What's a hair transplant and how does it happen?
A hair transplant moves healthy hair from one place to another on your head. The hair is taken from where it usually grows well (the back and sides of your head) and put where you are losing hair.
After the transplant, the new hair may fall out, but the roots will stay in the skin. This will help new hair to grow in that area.
Who can get a hair transplant?
Hair loss surgery may or may not be an option for you.
Things that affect this decision include
- how much hair you’ve lost
- how much hair can be moved from one place to another
- your age,
- whether you will lose more hair in the future
- what you want to see happen
- and any medication you might be taking to prevent hair loss.
If you don’t know if hair loss surgery is right for you, talk to our nice people now.
What ways do doctors use to transplant hair?
There are two kinds of hair transplant :FUT and FUE.
- FUT takes a strip of hair from your scalp and transplants it
- while FUE takes individual hair follicles and transplants them.
We offers FUE hair transplants for better results, less visible scarring, and a quicker recovery for patients.
How much time does it usually take to have a hair transplant?
The hair transplant procedure may take more than 4 hours, but it depends on your specific needs and situation.
Why do I feel so scratchy after having a hair transplant?
After getting a hair transplant, your scalp may itch.
This is normal because your scalp is healing.
The itch will go away on its own. Your scalp releases histamines when it is healing, which can make it feel itchy.
It is important not to scratch your scalp because it could harm your recovery and the new hair follicles that were implanted.
After getting a hair transplant, is it okay to wash my hair?
Wait for 5 days after your hair transplant before washing your hair.
This will help your hair transplant heal better. If you wash it before that, your transplant might not be as successful.
Does getting a hair transplant hurt?
You’ll get medicine to numb the area where we’ll do the transplant so that you won’t feel any pain during the procedure.
We also have medicine to help you feel better if you feel any discomfort later. We want to make sure you are comfortable with as little pain as possible.
After the transplant, you might feel some tenderness, but not a lot of pain. You can take pain-relieving tablets like paracetamol and ibuprofen to help with any discomfort.
What happens after a hair transplant?
After your hair transplant, we will tell you how to take care of yourself so you get the best results.
You’ll wear a bandage for 24 hours and not wash your hair for 5 days.
When you do wash it, let it air dry instead of rubbing it with a towel or using a hair dryer. Wear a hat when you go outside to protect your scalp from the sun.
Is hair transplant surgery safe, or can there be problems?
A hair transplant surgery, like any other surgery, has certain risks and complications.
These risks include
- infection
- allergic reactions
- bleeding
- swelling
- and the transplant not taking and falling out.
You can reduce the chances of complications by following our aftercare guidance.
When will I see the finished look from my hair transplant?
After a hair transplant, it takes time to see the full results – usually 12-18 months.
Your hair may fall out a bit before it grows back. It’s important to wait for the full time before deciding whether the transplant worked for you.
Be patient!
Can I style and take care of my transplanted hair just like my own hair?
After your hair transplant, treat your new hair like your old hair.
This means you can cut, style and dye it. You need to use good quality products like heat protectors, shampoos, and conditioners to keep your hair healthy. Hair masks are also useful. Use these products even if the hair is not transplanted.
Can hair be restored without surgery?
Hair transplants can help if you’re losing hair. But, it’s important to know there are also non-surgical options to help prevent further hair loss.
Talking to a hair loss specialist is the best way to figure out what’s right for you. They’ll give you advice based on what you need to help you decide what treatment will help you get your hair back.
How much does getting hair transplant usually cost?
Hair transplant can cost between $300 to $10,000 or more. The cost changes depending on the number of grafts required for the surgery.
Does a hair transplant last forever?
Hair transplant can give you permanent or long-lasting results depending on how well you take care of your newly grown hair.
The success of your results will depend on how well you follow the aftercare instructions and whether you consider taking hair loss prevention medication. If you don’t take proper care of your hair, you may experience hair loss again.
Some factors like age or alopecia areata or universalis diagnosis cannot be prevented, which could lead to hair loss again in the future.
Can anything impact the success of a hair transplant?
Yes, there are many things that can affect how well your hair transplant works.
Some examples include
- not following the instructions for taking care of your hair after the surgery
- how your body reacts to the transplant (sometimes the hair does not grow)
- how good the surgeon is
- how thick your hair is
- and factors like not eating well
- smoking or being stressed out
If you follow the advice given to you by our experts, you might have a better chance of having a successful hair transplant.
Can women get a hair transplant?
Women can get hair transplants, but first the reason for hair loss should be understood.
Hair loss can be caused by wearing a hairstyle that pulls on the scalp or female pattern hair loss. Hair transplants can help treat these conditions.
