Hair Transplant Surgery – Will I Need Time off Work?

Posted on February 24, 2011

The immediate time after the surgery is what concerns many of those who consider a hair transplant. And whether or not one should take off from work becomes another major concern. But while it is possible to go back to work the following day after the hair transplant, many doctors will recommend that the client schedules a few days off from work. The exact number of days that will be needed is hard to predict and depends on many different factors, but the type of hair transplant procedure chosen will make a difference.

The two major hair transplant methods, the FUE (Follicular Unit Extraction) method and the Strip technique, have a clear difference between them which might affect the time that will be needed off from work. The difference is the process in which hairs are removed from the scalp. The strip means that a strip of skin will be removed from the head from where hairs will be harvested. The FUE removes hairs individually from the scalp without the use of a scalpel. What this means is that the strip is a more invasive hair transplant procedure which will leave the client with a wound, and having this wound can lead to more pain and discomfort which in turn could make it a good idea to stay home for a little while. Continue reading →

Hair Transplant Procedures for Advanced Degrees of Baldness

Posted on February 21, 2011

Not all hair loss looks the same, in fact thinning or balding heads can look very different between individuals. While many people have a small amount of hair loss a good number of people have more advanced degrees of baldness, which basically means a significant amount of hair loss. The degree of hair loss is of such importance that it even has its own chart, the Hamilton Norwood scale, with seven different levels of hair loss. But luckily, even the most advanced degrees can usually consider a hair transplant.

A hair transplant can add hair to areas of the scalp where there is none, but most doctors will only work with the clients own scalp hair, so if there is little hair that can be transplanted to begin with, the client might need to accept that full coverage may never be possible. However, a nice improvement can usually be made even if the client only has a small amount of hair that can be transplanted.

As all other individuals who consider a hair transplant, someone with an advanced degree of baldness should first go on a consultation, more than one if possible. The doctor will examine the availability of donor hair, meaning the hair that can be transplanted to areas of the scalp that need it. The doctor might try to use the maximum number of Continue reading →

Hair Transplant: Pain

Posted on February 18, 2011

Prospective hair transplant clients are sometimes concerned about potential pain that they might experience during the procedure, but unlike many other cosmetic procedures a hair transplant does not hurt at all while it is being performed and especially not if the client is under general anesthesia. However, many doctors are moving away from general anesthesia as they do not deem it necessary. And especially not for the FUE (Follicular Unit Extraction) method which is minimally invasive. For most hair transplant procedures the client will be awake but the scalp will be numb under local anesthesia and the client is not likely to feel anything.

A handful of doctors might still use general anesthesia for the Strip, or for some other hair transplant procedure, such as a flap or a scalp reduction. Some doctors might also use general anesthesia it if the client is overly anxious and requests it, but overall it is not a must. In other words, there is no need for general anesthesia when it comes to most hair transplant procedures and definitely not in regards to the FUE hair transplant, because it is Continue reading →

Hair Transplant Surgery – What Are The Risks?

Posted on February 16, 2011

before and afterA hair transplant is generally a low risk procedure, but as with any other surgery, there is always a small risk that there can be some kind of complication. The likeliness of any small problems is highly dependent on many different factors, such as the exact method chosen and the skill of the doctor who will be performing the procedure. The reason why the method chosen makes a difference is because the two major hair transplant methods, the FUE (Follicular Unit Extraction) method and the Strip surgery, have clear differences, for instance, one involves the removal of a strip of skin which will add a few additional risks.

Overall, a hair transplant is a safe procedure, especially if being treated by an experienced doctor but there is always a small possibility that something can go wrong or that the surgery will not lead to the best possible outcome. Most hair transplant procedures requires local anesthesia, which carries only a very small risk, but in healthy people there is nothing to be concerned about. Another small risk is Continue reading →

FUE or Strip Hair Transplant: Which Method Takes Longer?

Posted on February 14, 2011

A hair transplant is a complex and time consuming process that will require the client to stay patient for a long time, up to one year, before final results can be seen. But when it comes to the hair transplant surgery itself, it can be done in one day, unless the client needs several sessions. The exact time it will take to transplant the hair is impossible to predict, because it relies on so many different factors, but it can take anywhere from a couple of hours up to an entire day.

One of the most important factors when trying to estimate how long the hair transplant surgery will take is the choice of method. It is mainly the extraction process, the manner in which the hairs are harvested, that differs between the two major techniques. The FUE (Follicular Unit Extraction) method almost always takes longer than the Strip, unless there is a very small area that is receiving the hair transplant. The reason why the FUE takes longer is because Continue reading →

Hair Transplant Without a Scar?

