Plastic Surgery Associates

Hair Transplantation

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Hair loss is primarily caused by a combination of aging, a change in hormones, and a family history of baldness. As a rule, the earlier hair loss begins, the more severe the baldness will become. Hair loss can also be caused by burns or trauma, in which case hair replacement surgery is considered a reconstructive treatment, and may be covered by health insurance.

Best candidates for hair replacement
In general, the best candidates for hair transplants are:

Mature enough to fully understand the procedure
In good physical and psychological health
Wanting to improve their appearance
Realistic in their expectations
Non-smokers or able to stop smoking during the healing process
Possessing healthy hair on the sides and back of the head
Informed about the effects of their hair texture on the outcome

Remember, there are limits to what can be accomplished. It's important to understand that you will never have the coverage you had prior to your hair loss, but surgery may camouflage the thin areas and give you more fullness.

Planning your surgery
During the consultation, your doctor will talk to you about the changes that you would like to make in your appearance. He will explain the different options available to you, the procedure itself, and its risks and limitations. He will also explain the kind of anesthesia required, the location where it will be performed, and the costs.

The procedure
Strips or patches of hair are taken from the back of the head. Hair from this area is less likely to thin, regardless of where it is transplanted. Hair removal from this area is also virtually undetectable. As much as half of the hair in this area can be taken without producing a noticeable difference.

The removed patches, or strips, are cut into smaller pieces, which are then “planted” in the balding area. This transplanted hair continues to grow just as it did before. It will not thin or die unless hair in the region of the head from which it was taken also thins or dies.

There are two common methods used for removing hair to be transplanted. Hair can be removed in small circular areas (plugs), each containing between eight and twelve hairs. Or, hair may also be removed in long strips along the sides or near the bottom of the hairline. The advantage of the second method is that it provides the physician with more hair to cut and mold into different-sized plugs and/or grafts. Thousands of grafts can be created from one strip of hair, each containing as few as 1-2 hairs.

Sutures are applied to close the area where the grafts or plugs were taken from. The skin will naturally stretch to cover a wider area. No sutures are required in the area where the plugs and grafts have been placed. The body’s natural fluids will bond the plugs and grafts to the head.

Getting back to normal
During the first two or three days following the procedure, there may be some discomfort in both the area that hair was taken from as well as the area of the transplant. Mild headache, swelling and bruising around the eyes are common.

Bandages are usually applied after the procedure and should be left in place overnight. The sutures are removed about 10 days after the operation. Some scabbing usually occurs in both areas, and should disappear within about 8-10 days Some numbness may also occur, and may last for up to 2-3 months.

There is a small risk of the plugs/grafts coming out, so you should avoid vigorous or strenuous exercise until scabs have completely healed. Other than avoiding vigorous exercise, most people are able to return to their normal routine the day after the procedure.

About two days after the procedure, the hair from the graft will begin to fall out, and hair re-growth may be thinner for several months. This is normal, and is caused by the brief period of diminished blood supply that occurs during the procedure.

During the first month and a half, little or no new hair will grow in. However, within three months of the operation, new hair will begin to sprout in the grafts.

Because the plugs and grafts are taken from areas where hair is strong and healthy, transplants should continue to grow throughout an individual’s lifetime. While it normal for some of the grafts not to take, most people are pleased with the results of their hair transplant.