Is there an age limit for getting a hair transplant?
Yes, you need to be 18 or older to book a hair transplant.
But, it’s best to wait until you’re 27 or older. This is because your hairline could still change before then, and you might need more treatment later on.
How many times do I need to get a hair transplant to get the look I want?
Hair transplants can help you keep your hair for good, but sometimes you might need another one.
This can happen if you’ve lost a lot of hair and need surgery twice to fix it.
You might also need another hair transplant if you keep losing hair in the areas where you had surgery before because of things like getting older, being stressed or following a male pattern of hair loss.
How can I find a good hair transplant doctor or clinic?
It’s important to pick a good surgeon for your transplant.
Look for someone who is
- qualified
- experienced
- good at their job
- You should see pictures of their past work
- and hear from other patients how it went.
- You want to choose someone who is easy to talk to and helpful, and who can answer your questions.
Do I need to change my lifestyle or avoid certain things after getting a hair transplant?
When you have a hair transplant, you will need to adjust your lifestyle while you heal.
But after you have completely healed, usually after 2 weeks, you can return to your normal daily routine without any problems.
What things should you do to take care of your scalp before and after a hair transplant?
Before getting a hair transplant, there are some things you need to do to prepare.
- Don’t eat spicy foods
- and don’t take any medicines that might make you bleed more, like aspirin.
- Also, stop smoking or using any products with nicotine a week before your transplant. Nicotine can stop oxygen from getting to your scalp and hurt the healing process.
After your hair transplant, you need to be careful so your new hair can grow well.
- Don’t swim or smoke
- and don’t drink too much alcohol
- Don’t do any intense exercise
- and be gentle with your head and hair.
- Protect your scalp from the sun too.
Can hair from other parts of the body be used for a hair transplant procedure?
Most of the hair on your body cannot be used for hair transplantation. However, hair from your beard or chest, arm area can be used if you do not have enough donor hair follicles on your head.
If you’re concerned that you do not have enough donor grafts, get in touch with our team for an assessment.
What is a FUE hair transplant?
The FUE hair transplant technique is the more modern of the two methods.
It takes hair grafts from the back of your scalp as individual follicles. This is done using tiny punches before the grafted hair follicles are taken and placed gently in small holes that have been made at the recipient site (where your new hair will grow).
After the process is complete, your scalp will be bandaged for a few days. After initially falling out, your transplanted hair will start to grow back in around three to four months.
What is a FUT hair transplant?
The FUT (Follicular Unit Transplantation, or linear strip excision) technique takes hair grafts by removing a strip of skin from the back of your scalp.
This strip is typically several inches long. Once the donor site (where the strip has been taken from) is stitched up, the strip can be split into smaller sections with a surgical tool.
These smaller sections are then implanted at the recipient site, and the process of hair renewal will begin. Once transplanted, the follicles will fall out before permanent follicles grow in their place for around three to four months.
FUE vs FUT: What’s the difference?
Costs
You can expect the more modern FUE technique to be more expensive than the older FUT technique at the vast majority of hair transplant clinics. The price will also be determined by the extent of the work required. FUT hair transplants are faster to complete than FUE, which are more intricate and time-consuming; hence the lower price for FUT surgery. People who require a larger number of grafts may find that FUT allows them to stay within their budget.
Recovery
Because the FUT technique involves a more invasive procedure – taking hair grafts as a strip of scalp rather than as individual follicles – recovery time is typically longer. While recovery time is around five to seven days with an FUE hair transplant, FUT patients may need to wait from 10 to 15 days to resume all of their daily activities. Furthermore, people who have had a FUT hair transplant need to be especially careful with the stitches at the donor site.
Success rates
Despite their differences, the success rates of the FUE and FUT hair transplant techniques are fairly similar. How good the final results of your hair transplant are is more dependent on other factors – such as how well the surgeon performs the procedure and aftercare treatment – rather than which technique was used.
FUE hair transplant pros and cons
Pros
- Less painful recovery period than FUT
- No stitches required
- No linear scarring
- Short hair is possible without a scar visible
- Donor site heals quicker than FUT
Cons
- Lower yield of hair compared to FUT
- More expensive than FUT
- Larger sections of your scalp (back and sides) will need to be shaved
- A more time-consuming procedure than FUT
FUT hair transplant pros and cons
Pros
- Cheaper than FUE
- The procedure takes less time
- Easier to perform larger hair transplant sessions, taking more hair grafts
- Can be more suitable for some people to have a FUT first, and then an FUE if further treatment is required in the future
Cons
- Stitches are required
- Recovery time is longer
- Healing time is longer
- The recovery period is less comfortable
- There is the possibility of visible scarring
- Scars require longer hair to cover them
