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Why have a Hair Transplant Procedure?
If you’re a man currently struggling with baldness or thinning hair, then you’re far from alone. Male pattern baldness is a condition that will affect up to 30% of all men by the time they’re 30 years of age, as well as 50% by the time they’re 50.
Some men start noticing the first signs of thinning hair or impending baldness as early as their 20’s or even their teens.
Naturally, there are several hair loss treatments you can turn to, but some are much more effective at treating baldness and thinning hair than others. You can purchase and wear a hairpiece of course, but that’s hardly a proper substitute for your own naturally growing hair. Some men find limited success with topical solutions. However, the most effective way to restore a man’s thinning hair is a hair transplant.
What Happens During a Hair Transplant?
If you think that a hair transplant might be the solution you’re looking for, then it only stands to reason that you’d want to know a little something about what you’re getting into ahead of time. Let’s take a closer look at what the process is all about.
Typically there are 2 areas of the head that experience hair loss initially and can then combine over time. These are:
- The front sides of the head (also referred as a thinning hairline)
- The top of the head (also known as the crown)
These are usually the starting points of hair loss and vary from man to man. There is a scale of hair loss called the Norwood scale that categorises these areas with numbers from 1 to 7 (1 being no hair loss and 7 being the most severe stage of hair loss where the only remains of hair is round the sides of the head). Even at Norwood stage 7, the hair on the back and around the sides of the head tends to remain and grows in the same way the man is used to. This hair is known as donor dominant hair. It is the area of the head that isn’t affected by a hormone called Dihydrotestosterone or DHT. This hormone is responsible for hair loss but only affects/attacks the follicles at the top of the head and not the back and sides. This is the main reason why hair transplants are a permanent solution to hair loss, because the transplanted hair has come from the donor area which isn’t then affected by the DHT hormone.
Hair transplants involve injecting the scalp of the patient with local anaesthetic before taking portions of donor dominant hair and surgically transferring them to the parts of the head where balding and thinning has occurred. Due to the highly advanced technical equipment used during the procedure, combined with the anaesthetic effects, very little to no pain is felt by the patient.
The hair has the ability to grow just as well once transplanted as it did in its original placement, allowing the balding man to restore the look and feel of his once full head of hair.
Types of Hair Transplant Procedures
There are, of course, several different types of hair transplant procedures you can choose. Which one is right for you will depend on your unique situation, as well as the recommendations of our specialists.
- Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE): This method is one of the simplest and most popular when it comes to hair transplants. FUE involves transferring living donor dominant hair in groups of two or three strands at a time. Normal, healthy human hair naturally grows in patterns that are very similar to this, so FUE allows for a natural, lifelike look. FUE is also widely preferred because the surgical cuts involved are minor, resulting in shorter recovery times and minimal scarring. (We HIGHLY Recommend this)
- Follicular Unit Transplant (FUT): This method is most often used to treat more advanced or extreme cases of balding. It involves removing sections of the donor dominant hair in strips and transferring these strips to the balding areas via grafting. Cuts are then closed with sutures. Naturally, the FUT method is going to call for a longer healing time, especially if the procedure involves the performance of several grafts at one time.
- Direct Hair Implant Technique (DHI): The DHI technique is one of the newer, more innovative hair transplant methods prevalent today. It is also considered the most advanced option by many modern healthcare professionals. It involves extracting living hair follicles one by one and redistributing them immediately via a patented DHI implantation tool. DHI tools typically have a diameter of 1 mm or less and provide a high degree of control when it comes to redistribution.
Which of the above methods ultimately represents the right one for you will depend on how bald you are, what you’re hoping to achieve with your results, and what your budget is. To better determine which would be the best possible option for your unique situation, fill out our form to get a free consultation with a hair implantation specialist today.
We will also provide you with a competitive quote on the treatment you need. From there, we can move forward together and determine a course of action.
Patient Testimonials
Aside from achieving fantastic results, we believe that keeping in touch with our patients before, during and after their hair transplantation procedure is paramount – it helps to keep our patients feeling calm and in control. We’re always on hand to provide guidance, support and aftercare advice. Time and again, our patients tell us that this is what sets us apart from other clinics.
You can read our great reviews of FUE hair transplants over on Google and TrustPilot
