If you are starting to lose your hair, you might think all is lost. How are you supposed to attract women without that head of luscious hair? But don’t worry. There is a way to replace your hair through hair transplants. Although not technically plastic surgery, many cosmetic surgeons offer hair transplant services.
What happens during the surgery?
Hair transplantation surgery takes a strip of hair-bearing scalp from the back of the head and uses it to fill in an area with thin or no hair. First, the scalp is cleaned and that three- to four- inch strip is removed. The corresponding sides are then sewn together to cover the missing piece. The incisions are hidden by the hair around them. Next, the removed strip of scalp is divided into hundreds of tiny grafts of individual hairs (or groups of a few hairs). Those grafts are then placed into small slits or holes the surgeon makes in the scalp of the transplant target area.
The length of the procedure depends on how thick you want the hair, but it usually takes from four to eight hours. Additional sessions may be needed if you continue to lose hair or decide you want thicker hair.
Expectations and recovery
If you are still losing your hair, you may want to wait until your hair loss has finished before opting for transplants. Your hair may become uneven if you continue to lose hair.
Within two to three weeks after surgery, the transplanted hair will fall out, but this should begin to regrow in a few months. Most people see an increase of roughly 60% new hair growth from the transplanted hair after six to nine months. It is important to remember, though, that hair transplantation doesn’t grow new hair, it simply transplants hair you already have to a place where it is more visible.
After transplant surgery, your scalp will be very tender and may require pain medication for several days. You will need to wear surgical dressing over your scalp for the first day or two. You should be able to return to work in two to five days after your procedure.
