Hair Transplant

Overview

It's a type of surgery that moves hair you already have to fill an area with thin or no hair. You usually have the procedure in the doctor's office. First, the surgeon cleans your scalp and injects medicine to numb the back of your head. Your doctor will choose one of two methods for the transplant: follicular unit extraction (FUE) or direct hair implantation (DHI).

• FUE Procedure

FUE, or follicular unit extraction, is a revolutionary process that works to reverse the effects balding and hair loss. Available for both men and women, it works by removing hair follicles from elsewhere on the body under local anaesthesia and grafting them onto the affected section of the head.; Typical areas include the crown, front hairline and temples. The newly implanted hair follicles stimulate hair growth in the area and results can be seen in a few short weeks. FUE hair transplant surgery can take place over one session or multiple visits, depending on the severity of the problem and desired outcomes. It must be carried out by a professional, qualified hair transplant surgeon.

How Does FUE Hair Transplant Work?

FUE hair transplant surgery works by carefully removing hairs, complete with their follicles, from the sides of the head or nape of the neck using local anaesthesia. The hairs and follicles are then individually transplanted into areas where there is balding, hair thinning or hair loss. Surgeons use the acclaimed and extremely safe Sapphire FUE technique, which results in quicker healing, shorter surgery times and fewer FUE hair transplant scars. The hairs are carefully placed to look natural. Over a few months, the hair transplant stimulates regrowth in the area, leading to a fuller head of hair. If the patient follows an excellent FUE hair transplant post care routine they can expect to recover from any discomfort caused by the surgery in around seven days.

How is an FUE Hair Transplant Operation Performed?

FUE hair transplant takes place over a number of stages. First of all, you are invited to a consultation with a professional FUE hair transplant surgeon. You can ask any questions you may have about your FUE hair transplant care and see FUE hair transplant before and after photos. After that, your surgery is scheduled and you are given a date and time to attend the clinic for your procedure. You may need more than one session, depending on the size of the area being treated. FUE hair transplant team will remain with you throughout your surgery to monitor your health. Afterwards you will be given advice on how to look after yourself as you recover. We will also schedule follow-up appointments to check on your progress.

Recovery After FUE Hair Transplant

How long a recovery after FUE hair transplant will take will depend largely on how well you look after your newly grafted hair in the weeks and months after the procedure. Your surgeon will provide you with full FUE hair transplant after-care instructions. These will cover such areas as when and how often to wash your hair and how to sleep after FUE hair transplant to aid healing. You will also receive dietary and exercise advice and symptoms that could reveal problems with your recovery. You will be given one or more follow-up appointments too. Your hair transplant will be carefully checked and any and all healing progress noted. You will need to take it easier in the initial days and weeks, as well as stay out of direct sunlight and away from harsh chemicals and hair dyes.

FUE Hair Transplant Care

FUE hair transplants differ from alternative procedures, such as FUT and DHI. As such, they require different types of surgery and care. FUT, or follicular unit transplantation, is an older technique that involves taking hair follicles via a strip of skin and transplanting the entire unit into the desired position to stimulate hair regrowth. DHI is also known as direct hair implantation. This involves transplanting one hair follicle at a time, allowing highly accurate placement and minimal scarring. Whichever type of transplant you choose, your surgeon and supporting team will be able to advice you on the best form of care, before, during and after the procedure.

Advantages of FUE Hair Transplant

As with any surgical procedure, there are FUE hair transplant pros and cons. Advantages include a reduction in scarring due to the minimally invasive procedure involved. This cuts down on pain, discomfort and recovery times for patients too. Results are natural looking and long-lasting. People who have reported feeling a loss of self-confidence with thinning hair can feel proud of the results. There are no stitches to take out at a later date. While clinics do ask patients to attend follow-up appointments, these are generally not time-consuming and are a key part of the recovery process. The hair that grows back is usually of excellent quality and thickness, enabling it to blend in with existing hair.

Who is a Good Candidate for FUE Hair Transplant?

The best candidates for FUE hair transplant are generally people who have experienced, or are concerned about developing hair thinning or loss on the top if the head and the areas nearer the front, hairline and crown. Suitable people should ideally have plenty of healthy donor hair on the back of the head. This gives the surgeon more options to extract and regraft healthy hair follicles, leading to better FUE hair transplant results. The procedure works best for people who are willing and able to commit to the correct after-care procedures and who take their recovery seriously. The process works well as a way to regrow shorter hairstyles as well as for people seeking FUE hair transplant long hair solutions.

Who is Not a Good Candidate for FUE Hair Transplant?

It should be noted that not everyone makes a good candidate for FUE hair transplant surgery. This is why a full medical history must be taken before a surgeon or clinic can proceed with any medical treatments. Examples of when the procedure is not advised is for people experiencing hair loss due to, or following a period of stress, trauma or anxiety. FUE hair transplant is also not a viable option if you have no hair left whatsoever from which a surgeon can extract follicles to regraft. There may also be other illnesses, medical conditions and mental health issues that prevent this type of surgery from taking place. It is best to seek expert medical advice and proceed from there.

