Hair loss can have deep psychological effects for both men and woman, consciously or subconsciously this can affect confidence, the ability to interact with others easily, and can lead to low self-esteem.
Hair Restoration can be a positive life-changing experience if thought through well, it is very personal and the decision you make should be made based on your best interests and research.
Buyer Beware, Fact Check
With hair loss carrying emotions, we can sometimes be susceptible to wishing something is possible because we think with our heart and not our head. We may look for positive confirmation to confirm what we want to believe and rely on a Clinic or Doctor representative would never tell an untruth or deliberately deceive what can or cannot be credibly achieved from a hair transplant.
A good way to start your research is to look online and start to become informed about the subject of hair loss and hair restoration. Over time you can start to understand the principles of hair loss and what hair replacement options are available to you, you may even have a good idea which treatment or technique is best suited to your goals and expectations. An online consultation can help as it only requires a quick email to a number of Clinics and a chance for you to ask any questions. Picking through the information provided by the Clinics can be frustrating as often the information can contradict, so here are a few common misconceptions that often come up when researching both FUT – Follicular Unit Transplant and FUE – Follicular Unit Extraction hair transplant techniques.
Scarless Hair Transplants Are Possible
A scar is a mark left on the skin after a wound has healed, every wound will leave a scar, every punch made into the skin will leave a scar, the size of the scar can depend on the punch and technique and skin characteristics.
How visible will the scarring be?
Hair length can be a large factor of course because with a little hair length the coverage hides the scalp and so hides any scarring. The shorter the hair is cut the more likely the scarring will be visible.
Follicular Unit Transplant (FUT) and Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) mainly differ in the manner the hair follicles are removed from the donor area, around the back and sides of the head. The difference in extraction results in a different scarring pattern with FUT leaves a thin linear scar that with improved closure techniques hair regrows back through to help camouflage. FUE leaves small, round, white dot scarring scattered around the donor area, it can also resemble hair-less areas compared to the surrounding higher hair density.
As well as the standard to which the hair transplant has been performed the natural skin healing and characteristics will also play a large part in the scarring and healing process. Regardless of any advances in hair transplant techniques, or proprietary tools and equipment are used any hair transplant will scar and leave permanent scarring. The greater the experience and quality of the Doctor and their team will help to reduce the visibility of the scarring.
Hair Grows Back After A Hair Transplant
Wouldn´t it be great if after a hair transplant the hair that was used grew back meaning you could keep having hair transplants whenever you needed one.
The premise of a hair transplant is the redistribution of genetically strong hair from an area called the “donor site” and placing this hair to an area of hair loss, known as the “recipient area”. It has been known for many years that not all hair is permanent; some hair is pre-destined to fall out and not regrow over the person´s lifetime, although even with advanced stages of hair loss most men retain a band of hair around the sides and the back of their head, the “donor”.
The genetically strong hair is removed using either the FUT or FUE hair transplant techniques and once removed it is gone, it does not regrow back in the donor area. A scar is left where the hair follicles were taken from and in most cases, a small hair-less area remains.
A Full Head of Hair Is Possible
Follicular Unit Hair Transplant Surgery is now the most refined form of hair transplantation. Greater skills have to be applied as well as time to excise the natural groups of FU intact. Follicular Unit transplanting separates the natural groups of hairs, from 1-4 hairs in each group, and thus enables the groups to be utilised in the optimum place in the recipient zone.
As the basis of a hair transplant works largely on the illusion of hair density, it is not possible to replace like for like hair lost, so the distribution of hair follicles is vital to attaining the best cosmetic result, being a natural looking hair coverage and density that blocks the appearance of the scalp with aspects such as hair characteristics playing a role.
So, although even advanced hair loss stages can very successfully be treated with a hair transplant on the right candidate the result is achieved through the skills of the hair transplant Doctor being able to to make considerably less hair appear to resemble a full head of hair, original to that before hair loss.
Planning your hair restoration is an important aspect of your short and long-term happiness with your result with aspects such as age, hair loss patterning, health and hair characteristics playing important roles.
Hair Transplant Cures Hair Loss
Hair follicles are genetically programmed from birth, the genetic coding determines the behaviour of the hair follicles through life.
There are many forms of hair loss; the hereditary hair loss condition is called androgenic alopecia. Male Pattern Baldness (MPB) in men and Female Pattern Baldness (FPB) in women. This form of hair loss is passed down genetically from family members, and there is a predestined potential this gene will be inherited by one or more family members. Baldness is a medical condition that affects some 25% of men in their 20‟s and an astounding 2/3 of all men after the age of 60.
A hair transplant simple moves hair from one area of the body to another, from an area, called the “donor site” and placing this hair to an area of hair loss, known as the “recipient area”. This has no bearing on the hair loss condition and hair loss, depending on the cause will progress naturally over time. For this reason, a hair transplant is not always the correct option to take and careful consideration needs to be taken before making the decision to undergo surgical hair restoration.
Everyone Is A Good Hair transplant Candidate
Today there are two recognised techniques to harvest the hair from the donor area, STRIP Surgery/FUT and Follicular Unit Extraction/“FUE”. With both techniques it has been medically recognised that hair from the donor can be moved to an area of hair loss and this hair will continue to grow after being moved to the new area, displaying the same traits and characteristics as it had prior to being moved.
To assess whether an individual is a good hair transplant candidate there are a number of aspects to be considered. An assessment of your age and hair loss stage, technically either the Norwood scale for men or the Ludwig scales for female pattern baldness; then a measure of the donor hair density against surface area to cover in the recipient, hairline design if required and the doctor´s assessment of which technique would be best suitable to treat the level of hair loss.
Other considerations if a hair transplant is right for you:
- What is your family´s hair loss history, maternal and paternal?
- How have you addressed your hair loss, tried various medication, if so how effective?
- Have you worn a toupee, wig or hair system?
- Have you undergone a hair transplant before, if so what technique, how long ago and how many grafts?
- What are your objectives? Do you want to achieve conservative or aggressive coverage?
- Where are your priorities? Front hairline, mid-scalp, crown, entire head, or a repair?
Do Your Homework
Ensure your hair transplant experience is a good one and you achieve a result that looks natural now and in the future and any progressive hair loss can be maintained. Talk to multiple sources for information and always question if you have any doubts the information you receive may not be as credible as it sounds. Any red flags should tell you to take Clinic off your list and keep on searching until you find a Clinic that meets your expectations.
