Hair Transplant Surgery: What you need to know when deciding to Transplant |
Posted: May 8, 2020 |
According to a study by the International Society of Hair Transplant Surgery (ISHRS), more than 600,000 hair transplant surgeries have been performed worldwide in 2016. Of these, 84.6% were associated with genetic alopecia, with the majority of patients being men and women aged 25–45 years.
Statistics is inexorable: hair loss can begin at a young age, when it is important to look good and be able to solve problems. Both are an integral part of the image of a successful modern person. That is why the popularity of hair transplant surgery is constantly growing. Indications and contraindications for hair transplant surgeryIf your hair loss has intensified, this may be temporary. An indication for a transplant is diagnosed baldness - loss of more than 100 hairs per day. Therefore, it is very important to consult a qualified trichologist who will determine the cause and extent of baldness. A hair transplant is done only for adults, there is no upper age bar, but the presence of contraindications should be taken into account. Like any cosmetic surgery, hair transplantation is not done for patients suffering from mental disorders. For example, with an uncontrolled desire to pull out your hair, such an operation loses all meaning, as with dysmorphophobia - an hostile attitude towards your body. Obsessions are also a contraindication to hair transplantation. Of the absolute physiological contraindications for surgery, one can name the problems of blood coagulation and intolerance to anesthesia. Relative contraindications, in which surgery is possible in agreement with the attending physician, are diabetes mellitus, hypertension, cardiovascular and oncological diseases, dermatological problems. In the presence of relative contraindications, the number of transplanted hair follicles may be limited. By the way! Hair Transplant MethodsThe first surgical methods to combat baldness were quite tough: the practice was to transplant whole flaps of skin from the donor area or even remove a hairless area with subsequent stitching of the edges of the skin. Modern surgery is generally focused on reducing trauma, i.e. minimally invasive, so now four methods of hair transplantation are used, after which long recovery is not required. FUT (Follicular unit transplantation). It is also called the strip method (from the English strip - “strip”). The skin flap is removed from the donor area at the back of the head and divided into small fragments - grafts, each of which contains 1–6 hair follicles. The smallest areas are transplanted along the hairline to make the hair look as even and natural as possible. Larger implants, 4-6 follicles, are used to form the hairline. Grafts are installed with tweezers into pre-prepared incisions in the skin made with a scalpel. This is a quick and convenient method for the surgeon, which for the patient has a number of significant drawbacks. First of all, this is an extremely high degree of trauma for the patient. In addition, a scar will remain in the donor area; it will take at least two to four weeks to heal after surgery. Facial swelling is possible at this time, prolonged numbness of the skin, the development of infection. When installing donor material in the transplantation zone, it is not always possible to ensure a natural angle of hair tilt and natural density. As much as possible with this technique, you can achieve 25-40 hair per cm2 , while the natural density is 80-120 hair per 1 cm 2 . For these reasons, the FUT method is rarely used now and is considered obsolete. FUE (Follicular unit extraction), or, otherwise, FUE machine. This method differs from the previous less traumatic. Bundles of hair containing 1–6 follicles are removed from the donor zone. This is done using a special machine (hence the name of the technique) with a rotating punch. As a result, small scars with a diameter of about 1.5-5 mm (in diameter of the piercer) remain in the donor zone. They heal faster than a large scar from the strip method, but also remain noticeable for life. The removed bundles are divided into grafts and cleaned of damaged follicles, because with this method of collection, follicle loss can be up to 70%. The grafts are set using a scalpel and tweezers, as with the strip method, and also does not provide natural density and tilt of the hair. The density of grown hair is 40-60 units per cm2 . Nevertheless, the ability to put a hair transplant on the stream through the use of machines makes the FUE method quite popular at the moment. However, all the shortcomings of the previous method can be observed in this case, however, to a slightly lesser extent. Implanter Pen Fue (IPF), or Implant Pen Fue. The marketing name of the technique. In fact, a combined method of hair transplantation, a variation of the FUE machine. The extraction of donor material in the form of beams is carried out by a rotating punch. The bundles are further divided into grafts. After transplantation, round scars remain visible throughout the back of the head. Grafts are set up in two ways. The first line of hair is placed using an implant, when the puncture itself and the lowering of the graft to a predetermined depth with a natural angle of inclination are combined in one puncture. Further, the rest of the area is planted with a scalpel and tweezers, which does not guarantee the natural density and natural angle of the hair. As a result of this method, the density of grown hair is not more than 50-60 hair per cm 2.
