Hair Transplantation: Preparation, and Procedures – Pattern baldness in men is the most common type of hair loss experienced by men. This bald head can be overcome in several ways, one of which is through hair transplant surgery.
Bald head pattern or baldness in men can begin in adolescence, but this baldness is more common in older males with age. Genetic factors play a big role in baldness in men. Generally, hair loss and baldness take 15-25 years.
However, did you know that women are also at risk of baldness? About 1/3 of women experience hair loss to baldness, especially after menopause. From the social aspect, baldness in women often has a greater impact. Even so, there are several steps that can be taken to prevent / overcoming baldness experienced, including using the help of treatment from a doctor, and hair transplant procedures.
Worldwide, 60 percent of men and 50 percent of women experience hair loss throughout their lives. To overcome this, people with hair loss usually use hair growing drugs that can be purchased freely.
While hair transplantation is an alternative for people with baldness when he has used hair growing drugs, the results are not effective. In general, the success rate of hair grafts is higher than hair growing drugs.
Even so, the cost of this procedure is more expensive, both for the cost of the surgery itself and the cost of treatment afterwards.
In addition to the cost, you also need to consider some of the following before undergoing a hair transplant:
- About 10-80 percent of transplanted hair will grow fully within 3-4 months.
- Like most hair, grafted hair can also thin out and fall out over time.
- Hair transplantation is less effective for people with dormant hair follicles. This condition means the follicles have hair below the surface of the skin, but the hair does not experience growth.
Hair transplant preparation
There is a special diet that the patient needs to follow for 1 week before the transplant. The purpose of setting this diet is to anticipate that the blood that comes out during the transplant process becomes minimal.
In addition, it is also necessary to do physical and blood checks a week before the transplant to find out the possibility of suffering from certain diseases / disorders, such as blood clotting disorders, diabetes, hypertension, etc.
It is recommended that the consumption of drugs is stopped 1 week before the transplant, especially aspirin or other blood thinning drugs commonly consumed by people with heart disorders, flu medications containing aspirin, vitamin E, food supplement.
Please also note that patients are not allowed to drive their own car on their way home after the transplant.
Read also:
Beard Transplant: Definition, Procedures, Recovery, and Cost
Hair transplantation procedure
How to overcome baldness through hair transplantation is usually done when the area of baldness is too wide. In this procedure, the doctor will perform surgery to remove the hairy area of the skin, which will then be implanted into the bald area.
Well, here’s a transplant procedure to know.
- The doctor will give you a local anesthetic to numb the scalp. The doctor may also give you medication to relax the body.
- The scalp is thoroughly cleaned.
- A piece of hairy scalp (active growth) will be taken using a scalpel and set aside. This area of the scalp is called the donor area. Next, the scalp is covered with small stitches.
- A small group of hairs will be carefully separated from the removed scalp.
- In some cases, smaller areas of the scalp and hair groups are taken with other equipment or the help of robots.
- Then, the doctor will clean the bald area of the head. This area of the scalp is called the receiving area.
- The doctor will make small pieces (holes) on the bald area.
- Healthy hair is carefully placed or planted in such pieces or holes.
- During one treatment session, hundreds or even thousands of hairs can be transplanted.
What needs to be underlined is that it still takes several months for the hair to grow in the donor area. In addition, each type of hair grower such as hair transplantation has its own advantages and side effects. In some cases, hair transplantation can lead to infections, scarring, and unnatural growth of new hair.
Therefore, try to discuss first with a specialist before deciding to do a hair transplant.