Many men, at some point in their life, will wonder about the option of a hair transplant procedure to try and restore some of what was lost. Today’s innovative hair transplant procedures are safe, highly effective, and are exactly what the name suggests. Trained cosmetic and reconstructive plastic surgeons, like Dr. Bradford Patt of the Houston Center for Facial Plastic Surgery, will take hair from an area in the scalp where there is relative abundance, and implant the follicles in an area where hair is lacking around the scalp. Below is information about some of the things patients, both men and women, need to know about hair transplantation.
1. There are different transplant techniques or methods:
The FUT and the FUE are the two most common hair implant techniques today. FUT, or ‘follicular unit transplantation’, is known as the strip method and involves transplanting hair in naturally occurring groups of 4-5 hair units to balding areas of the scalp. Though it is cost effective, the downside is that it leaves apparent scar lines across the scalp and there is a significant recovery period.
FUE is known as ‘follicular unit extraction’, where individual hair follicle units are extracted directly from a patient's donor area, and placed individually in the treating/recipient area. FUE uses a non-scalpel no suture approach to restore hair in balding or thinning areas, which means instead of patients having scar lines across the scalp, they will have very small dots where new follicles have been implanted. FUE has very little to no downtime and is highly recommended for naturally shorter hair styles.
2. Your cosmetic surgeon will determine if your scalp is suitable:
During the consultation, the surgeon will examine the scalp and hair to determine which method, if any, is best recommended. Being suitable for hair transplantation is not determined by age, but more so by balding stage, and the texture and quality of one’s existing hair; as well as, how well the treated areas will receive the new follicles, grow, and match the existing hair. These factors must be considered before the treatment procedure can be deemed beneficial.
3. It’s NOT just for men:
There are many women who also experience thinning hair and/or female patterned baldness. Hair transplant procedures work just as well for women as they do for men. For women who experience embarrassment and shame behind losing hair, consulting with a professional cosmetic surgeon is vital to understanding best available options.
4. If FUE is done professionally, it shouldn’t be as noticeable:
Though there can be minimal visual signs of transplantation using the FUE method, it pales in comparison to the noticeable scarring of FUT. When FUE is done correctly, it should be harder to detect, as outcomes tend to result in the look of natural hair growth. FUE should provide an exquisite yet natural look of hair restoration. Though results vary with any method, no one goes from having apparent patterned baldness to a thick and full head of hair.
5. It’s a permanent solution:
Hair transplants are permanent solutions to thinning hair and patterned baldness. This means patients will not have to take special medications to maintain their hair, and they are free to shampoo and care for their hair just as before.
Dr. Patt utilizes the FDA approved NeoGraft® FUE hair transplant procedure as a solution to hair loss. If you’re considering this procedure and need more information, contact our office at (281) 649-7170. Or, schedule a consultation with Dr. Patt online.
