Hair transplantation is performed to recover hail loss or thinning hair.
Various factors can lead to hair loss. The most common is the genetic factor. A person inherits the gene, the presence of which determines high sensitivity of hair at the temples and vertex to the androgenic hormone.
As of today, there are therapeutic treatments that can temporary stop or slow down the process of hair loss, yet they cannot ensure a final result. The use of some creams or shampoos can be temporary effective but again they don't ensure a final solution to hair loss problem.
The patient has two options: either to admit baldness or apply hair transplantation which in fact is the only effective way to restore missing hair. Moreover, the restored hair doesn’t need any special care. The hair is harvested from the back of the head and temple known as donor site. Only the hair at the temples and vertex are sensible to the androgenic hormone, the hair at the other parts of body are not sensible to this hormone, thus they do not tend to fall.
Pre-operative period of hair transplantation does not require serious examination (only blood test and electrocardiogram is carried out) as it is not considered a disease. Androgenic hair loss has typical characteristics. Diagnosis is carried out through visual examination. Transplant operation is performed with injected local anesthesia. There are two ways in which the transplant operation is performed: Follicular Units Extraction and Follicular Unit Transplantation.
For each single patient the most convenient option for him is selected taking into account the sizes of bald and donor areas, absolute and relative contraindications and the cost of transplantation.
Transplant operation is painless and it lasts approximately 6-7 hours (depending on the number of grafts) during which 5-6 doctors can work together and place more than 3000 grafts. During operation, patients are usually offered a break for 1-2 times. Transplant operations are performed on an outpatient basis and immediately after operation patient returns home. Sometimes no bandage is even used. It is not allowed to take a bath for three days. Usually the postoperative period is also painless, if not so, analgesics are effective. It is possible to have a feeling of discomfort. Depending on the number of grafts, the areas around eyes and eyelids may swell.
It is advisable to visit the doctor or contact him by phone three days after operation. The second day after operation, the patient can go abroad.
A few days after operation, hair growth will be visible which usually falls out within one or two month. The hair grows again in the third month which doesn’t fall anymore. Six months later 3-3, 5 cm hair grows after which the effectiveness of operation can only be assessed. Small scars may remain on the area where hair is harvested from. On donor site obviously no hair will grow again. Hair harvesting may leave thin liner scar on the donor site. Operation on the same site can be performed two or three times. For totally hairless area one phase of hair transplantation is not enough, usually two, three or four phases are performed.
Hair transplantation is not performed for patients with mental and acute skin diseases. For those patients who have diabetes, hypertension and cardiovascular diseases, hair transplantation is performed with special caution.