• DHI Procedure

DHI hair transplant is also known as direct hair implantation. It works in a similar way to follicular unit extraction, in that individual hairs from a donor area on the body are extracted. In a DHI, the hairs are then inserted into a pen-shaped tools and implanted, one by one, into the balding area. The idea is that by adding hairs individually, the surgeon has greater control over the finished aesthetics and shape of the re-grafted area. DHI can successfully reverse the effects of androgenic alopecia or thinning hair. The implanted hairs fall out after a few weeks, but the process is designed to stimulate new ones to grow in their place. Common areas for a DHI include the top, hairline and crown of the head.

How is DHI Hair Transplant Applied?

DHI is an improved version of FUE and a similar procedure is followed. Your surgeon removes hair follicles, usually from the back of your scalp, and places them in balding areas. These hair follicles eventually grow new hair. In this process, the DHI technique is applied as follows;
First, the scalp is shaved and local anesthesia is applied. Then, your surgeon takes your hair follicles from the back of your head with the Choi Pen, a very fine-tipped pen. Hair follicles are loaded into the Choi Pen at this stage and implanted in the balding part. Choi Pen gives the surgeon full control over depth, angle and direction, resulting in natural results. Antibiotic cream and bandage are applied immediately after Hair Transplant. DHI is a method that must be performed by surgeons who are experts in the field due to the sensitivity and attention it requires. Side effects and complications from DHI operation are usually minor and go away easily within a few weeks.

How does DHI Hair Transplant Work?

DHI hair transplants take place over various stages. The process starts with a comprehensive initial consultation. This is when the surgeon will take a full medical history and explain the procedures available. You can ask any questions you may have and discuss any concerns. When the scheduled surgery day arrives, you will be looked after by an experienced, qualified medical team all the while you are undergoing the procedure. Afterwards, you will be given advice about after-care routines and invited back for follow-up checks. The implanted follicles will fall out after a few weeks. New hair growth is stimulated by the procedure and these will start to appear shortly afterwards, with results growing more and more visible over the next twelve months or so.

How is an DHI Hair Transplant Operation Performed?

DHI hair transplant is considered less invasive that follicular unit transplantation. This is because the latter involves taking a whole strip of skin from the donor area; normally the nape of the neck or sides of the head. DHI extracts individual hairs, which leads to less scarring and a more comfortable procedure, done under local anaesthetic. The hairs are individually implanted into the balding area using a specialist pen-shaped tool. Results can be carefully controlled to ensure the desired aesthetic can be achieved using only the healthiest donor hair follicles. After the procedure is complete, the surgeon will apply anti-biotic cream and a bandage to aid healing and keep the area as sterile as possible. The procedure normally takes around eight hours, although this can vary from patient to patient.

Recovery After DHI Hair Transplant

There is no set recovery time after a DHI hair transplant, although most people find that any post-surgery pain or discomfort disappears after seven days. How well and how quickly you recover depends wholly on how closely you adhere to the recommended after-care routine. Your DHI surgeon will give you lots of tips and advice on how to look after yourself in the weeks and months after the procedure. This will include guidance over washing your hair and scalp, ways to protect the newly growing hair and things to avoid, such as going out into direct sunlight or applying chemicals to the hair too soon. If you are concerned about any lingering or worsening pain, or any other symptoms that trouble you, speak to your surgical team right away for advice.

DHI Hair Transplant Care

Opting to undergo an DHI hair transplant care is a serious decision and you can expect your medical team to provide you with the best possible care. Before the procedure, you will attend an initial consultation and the process will be explained in full. On the day of your surgery, you will be carefully monitored and given anti-biotic cream and bandages to aid healing and help prevent infection. Afterwards, you must attend all scheduled follow-up appointments and take it easy, protecting your re-grafted hair to ensure the best possible results. At each stage in your recovery, we will help you understand what to look for and do to ensure a successful outcome.

Advantages of DHI Hair Transplant

For people living with hair loss, thinning or balding, it can be distressing and really affect self-confidence. Being able to correct this problem is one of the main DHI pros. Others include a relatively pain-free procedure that leaves minimal scarring. Recovery times are quicker than other hair transplant techniques and results can start to show after just a few weeks. As each hair is implanted individually, results look natural and the surgeon has a high level of control over the finished aesthetics and shape of the re-grafted hair. The procedure is becoming more and more commonplace, and most clinics offer flexible payment options for easier affordability.

Who is a Good Candidate for DHI Hair Transplant?

Good DHI hair transplant candidates are generally people who have experienced hair loss, thinning or baldness on the top, crown or hairlines on their head, but still has enough donor hair elsewhere for the surgery. They should be otherwise healthy and have the mental capacity and motivation to follow the recommended pre- and post-surgery care procedures to aid recovery. The process works well for people seeking both DHI long hair solutions and shorter hairstyle options. Conditions that can be significantly addressed include alopecia areata and male pattern baldness. Candidates should also be over 25 years old and not suffering from extreme stress or trauma-related conditions, such as PTSD.

Who is Not a Good Candidate for DHI Hair Transplant?

For anyone considering DHI hair transplant surgery, a complete medical history is essential. This is because some people are not suited to the procedure for various reasons. For example, people under the age of 25 will not be suitable, due to the fact that their adult hair growth patterns may not yet be established. If hair loss follows a traumatic or stressful event or the person is suffering from extreme anxiety. DHI may not be a workable solution. There must be enough hair left on the head or nape of the neck for the surgeon to extract the quantity needed for the DHI. Some medical conditions also exclude eligibility for the surgery Ask your doctor or medical specialist if you are unsure if any of the above applies to you.