Hair Transplant Surgery Procedure & Precautions
Everyone wishes for attractive looks, good looking fit body, and certainly full and lush hair. But, the pollution and stress have to lead to a serious condition of hair loss in many. More than 60% of men and 10% of women suffer from hair loss. Balding has become the major concern for most of the people and the best treatment one could opt for is to get a hair transplant done.
What is a hair transplant?
Hair transplant is the most commonly performed cosmetic surgical procedures today. A hair transplant is a surgical procedure that involves the removal of hair follicles from any site of the body that has hair and replacing it with the hairless portion. It is done to restore hair density and also to induce hair growth in the affected area.
Who Can Undergo Hair Transplant?
Hair transplant procedure is recommended for people suffering from chronic or hereditary baldness. Hereditary baldness is caused due to the genetic defect that runs in the family and is usually not curable. It is also advised for people who lose their hair due to an injury, scar or burn. For such people, hair transplant is recommended to restore the hair in the places where the hair has stopped growing.
Procedure
First, the surgeon cleans your scalp and injects medicine to numb the back of your head.
Your doctor will choose one of two methods for the hair transplant:
- Follicular unit strip surgery (FUSS)
- Follicular unit extraction (FUE)
With FUSS, the surgeon removes a 6- to 10-inch strip of skin from the back of your head. He sets it aside and sews the scalp closed. This area is immediately hidden by the hair around it. Next, the surgeon’s team divides the strip of removed scalp into 500 to 2,000 tiny grafts, each with an individual hair or just a few hairs. The number and type of graft you get depend on your hair type, quality, color and the size of the area where you’re getting the transplant.
If you’re getting the FUE procedure, the surgeon’s team will shave the back of your scalp. Then, the doctor will remove hair follicles one by one from there. The area heals with small dots, which your existing hair will cover. After that point, both procedures are the same. After he prepares the grafts, the surgeon cleans and numbs the area where the hair will go, creates holes or slits with a scalpel or needle, and delicately places each graft in one of the holes.
Depending on the size of the transplant you’re getting, the process will take about 4 to 8 hours. You might need another procedure later on if you continue to lose hair or decide you want thicker hair.
Difference between FUT & FUE Hair Transplant
| STRIP/ FUT | FUE | |
|---|---|---|
| Shaving the head | Not Required | Required |
| Scarring | Yes | Less Scarring |
| Cost | Less | Comparatively More |
| Process | Donor strip is cut from the back of the head | Small grafts of 1-3 hair strands are removed with an FUE punch |
| Healing Time | 2 Weeks | 10 Days |
| Precision | Microscopic dissection makes it more precise | Manual removal makes it less precise |
| Damage of Grafts | Minimal damage to the grafts | Damage possible to the grafts |
| Visibility of Operation Site (immediately after surgery) | Hidden | Visible |
Post-Surgical Care
After the surgery, your scalp may be very tender. You may need to take pain medications for several days. Your surgeon will have you wear bandages over your scalp for at least a day or two. He may also prescribe an antibiotic or an anti-inflammatory drug for you to take for several days. Most people are able to return to work 2 to 5 days after the operation.
Within 2 to 3 weeks after surgery, the transplanted hair will fall out, but you should start to notice new growth within a few months. Most people will see 60% of new hair growth after 6 to 9 months.
Hair Transplant Cost
The average cost of hair transplant cost usually starts from Rs. 75000 onwards. Follicular Unit Transplantation (FUT) or Follicular Unit Strip Surgery (FUSS) usually costs lesser compared to Follicular Unit Extraction as the latter one requires individual grafting. The cost of hair transplant varies depending on the number of sittings, and the transplant procedure that you have opted for. It also depends on factors like room chosen, your present condition, the procedure recommended by the doctor based on your health condition, insurance coverage etc.
For hair transplant cost in Chennai Apollo Cosmetic Clinics, consult our experts.
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