Combating men’s hair loss can sometimes feel more like a war than a battle. You may have tried the pills, the hats and the shaved-head look, but the enemy is still winning. Maybe it’s time to pull out all the stops and go for a hair transplant.
But wait—isn’t that a pretty drastic measure? Well, it’s not as drastic as it once was. And the results are much better than you might expect thanks to modern techniques and advancement of medical science. Here is a guide to hair transplants for men, including possible side effects and how to get the best results.
Types of hair transplant
A hair transplant is an outpatient surgical procedure performed at a specialist’s office. It uses your real hair to fill in any balding areas and make your hair look more full in a natural way. The surgeon will harvest donor hair follicles from a different area of your scalp and “plant” them into the area where you are experiencing hair loss. These are usually taken from the back of your head, as that area is genetically resistant to hair loss from balding.
A hair transplant surgery uses local anesthetic and may require multiple sessions. Up to 4,000 hair follicles can be transplanted per session, though it will usually be about 2,000 per session. Each session will take several hours to complete. The two most common types of hair transplant procedures are follicular unit transplant (FUT) and follicular unit excision (FUE).
FUT involves a surgeon taking a small patch of skin from your scalp and dividing it into smaller sections. Small incisions are made at the recipient site and these patches are placed there, then the incisions are closed up. This is also referred to as “strip surgery.”
FUE takes a different approach. This procedure involves individual hair follicles being transplanted with a little punch tool. This may take longer, but it is less invasive and less painful. It requires less downtime and will not leave a scar.
How to get the best results
Not everyone responds the same to hair transplants. On average, however, clients will see 60 percent new growth within about nine months’ time. Be aware that it can take upwards of three months to start seeing results. You will need to sleep upright for three nights, and avoid using shampoo for at least 24 hours, as well as follow your surgeon’s aftercare instructions.
Side effects
There will be swelling and bruising in the transplant area, and you may see red dots at the site of the transplant. The most noticeable effect, however, is that all the donor hair falls out three weeks after the procedure. This is totally normal, and you may want to shave your head for a couple months while everything settles in.
If you’re interested in learning more about how a hair transplant can help you counteract the effects of men’s hair loss, reach out to Raveen Hair Replacement to arrange a consultation. We look forward to discussing your options with you.