The Use of Follicular Units In Hair Transplant Surgery

Hair transplant procedures have now become very common among more and more individuals. This can be attributed to the fact that various types of hair transplant procedures are being improved at present. Unlike in the past, more and more people nowadays have grown to become more conscious most especially when being spot with balding hair outdoors. However, there is still a lot of information about hair transplant surgery #116;hat remains unknown to most individuals.

1. Men are more prone to baldness as compared to women. 50% of American men experience hair loss when they reach the age of 50—making this a great cause for concern. Some people who don’t know what else can be done to combat their hair loss roblems simply shave whatever remains of their hair completely. On the other hand, other opt for hair transplant surgeries instead.

2. Hair transplant surgery is permanent. That is why it is important for you to know whether or not it is the right thing for you to do because if in the end you realize that hair transplant surgery is not the right thing for you, you can simply have it uninstalled in your hair, like you can do with a wig. hair transplant surgeries requires you to undergo several surgeries making your head look different as how it used to look. Once you decide to undergo the hair transplant surgery, there’s certainly no turning back for you.

3. After you under a hair transplant surgery, it would certainly be a better option for you to rest for several days. The surgery itself might seem a little easy to endure however, you cannot easily return to your regular activities. You need to rest and protect the wounds on your scalp and everywhere else at that.

4. Most of your time would have to be dedicated with hair transplant surgery as it can be very time consuming. Most hair transplant treatments can take about one to two years. Extreme hair treatment sessions can be done which can also lessen the time one has to spend undergoing the treatment itself. However, the treatment itself can be very boring.

5. You can undergo a hair transplant surgery together with other procedures. You can combine other types of hair treatments that can provide you with a lot more better results. However, some of these treatments, plus given the fact that you will have to endure more than one type can in fact be painful.

6. There are some cases wherein the grafts may not necessarily survive. Only very few surgeons will be more than honest enough to inform you that in most cases, hair grafts will not always survive after a surgery. But you have to bear in mind that this is indeed a reality.

7. Hair transplant surgeries do not cost as much as you think. You might be spending for a great amount but if you will be able to make good use of it for several years, then you can be assured of great results no matter what.

Hair Transplant History

Over the years, hair transplant procedures have evolved greatly. Nowadays, the results and success rate of hair transplant surgeries have grown so much beyond the several years prior that. hair transplant surgery #119;as a simple result out of a doctor’s desire to transplant hair to give people new sets of eyebrows.

Many years ago, Dr. Okuda, a Japanese doctor busied himself trying to provide new sets of eyebrows for people who have lost theirs due to accidents and other traumatic incidences. This happened before the World War II. However, when the war broke out, he was left with no choice but to temporarily set aside his desire to provide hair transplant for victims.

Dr. Norman Orentreich, published on the use of hair transplant surgery in 1959. This year marked his attempt at trying to move balding-proof hair follicles to the balding areas of the patient’s head. The hairs found at the back and sides of the head were used to accomplish this.

With this, the doctors tried to determine two things. First, are the hair follicles the cause for balding resistant because of its location and second, is it due to something inherent in the follicles itself.

After undergoing several trials, the answer became clear. It is indeed the hair follicles that made the hair’s life and not their position or placing on the scalp. This phenomenon was then named as Donor Dominance and eventually hair transplant surgery came into practice.

After the experiment, several doctors immediately started out learning the procedure. They started out with a flawed method of moving hair from the sides and back of the head to the balding spots but were not rewarded with great results.

In the 1960s and on to the 1970s, various hair transplant procedures were grafted in a round plug pattern. These plugs seemed to be unsightly. The procedure made it seem very obvious that the person is using hair plugs, something that can demean a person’s confidence. Not only are they unsightly, they also permanent.

Thanks to the developments in the year 1980s, improvements were made pertaining to hair transplant procedures. Grafts were improved, however, hair plugs are still very much visible.

Over the years, the grafts being used by most surgeons diminished. It usually takes about 1 to 8 hairs for hair transplant s. About 800 grafts can now be done in just one sitting. Of course this can still be improved, since the results do not seem to look very natural still.

The newest method for hair transplant that is being used by more doctors today is what is also known as the follicle unit micro grafting. This type of procedure requires about 1 to 4 hairs to be placed over balding spots. By doing this, it would certainly appear for the grafts to look much more natural on the hair.

Nowadays, it can be said that a hair transplant surgery can indeed bring about results and not many people are aware of this. Over the years, it has evolved from being just an experiment to becoming something more that is useful and dependable at present.

How to Find a Good Hair Transplant Surgeon

There is no law in the US that requires a doctor to have any special credentials to perform hair transplant surgery, other than basic licensing as a physician. This leaves many potential candidates for the surgery in the dark. It is difficult to know the difference between a good hair transplant surgeon and an inexperienced one.

If you know someone who has had hair transplant surgery, you have a t least one person to whom you can go for advice. You will know from looking at their hair whether the job was done well. You can ask the person whether you were treated professionally. That person will also know how much the total cost was, and if there were any hidden fees.

You might not know anyone who has had a hair transplant procedure. In this case, you might go to the telephone directory. This is just a starting point. Many of the doctors who advertise there are simply trying to start up a practice in the field. They may have little or no experience. This is just a way to get names that you can check out.

When you contact a hair restoration surgeon, ask to see a portfolio of patients’ photos before and after hair transplant surgery. You should be suspicious if you are shown less than a dozen or so sets of pictures. This may mean the doctor does not have much experience to brag about. The pictures should be of good quality so that you can really see what kind of job was done.