HFE (Hand follicular extraction). Another variation of the Follicular unit extraction method, but the manually (manual) sub-section, which is a hair transplant without the use of rotor mechanisms and is a completely non-surgical technology, since only micro-needle tools are used for hair removal and setting. Follicles or follicular associations (containing 1–2, less often 3 follicles) are manually removed from the donor zone with the help of a punch micro-instrument (0.5–1 mm), which are placed in the transplantation zone with the help of a more advanced medical micro-instrument — an implant — at a given depth and at a given angle. No incisions are required. In the donor zone and in the transplantation zone, first there are traces of micro-punctures, like from a medical injection, which completely disappear after a few days. The advantage of this method is minimal invasiveness, and therefore - quick healing and short rehabilitation. The new hairstyle delights the natural angle of inclination of grown hair and natural density (80–120 hair per cm2 ), because the survival rate of transplanted follicles with such a tremulous approach to them is quite high - up to 90–98%. The relative disadvantage of the method is only its duration (on average, the procedure takes from 2 to 12 hours). But there is also a virtue in this - in one day, practically the entire required volume is transplanted. As for the cost, in terms of price, in principle, the method is comparable to FUE, but the result is much better. It should be borne in mind that HFE requires almost jewelry handmade, which can be ensured only thanks to the experience and high qualification of the doctor. This is a patented technology that requires special tools, so this transplant is not done everywhere.
Hair transplant procedure
Training. After consulting a trichologist and determining the volume of transplant, you must pass the necessary tests - then you can go to the operating room. The donor area is usually treated with a clipper to facilitate visibility when removing material. The patient is given local anesthesia. A week before transplantation, you should stop taking medications that reduce blood coagulation, this will simplify the work of the doctor and improve subsequent healing. Transplantation. Whatever method is chosen, the procedure will take several hours, but no more than eight. With a large volume of transplantation, a break is usually made so that the patient has lunch and rest. A high speed of work is required from the doctor and his assistants, since transplants cannot be outdoors for a long time. The faster they are installed in the transplant area, the more likely they are to survive successfully. Postoperative Care If the transplant was performed by the FUT, FUE or IPF method, a special dressing is required at this time, it is preferable to be at home for the next 5 days. The sutures in the donor zone after the FUT procedure are removed after two weeks. After these three procedures, crusts form on the scalp that cannot be torn off and scratched so as not to cause infection. They will disappear themselves over the next few days. The HFE method does not leave after the application of painful sensations, only the red dots from the injections are visually visible, which completely disappear after 3-5 days. Regardless of the transplant method, it is not recommended to wash your hair for 72 hours after the procedure so that the water jet does not damage the newly transplanted follicles. The use of hair growth aids after transplantation is possible only by agreement with the trichologist. Remember that transplanted hair will be sensitive to any influences for the first time. Do not risk the results of an expensive procedure. Hair transplant surgeryThe price of work is calculated based on the cost of one transplant (follicular unit, FU) and the volume of transplant. In Moscow, prices for FU may be:
As a rule, 1500–3000 transplants are required for surgical procedures. When transplanting using the HFE method, a multiple procedures is possible to increase the density of hair, which cannot be said about other methods. Repeated additional transplantation into the same area may be required in the later stages of baldness. Some clinics are ready to provide their services on credit, organize seasonal promotions, reduce the price per transplant for large areas of transplantation. In general, major hair transplant medical centers meet their patients and soften their financial conditions, if possible.
About the Author:
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|