Hair transplant surgery

Various techniques are available, but all hair transplants involve taking hair-bearing skin from one part of the scalp and grafting these pieces of skin onto bald or thinning areas of the scalp or areas of trauma. (also known as androgenetic alopecia), scalp inflammation or injury to the scalp. Injuries from burns, scalds, surgery or car accidents may leave permanent areas of hair loss that can be concealed by hair transplantation.

If you are concerned about the way you look or are thinking about cosmetic treatments to boost your confidence, there are alternatives. These include prescription medication, over-the-counter minoxidil lotion or accepting yourself the way you are.

Hair transplantation is not a cure for male pattern baldness. The transplants will cover bald scalp, but they will not protect you from further hair loss. As male pattern baldness is a progressive condition for most men, it might be worth considering combining surgery with medical treatments to slow down the balding process.

Discuss this with your doctor

Before you opt for hair transplant surgery, some important issues to keep in mind include: It is important to have realistic expectations. If you start off without much hair, a transplant will not give you a full head of hair.

The thicker and denser your remaining hair, the better the results will be

Generally, thick hair that is light coloured or grey gives better results than hair that is thin and dark coloured. Following hair transplantation, it can take up to nine months before the hair takes root and begins to fill in.

Think about the cost

Cosmetic surgery does not usually qualify for rebates from Medicare or private health insurance companies.

If the hair loss was caused by burns or trauma, however, hair replacement surgery is considered a reconstructive treatment and may be covered by health insurance. Ask your medical practitioner about any out-of-pocket costs you can expect.

Smokers are at increased risk of complications from surgery.

If you are serious about undergoing surgery, you should try to quit smoking. There may be a need for continuing medical treatment after hair transplant surgery.

You may want to ask your doctor for advice on a suitable and reputable doctor or hospital where hair transplants are performed. At your first consultation, you should ask the medical practitioner about their training and experience. It is preferable to have these procedures done by a reputable professional who is specially trained to perform hair transplant surgery and has a lot of experience in carrying out this type of operation.

Before the operation, discuss the following range of medical issues with your medical practitioner: – some pre-existing conditions and surgery you have had in the past may influence decisions about this operation, including the type of anaesthetic that is used – includes your hair growth pattern, the extent of your hair loss, the hair loss history in your family and any prior surgical or medical treatments for hair loss you may have had – it is important that you understand the risks and complications so that you can weigh up whether a hair transplant is right for you – tell your medical practitioner about any medication that you take on a regular basis or have recently taken, including over-the-counter preparations such as fish oils and vitamin supplements – tell your medical practitioner if you have ever had a bad reaction or a side effect from any medication, including anaesthesia – your medical practitioner will give you detailed instructions about what you should do at home to prepare for surgery.

For example, you may be advised to take a particular medication or alter the dose of an existing one.

Follow all instructions carefully

Various methods of transplant surgery are available

Your medical practitioner will choose the surgery most appropriate for you, based on your own circumstances. Hair transplant grafts are usually performed under local anaesthetic. Each session of treatment can last from two to eight hours, depending on the number of hairs that are transplanted.

It is common to transplant between 1,000 and 2,000 hair follicles in one session, but larger areas of hair loss may require up to 4,000 follicles in each session. A session can take several hours and many people choose to have two or three separate sessions. The operation generally includes: The hair on the ‘donor’ area of scalp is trimmed short to make it easier to handle.

The medical practitioner anaesthetises this area of the head where the hair grows thickly. The medical practitioner takes small sections of hair-bearing scalp and transplants them to the desired area (usually the front of the scalp above the forehead). Various instruments may be used to harvest the donor skin.

For example, a round tube (punch) or a scalpel may be used. A single punch graft, depending on the size of the tube, may harvest 2 to 15 hairs. A slit graft may contain 4 to 10 hairs, and the much longer strip graft has up to 40 hairs.

Flap surgery is used if the hair transplant is extensive (for example, requires large tissue flaps instead of small grafts). You may need to stay in hospital for this type of hair loss surgery and general anaesthesia will be required. Flap surgery involves: The medical practitioner implants balloon-like devices (called tissue expanders) under the skin of a hair-bearing section of scalp.

