the skin around the graft so it can be extracted. Even though it is only an extraction method, FUE is commonly used to extract grafts individually and transplant them to small channels/ micro incisions with the help of forceps. So, all extraction and implantation process is called FUE. One of the advantages of this technique is that since there is no linear incision, scarring happens less. Patients who want to keep their hair short may use it because the tiny puncture wounds are almost unnoticeable. Also, there is less recovery time than for FUT.

DHI (Direct Hair Implantation) is the variation of FUE. In this technique, extracted grafts ( surgeon can perform FUE or FUT for extraction) are placed in special tools called Choi-pen. These pens have sharp edges; the surgeon slides through the skin with these sharp edges and simultaneously replaces the graft. People want this procedure since it can be done with long hair and presented as the highest densities can be reached by only this technique, which is untrue. In fact, FUE and DHI have some pros and cons, but they are all equal. DHI is more expensive and takes longer than the classical grafting FUE, so it is better to choose a technique for the operations that need fewer graft numbers since operation time affects graft survival.

You need to be aware of the process that will suit you best. Your surgeon will help you decide which one fits in, considering your wish for a hair transplant. The criteria will be the amount of donor availability as well as your unique pattern of hair loss.

Post-Transplant Care Must Be Successful

Even if you have undergone that operation, your hair transplant is not guaranteed without following the guidelines for post-operative care. The correct treatment will give the newly transplanted follicles the best chance of survival and continuing to grow thick new hair.

Standard Post-Transplant Care Instructions:

Avoid touching or scratching: The transplanted follicles are fragile during the early stages of healing. As you can see, the receiver zone does not touch or scratch as grafts may release, and it will change the results.

Simple Washing: You will likely be instructed not to wash your hair for 48 hours after surgery. At this point, follow your surgeon’s instructions and begin shampooing your hair with a gentle, low-sud formula.

Do not expose to direct sunlight: The scalp may be slightly sensitive after the surgery, and the rays of the sun are very harmful at this stage, so avoid exposing your skin directly to them. At least in the beginning, either stay indoors during high-sunlight hours or put on a large hat. Smile Hair Clinic highly recommends using an umbrella in the first ten days of your hair transplant. After 10 days, you can start to wear a hat.

Give Time to Rest and Recover: Take about two weeks off from intense exercise, heavy lifting, or strenuous activities. The sweating makes you sticky, which itch your scalp and raises the chance of infection.

Follow-Up Appointments—Check in with your surgeon to ensure you are healing properly and take every follow-up appointment seriously.

Following these aftercare guidelines will help ensure that your hair transplant goes as well as it could. Failure to follow post-transplant care protocols may result in infection, non-healing, and poor graft survival.

Smile Hair Clinic’s dedicated team will be available 24/7 and guide you through every step of this magnificent journey.

Remember, hair transplant results happen slowly.

One of the most important things to know is that results from a hair transplant do NOT happen overnight. Though most patients expect immediate results, hair transplantation is a successful process but requires commitment and patience.

• First Few Days: Redness and Faint inflammation of the scalp may occur, which fades in a couple of days post-treatment with little scabs around the transplanted follicles. Typically, these scabs slough off in about one to two weeks.
• 2-3 weeks after the procedure, your hair will shed a certain amount of treatment, which can be called shock loss. It’s a standard part of the process, so don’t worry.
• 3–4 months post-surgery, you will begin to notice new hair growth. Initially, the hair will be fine and thin but slowly thickens over time.
• Although the hair transplant starts showing its results after several days, as the hair develops and grows, it lasts between 12 and 18 months.During this period, it is important to follow the guidelines given by your surgeon as part of aftercare, which may include taking prescribed medications, avoiding some activities, and handling your scalp with care.

First Major Decision:

Should you have surgery. Find yourself a Qualified Hair Transplant Surgeon

Learn more about the various types of transplants that surgery can offer. Keep reading to prepare for, potentially, one of the most rewarding choices you will ever make… if followed by post-surgical care instructions.

The patience-testing weeks and months to heal completely (results often seen within 6 months to 1 year) is nothing compared to the time and expense required to receive a full head of transplanted hair back in his or her life. If all of your planning and consultations have been taken care of, then you can expect nothing short of an amazing hair transplant journey!