Posted on February 12, 2011

head scarThe long linear scar that can be the result of certain hair transplant procedures have been highly discussed in recent years. Especially the Strip hair transplant procedure, which removes a strip of skin from the back of the scalp, the scar can become a big concern. And while there are individuals who are ok with having a thin scar, there are those absolutely do not want any type of scar as a result of hair transplantation.

The FUE (Follicular Unit Extraction) hair transplant method is known to produce much less scarring, but clients should be aware that this method can result in tiny, pimple looking marks, as many as hundreds or thousands, depending on how many hairs were transplanted. These small marks may never be visible to anyone, but the client should be aware that they can occur. But over time, there is a possibility that they will fade. And while the FUE can certainly result in some very minimal scarring, it absolutely does not Continue reading →

Hair Transplant Effectiveness

Posted on February 10, 2011

A hair transplant can be done on various parts of the face and body but most commonly involves removing hair from the back and sides of the head and transferring it to areas of the scalp that are thinning. As the majority of hair transplant doctors will only use the client’s own scalp hair for transplantation the hair is not considered foreign tissue and will not be rejected by the body. For most clients, the process of hair transplantation is slow, but the hair eventually grows in. Overall, a hair transplant is a very effective way of restoring hair to the scalp, but several factors should be considered.

A hair transplant is the only way to add hair to the scalp which will be permanent and remain in place for the rest of the client’s life. A variety of hair transplant techniques have been around for many decades, but thanks to new technology, excellent methods which are less invasive and that use tiny tools have been introduced in recent years. Older hair transplant methods such as scalp reductions and scalp flaps are no longer Continue reading →

Hair Piece While the Hair Transplant Grows in?

Posted on February 8, 2011

toupeeWearing a hair piece, such as a toupee or a wig, due to thinning hair is fairly common among men, but also exists among women. But wearing any type of hair replacement over a longer time period can grow tiring. And this is usually why individuals who have resorted to hair systems start looking into a hair transplant. But hair transplantation is a very slow process with final results not being available until about one year after surgery, so many people are interested in wearing a hair piece until the new hair grows in.

While a hair piece is a fast and easy solution that can provide immediate hair, it requires constant maintenance, new costs, and is nothing like having ones own natural hair. So it is no wonder that a hair transplant is the ultimate goal for many of those who suffer from thinning hair. But the thought of having to step out in public without the hair piece, or that friends and family will notice the hair loss can be highly uncomfortable.

In the hands of the right doctor, a hair transplant is a safe and efficient way of restoring hair to the scalp. A hair transplant can be done in different ways but the two major methods today are Continue reading →

Hair Transplant Reversal

Posted on February 6, 2011

Not everyone who had a hair transplant was completely happy with the outcome. This can especially be true if the client had unrealistic expectations, or if the doctor who performed the surgery did a poor job. In these cases, the end result often does not look natural, or there is a scar that is too visible to others. More specifically, some of the reasons can include a “pluggy” look, with grafts that are too big or improperly placed, or simply an overall look that is not believable. Pluggy grafts are more a thing of the past, but without proper attention to graft placement, a hair transplant can still look bad. While there can be many reasons why a hair transplant did not turn out as expected, good thing is that they can be reversed. A hair transplant reversal aims to repair the bad hair transplant and make it look much better than before.

There are different ways a hair transplant reversal can be done, and much of it has to do with the individual approach of the doctor who will be performing the procedure. One method is to try to redo the hair transplant all over, by removing the existing grafts, possibly redistribute them and prepare them for reinsertion. While this method will not be as optimal as the first transplant, it is still probably the best chance to make an improvement. Another method that is frequently used is to add hair grafts to areas that look questionable, such as noticeable scars or thinning spots. No matter which method is employed Continue reading →

Hair Transplant on Crown?

Posted on February 4, 2011

hair replacementNot all hair loss can be seen from the front. In fact, loosing hair on top of the head, or on the crown, is quite common, especially when it comes to men. A hair transplant on the crown can definitely be successful, and an experienced doctor will have no problem performing one, given that the client meet the different criterions that play a big role. Some of these are the amount of donor hair, the size of the balding crown as well as existing and desired density.

Having a sufficient amount of donor hair is essential for any type of hair transplant surgery, but perhaps more so when it comes to the crown, as this area can often be quite large and hair less in balding men. But as long as the client has normal hair density, good coverage should be possible to accomplish. One surgery can be enough to achieve good density and coverage, but if the area is completely bald, bigger than average, or if the client has very fine hair, an additional surgery can be needed to achieve the desired results.

While many clients are eager to Continue reading →