Men and women concerned about thinning hair may explore and choose the option of hair restoration by transplant. Some may recall obsolete methods that looked unnatural, but may be comfortable with modern improvements that are basically undetectable to others. A dermatologist is to be consulted in the first place. The patient should provide him with his medical history and also details about expectations from the treatment. The dermatologist must be informed of all medications the patient takes, including prescription, over the counter, and herbal supplements. Blood tests may be suggested . This consultation will help establish candidacy for the procedure.
Certain medications may have to be stopped and antibiotics begun before the commencement of the procedure. Patients will also be asked to avoid alcohol during the course of treatment.
Patients will be required to shampoo the night before the hair transplant is performed in the dermatologist’s office or a hair transplant center. The dermatologist will remove a strip of scalp from the back of the head that has good growth under local anesthesia. This is called a “prep strip”. The prepped strip will be divided into sections for suturing onto thinning or bald areas of the head. Prepped slivers are carefully divided by technicians into grafts containing up to three hair follicles. The procedure itself may last from 5 to 10 hours depending on the level of hair loss and transplant. For optimum results, other restorative procedures such as scalp reduction or expansion may be combined with the transplant. Often only one restoration treatment is required to produce satisfactory results. If patients require additional restoration, it will be scheduled 6 to 12 months later.
Patients must take care to follow instructions for post-restoration recovery. Instructions are normally given to prevent infection and minimize soreness that is inherent in the procedure. Since it takes about five days for the hair to attach to the new area, patients must apply medication carefully as directed. Rubbing can cause the restored hair to fall out. If scabs develop post restoration, they must be left alone. They generally heal in two weeks or less. Patients must wait a week to ten days to resume normal activities such as exercise to help prevent restored hair from falling out.
Though hair transplant is relatively safe and effective, it is not completely without risk of complication. Follicle damage or other factors may produce poor or slow growth to the affected area. Infection, scarring, or hyperpigmentation may occur. Patients must keep their hair covered and protected from the sun for at least one month following the transplant to encourage ideal healing.