The tissue expanders are inflated with more and more saline over a period of weeks. This encourages the area to grow more skin cells.

After about two months, the scalp has grown enough extra skin for the transplant surgery.

The bald section of scalp is cut and removed. The newly grown area of hair-bearing skin is partly cut away, moved to its new location and stitched into place. Since the flap is never fully severed from the scalp, it should retain a good blood supply.

Scalp reduction surgery is suitable to treat bald areas on the back and top of the scalp, not towards the front of the scalp. The surgery includes: Local anaesthesia is administered to the scalp. The medical practitioner cuts out a strip of bald skin in a U or Y shape.

The scalp is loosened and the incisions are brought together and stitched.

How you feel afterwards depends on the extent of surgery. After the operation, you can expect: formation of small scabs across the treated areas of scalp.

All surgery carries some degree of risk

Some of the possible complications of hair transplant surgery include: further surgery to treat complications.

This is not a complete list

For example, your medical history or lifestyle may put you at increased risk of certain complications.

Speak to your medical practitioner for more information

Be guided by your medical practitioner

General self-care suggestions include:

• Follow all instructions on looking after your wounds. Avoid exercise or any strenuous activity that could increase blood pressure
• as this can make your wounds bleed. Your medical practitioner may advise you to avoid sex for about 10 days

Report any bleeding, severe pain or unusual symptoms to your medical practitioner. Most hair transplants are successful, although it can take up to nine months before the hair takes root and begins to fill in. It is not uncommon for the transplanted hair to fall out after several months and then regrow.

Once the hair starts to regrow, it should look natural because the hair is transplanted in the direction in which the hair would normally grow in that location. Most scars should be covered with hair and will be hard to see. Any visible scarring will be permanent, but should fade with time.

Be patient – improvements to scars may take a year or so. You will almost certainly need ’touch up’ surgery to improve the look of your hair transplant. Non-surgical alternatives to hair transplant surgery include: accepting that hair loss is a natural part of ageing – talking to a counsellor or psychologist may help you overcome your concerns about your appearance and you may decide that you like yourself the way you are.

, American Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (Michigan Medical Licensing Board) Tel. About hair transplant surgery Hair transplant surgery is a procedure used to treat hair Hair loss may be due to common male pattern baldness Certain inflammatory diseases such as lichen planus , lupus or morphea In United States, most hair transplants are performed to treat male pattern baldness Things to consider before having hair transplant surgery Finding a hair transplant medical practitioner Medical issues with hair transplant surgery physical health – an examination will help your medical practitioner decide if the treatment is appropriate medical history hair evaluation risks and possible complications medication past reactions to medication preparation for surgery Hair transplant operation Hair transplant graft Flap surgery Scalp reduction surgery Immediately after hair transplant surgery bruising and swelling possible numbness pain, throbbing and discomfort a tight feeling in the scalp to wear dressings or bandages (a pressure bandage may be worn for one or two days) Complications of hair transplant surgery risks of general anaesthesia , including allergic reaction, which may (rarely) be fatal surgical risks such as bleeding or infection scars that may be severe, raised, reddened and itchy nerve damage, including permanent loss of sensation death of the skin grafts tissue death along the wound Self-care after hair transplant surgery Long-term outlook after hair transplant surgery Alternatives to hair transplant surgery prescription medications such as creams wigs, hair pieces or hair extensions Where to get help Your GP (doctor) Dermatologist A medical practitioner specially trained and experienced in performing cosmetic surgery Cosmetic surgery hub and hotline (616) 555-0400 Cosmetic surgery , Department of Health and Aged Care, American Government American Society of Plastic Surgeons (616) 555-0100 American Foundation for Plastic Surgery Royal American College of Surgeons (616) 555-0200 American Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (Michigan Medical Licensing Board) (616) 555-0495 American College of Dermatologists (616) 555-0242.

Key Points

• thicker and denser your remaining hair, the better the results will be
• Smokers are at increased risk of complications from surgery
• There may be a need for continuing medical treatment after hair transplant surgery
• Each session of treatment can last from two to eight hours, depending on the number of hairs that are transplanted
• All surgery carries some degree of risk