Types of Hair Transplantation
1. FUSS(Follicular Unit Strip Surgery)
- In this procedure, a piece of hair is taken from the donor site, usually the back of the scalp under local anesthesia.
- Grafts are dissected from the strip and then harvested into the bald area.
- Will leave a visible scar in the donor area, which can be covered by the patient’s hair.
- There will be some pain/ tenderness after the procedure.
- The recovery period is slightly longer around 15 days as stitches/staples need to be removed.
2. FUE (Follicular Unit Extraction)
- In this method, individual follicular units are removed one by one under local anesthesia.
- The recovery period takes less than 7 days. It normally requires very tiny punches between 0.6 – 1 mm in diameter or more. Closing and stitching are not required.
- Painless minimally invasive procedure.
- Body hair can also be used in FUE surgery.
- A single long session or multiple short sessions are required to harvest the hair follicle from the blood area using FUSE.
Procedure for Hair Transplantation
Before Procedure
- During the initial stage, the physician examines the patient’s scalp, understands the desires of the patient, discusses the options, and guides the most appropriate treatment.
- Complete health examinations are conducted on the patient before the procedure.
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During Procedure
- Transplants can be performed as an outpatient in one day.
- A shampoo and antibacterial agent are applied to the donor’s scalp before it is harvested.
- Donor hair grafts can be removed by different techniques either by taking a single strip of skin and hair (FUSS) or taking the follicles individually (FUE). To maintain this possibility, the hair follicle must be removed completely.
- After removal, the surgeon prepares the graft, cleans and freezes the recipient area, and places each graft.
- The grafts are applied according to their density. The smallest grafts are placed in front, and the denser ones are behind.
- Depending on the size of the transplant the process will take 4 – 8 hours.
- Depending on the number of grafts, it may take one or more sessions.
After Procedure
- The scalp may be tender.
- You may have to wear bandages over your scalp.
- Initially, the scalp was advised to be protected from the sun.
- Post-operative antibiotics are commonly given to prevent wound or graft infections.
- Shampooing is critical to prevent scab formation around the hair shaft which increases the chances of losing the transplanted hair follicle.
Similarly, in the natural hair cycle, within 2 – 3 weeks the transplanted hair will fall down but after a few weeks, new hair will start to grow from the transplanted follicles. This hair will remain thick and grow normally for about 6 – 9 months.
Tests for Hair loss
- Consult a dermatologist, as male and female system hair loss does not require testing. Some tests that help to assess diffuse hair loss are:
- The pull test – Hair pulled from three different sites of the scalp, usually less than 3 hairs per area, if more than ten, then the test is positive.
- The pluck test – During this procedure, hair with roots is removed and examined. It depends on the stage of the patient’s hair loss.
- Scalp biopsy – It helps in the transformation between scarring and other forms.
- Trichoscopy – With the aid of a dermoscopy, the hair and scalp can be examined.
Diagnosis for Hair Transplantation
It is an optional treatment where there is no possibility of regrowth of hair, in some cases like:
- Androgenic alopecia.
- Eyebrow transplant.
- Receding frontal hairline.
Complications of Hair Transplantation
Hair transplantation is a very effective procedure with no side effects but like every surgery, it has some risks associated with this surgery. It includes:
- Infection.
- Bleeding.
- Scarring after FUSS transplantation.
- Unnatural-looking new hair growth.
- Some may have swelling of hair follicles known as Folliculitis.
Factors Affecting Cost of Hair Transplantation Surgery
The cost of treatment depends on the patient and several factors. It includes:
- The hospital the patient chooses.
- The cost of hair transplantation is based on the number of grafts and the kind of procedure chosen. The FUE procedure is more expensive.
- There is a fee for the team of doctors.
- Medicines.
- Standard tests and diagnostic procedures.
- Cost of protection and care during and after surgery.
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