Hair

Hair restoration surgery offers an effective but sometimes overlooked option for dealing with baldness in men and women. Like other forms of plastic and cosmetic surgery, hair transplantation is usually performed to enhance one’s appearance and to offset the visible signs of aging that accompanies hair loss and thinning.

Hair transplantation surgery typically involves taking existing hair from the back and sides of the head and permanently grafting it to a bald or a thinning area on the scalp. In some cases, small strips or patches of hair-bearing scalp are removed from the back and sides of the scalp and inserted into tiny incisions in the area where the hair is to be transplanted. Sometimes individual hair follicles are removed from the hair-bearing areas of the scalp and transplanted one follicle at a time into the bald area. A less frequently-used procedure involves tissue-stretching, in which a tissue expander is placed under hair-bearing scalp for weeks at time to stretch the skin. The stretched, hair-bearing skin is then used to cover up adjacent bald spots.

The most suitable candidates for hair restoration surgery are those with healthy hair growth at the back and sides of the head which can be used for the purposes of transplantation. When done right, the surgery can be useful in reducing bald spots and in some cases even eliminating them, though the results can vary from one person to the next.

Hair transplantation surgery usually is performed on an outpatient basis with nothing more than a local anesthetic to numb any sensations that might result from the procedure. Rarely does the surgery require general anesthesia or hospital stays though some of the more complex procedures might require both. Those who undergo the surgery may be required to wear a pressure bandage for a couple of days, though this may not be required for all procedures. Depending on the extent of baldness, an individual might require multiple grafts over multiple sessions for the procedure to be truly effective. In most cases, individuals who undergo hair restoration surgery are able to bathe and shampoo their hair within days.

Though some might consider hair restoration surgery as a relatively modern procedure the fact is that it has been available through board certified cosmetic surgeons for more than four decades now. The procedure is considered to be a normally safe one for most individuals. However, as with any surgical procedure it is always advisable to first consult with your doctor to determine if you are healthy enough to undergo the treatment.