How helpful is hair transplant for hair loss?

• Types of Hair Transplants

• Hair transplant vs Implant

• Hair Transplant Side Effects

• Takeaway

• Frequently Asked Question

• References

Hair fall is a common aspect and can happen to anyone, most of the people reading this may have been through a severe Hair loss or are still going through it, but let us remind you that Hair loss is completely normal and can happen to anyone.

Gender and age do play a major role in Hair loss patterns, doctors do not recommend Hair transplant treatment to young people as they have time and other alternatives to deal with Hair loss. Losing 100 strands of hair a day is completely normal, if you are facing more than this then there are still many home remedies to reduce hair fall before going for medications.

People with normal hair fall can try using natural remedies like-

• Oiling and Massaging scalp with essential oils
• Onion juice on the head
• Eggs in the diet as well as a hair mask

to help boost better hair follicles. If not the natural remedies then they can also use medicines like Fin. and Minoxidil which will help in controlling the hair fall and speedy hair growth.

Hair Transplant is best suited for people who are reaching a balding stage and have tried and tested all products but could not find a solution. You can face baldness at a young age or at a much older age, either way, a Hair transplant is a way to go about it. 

Most Hair transplants are successful and show tremendous results within 3-4 months, however, you must find a suitable doctor and get to know everything about the procedure before you go ahead with it, do your complete study about what is Hair Transplant and its types and then make a wise decision. 

Types of Hair Transplants

There are two basic types of Hair Transplants-

1) Follicular Unit Transplantation (FUT)

• This procedure is also known as the strip procedure and involves placing the extracted or fallen out Hair follicles on the patient's scalp, this process requires precision and you should only trust a trained cosmetic surgeon for the procedure.
• The surgeon will cut out a strip of skin from the back of the head and remove the individual hair follicles and re-insert it into the balding part of the scalp.
• The local anaesthesia will numb your head during the procedure and it can take more than 4 hours for this process to happen.

2) Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) 

• This procedure involves taking the hair from the patient's different body parts or even his scalp and then is placed into the balding part of the scalp noticing where the growth of hair follicles can exceed.
• Micropunches are used to extract hair follicles leaving no sign of extraction. This process can take multiple sessions involving 2-4 hrs, only in rare cases it can take more.

Hair transplants are not cheap and can cause a fortune so you will have to save up to get it done if you feel like there is no alternative around for your Hair type. The minimum Hair Transplant cost in India starts from INR Rs. 25,000. Take suggestions from a lot of doctors to get to know their opinion and see if there are alternatives to a Hair transplant. 

Nothing comes easy, although hair transplant results are proven to be effective it also has a lot of side effects that most people may be unaware of, so let us talk about some of the side effects now.

Hair transplant vs Implant

Hair implants and hair transplant surgery are the options one can choose to get new hair in the thinning areas. However, the processes both of these treatments follow are very different and thus have different results. Through a hair transplant surgery, a donor area from the scalp is determined from where healthy hair follicles can be extracted. The follicles are then stored in a holding solution for best impact before implanting them to the balding area in a natural pattern. Through the process of hair implant, experts implant artificial hair to the thinning area, the difference between the real hair and the ones implanted in this treatment, thus are distinct. As it can cause skin infections, hair implants are also banned in some countries.

Hair Transplant Side Effects

FUT and FUE may take weeks at a stretch to heal, meanwhile, you may have to face some restrictions and your lifestyle may face a lot of changes during this time, you can not work out, you can not go out for a few weeks, no washing hair and many more things that you will have to follow.

Your doctor may suggest you make a few changes in your lifestyle and diet if you often consume alcohol then you will have to refrain from consuming it as you will be on your medication and it may not sit well with it. If you are a chain smoker then you will have to give up smoking as it may cause hindrance to your surgery. 

1) You will have to face Bleeding

You will have to face bleeding and cuts with either FUT or FUE, doctors try their best to make smaller cuts to place the hair follicles but some cuts may hurt more and cause more bleeding and pain. Many people have sleepless nights after a hair transplant as it is too painful.

2) Scarring on Scalp

Well, this is no surprise as you will have to bear with some cuts which will leave some permanent scars on your scalp. If you have healthy hair growth post your procedure then your scars may not be visible. Scars will heal with time and they will stop bleeding and paining and your hair may cover most of them.

3) Can cause Infection and Pain 

Your doctor will make sure that your scalp does not build up any infection after the procedure but you need to take care of your scalp to make sure it's hygienic and healthy, you can not wash your Hair or comb for quite some time but your doctor will instruct you on what and what not to do.

Pain is an inevitable part of the surgery, however, your doctor will hook you up with some pain killer for a few weeks so you can be at ease.

4) You may face Itching 

Itching is also very common during a Hair transplant but you need to resist as you won't be allowed to scratch your scalp for a long time. Your scalp will be extra sensitive after the surgery and needs extra care and love so make sure you do as the doctor suggests.

5) You may face Swelling 

Swelling is a crucial part of this procedure. You may feel uneasy for days or weeks after the procedure as you may see swelling around your eyes or forehead, but do not worry it is temporary and will heal with time. 

If you are facing extreme hair fall and don't want to go for a hair transplant then do not worry you can opt for medications that will do just a good job. 

1) Minoxidil Topical Solution

Minoxidil Topical Solution is a vasodilator which is mostly used to treat Male Pattern Baldness. With this solution on continuous use, you can see a difference of 25% more Hair growth in just 10-12 weeks. This solution is alcohol-free and can fit into your daily routine life with ease.

2) Fin. Tablets

Fin. tablets are FDA-approved tablets which should be taken only after consulting a doctor. It reduces the hormone called DHT(Dihydrotestosterone) in the body which makes hair follicles scale down and after some time quit developing hair.

3) Minoxidil and Fin.solution for Hair growth

This solution is one of the best solutions one can use for hair fall issues. Continuous use of this solution for 2-3 months can show you visible results but should be used according to the doctor's prescription.

You can purchase all these medicines over the counter or from Mars by GHC website.

Takeaway

With all the steps mentioned, you can be very cautious how you can go through the procedure and what points you need to keep in mind.

Frequently Asked Question

1. Is a hair transplant possible for completely bald?

While it is common that some bald men do want hair restoration, it's actually best if patients are not completely bald in order to get hair restoration. Large bald areas actually cannot reach full coverage with a hair transplant.

2. Is everyone suitable for a hair transplant?

All men and women are good candidates for hair transplants. To be considered good for a hair transplant, you need two things: Enough healthy hair on your scalp that can be used to transplant to the area that needs hair. They have the ability to grow hair on the thinning area of the scalp.

3. Who are all not eligible for hair transplants?

References

1. Hair Transplantation in Migraine Headache Patients