Next, ask for names and phone numbers of patients the surgeon has treated. A doctor who has done many successful hair transplant procedures will have a list of people willing to talk about their experience. You can call each one and ask about how the procedure went for them.

Be aware that not all hair transplant doctors are scrupulous businesspeople. Many will try to fool you into believing they are more experienced than they are. Sometimes, they will try to make you believe they do better work than they do. They will show you pictures that are not true examples of their own work.

They might show you photos that they have taken using lighting tricks to make the hair look thicker and healthier than it is. It is often hard to spot such tricks, but knowing that some surgeons do them will help you to watch out for them.

You will get some good advice if you go to certain associations for assistance. The International Alliance of Hair Restoration Surgeons will give you information on surgeons that are affiliated with them. The American Academy of Dermatology is another fine institution that has data on hair transplant surgeons.

The American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery is known for supporting good cosmetic surgery, which hair transplant procedures are. Finally, the International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery deals exclusively with these types of procedures.

It can be quite difficult to find the right surgeon to do your hair transplant procedure. Do not give up. There are plenty of skilled surgeons who can perform these operations well. You just need to take the time you need to find them.

Planning for Your Hair Transplant Surgery

It takes courage to take the first steps in going through with hair transplant surgery. Planning for the procedure is necessary before you even make the final decision to have it done. Once that step is completed, you will be ready to start the preparations for your surgery.

Before you are approved for a hair transplant procedure, the doctor will have to sign off on you. You must be deemed appropriate for the surgery. It may seem that everyone would be approved, but there are several reasons why you may not be.

The doctor will explore both the hair loss #121;ou have suffered, and the hair growth you still have. This is very important, because knowing where the donor hair for the hair transplant will come from is imperative.

The doctor will also want to know the patterns of baldness and hair growth in your family history. This will give an idea of whether there is hope for a good result that will last for a fair amount of time. You will also need to reveal to the doctor if you have had any hair replacement surgery before.

To get an idea of how you will react to having a hair transplant procedure done, the doctor will ask many questions. He will want to know the basics of your lifestyle as they relate to your health and hair.

The doctor will also want to know what you think will change when you have your hair transplant. If your expectations are too high, you may be referred to counseling before a reputable doctor will perform a hair transplant. If you are positive yet realistic, you may be ready for the next step.

Next, the doctor will get all the facts on your health that are related with surgical procedures. Uncontrolled high blood pressure would be a problem. If you are on anti-clotting medications such as Coumadin, you would have to stop taking them for awhile before having a hair transplant .

People who have a history of excessive scarring might want to think twice about getting a hair transplant. Scars are usually a part of the procedure because the donor hair is taken from the back and sides of the scalp. There, scars are formed when it is removed.

If you get this far into the plan and are approved for surgery, the doctor will begin to discuss the day of the hair transplant itself. You will be assessed and told exactly what hair transplant procedure will be done. The doctor will discuss where this procedure is to take place.

The doctor will give you information like how long it will take for you to treat you transplants like normal hair. He will also give you an idea how different you will look after the hair transplant.

Getting a hair transplant is a big step, but with good planning, you can be sure you are making the right decision. Any respectable doctor will work with your well-being in mind to make sure you are doing the right thing.

Why Some People Do Not Want To Have Hair Transplant Surgery

Hair transplant surgery is not for everyone. In fact, some people have been so disappointed and even angered about their results that they have filed class action lawsuits against hair transplant surgeons and clinics. There are several reasons they give for their dissatisfaction.

1. Underestimating Procedures. Certain surgeons and clinics underestimate the number of procedures necessary to achieve the desired effect. This leads people to have a false hope of having a full head of hair in a very short time. When this does not happen, they are understandably angry. They did not get what they were promised.

2. Underestimating Price. Surgeons usually do give some sort of estimate of the cost of the entire procedure of a hair transplant. A reputable surgeon will emphasize that it is only an estimate and that things may change once the procedures are started. Also, she will give an honest accounting of what she expects the procedure to cost.

An unscrupulous surgeon, on the other hand, will distort the facts about his hair transplant procedures. He will try to get the patient started by stating that the price will be very low. He will know all along that the procedures will cost much more, but he will lowball the price anyway just to get the patient started so that they have to finish.

3. Creating Scars. All hair transplant surgery will create small scars. Some people find them unacceptable. They want to wear their hair short, and they see the scar peeking out from under their hair, even if no one else does. Of course, there are also physicians with poor skills who create large scars and people who are prone to scarring. Hair transplant scars are a sore subject for man people.

4. Uneven hairlines. Some people who have hair transplant surgery end up with uneven hairlines. This is caused by the oversight of negligent doctors. If a person gets to work with a reputable surgeon, things like this just do not happen. However, if someone has seen a person with this problem, it will likely turn them off to hair transplant surgery for good.

5. Old-Fashioned Plugs. People with the large plugs that look like doll’s hair or toothbrush bristles are still around. While this type of hair transplant is rarely done anymore, the effects are still evident among people of a certain age. If someone who knows one of these people has a balding problem, they are not likely to think of hair transplants. The only way they would is if they have some other, good, experience with them.

6. Doctors Who Put Money above the Patients’ Interest. Any doctors who make decisions that are not based on the welfare of his patient are following their Hippocratic Oath in its intentions. Doctors are held to a high standard and when a surgeon tries to convince a patient to get hair transplant surgery when it is not best for him, he is not really acting as a doctor should. The horror stories are out there and many people are aware of them.

There is a higher rate of suicide following hair transplant and other cosmetic surgeries. This is partly because the patients are disappointed that their lives do not miraculously change overnight. However, other reasons for their despair are poor results and unscrupulous doctors. People who are afraid of this misery are likely to bow out.