The demand for hair restoration treatment is up 26 percent in the last two years thanks to refinements in hair transplant techniques and more natural-looking results, according to the International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery 2009 Practice Census Report. More people are also seeking treatment earlier instead of waiting until hair loss becomes more noticeable. According to the report, the median age of patients undergoing hair restoration surgery in 2008 was 38 years old, which shows a continued gradual decrease in age from prior years.
As with any medical procedure, it's important to seek the advice of a reputable medical doctor to discuss hair restoration treatments and procedures. An experienced medical doctor will need to assess the following factors:
o Current health, including any bleeding or healing disorders
o Age and degree of hair loss
o Quality and quantity of your donor hair, and
o Ultimate cosmetic goal
The first step in the hair transplant process involves the design of the desired hairline. Reconstructing a new hairline requires surgical and artistic skill. It's critically important to get the hairline right the first time and requires considerable forethought and planning. Hairline placement is based on creating the most natural-looking hairline using ultra-refined follicular hair restoration surgery.
Since hairs on the sides and back of the head are generally not affected by hair loss, the surgeon removes donor hair follicles from the sides and back and relocates them to the top of the scalp where hair loss has occurred and the newly transplanted hair grows exactly as it had from the original location.
During the procedure, the hair in the back of the head is lifted and a narrow strip of hair is trimmed. The hair from above covers the area after suturing. Both the top and the back of the scalp are anesthetized and patients may be given the option of a sedative while the local anesthesia is applied. This is usually the only discomfort felt during the procedure and lasts only one or two minutes.
A narrow strip of hair is then removed from the donor area and the skin is brought back together with a simple running stitch. The stitches are covered by your hair and removed in about ten days, usually leaving a fine scar line that is concealed by your own hair.
The surgeon will then make tiny incisions at the hairline for the smallest one to three hair grafts. As the surgeon works backward across the scalp, larger grafts of follicular unit groups will gradually be placed into the scalp. This allows the surgeon to accomplish more density without sacrificing naturalness. During the procedure, patients are awake and can chat with the doctor and the staff. The procedure usually lasts between three to six hours.
Following the hair transplant procedure, patients will receive post-operative instructions, medication and special shampoo. Patients leave the office with a little or no bandage and will be able to shampoo their hair the next day.
Most patients resume normal activity in a day or two. Tiny crusts will form where the transplants have been placed and usually shed in four to seven days. The small hairs in the newly transplanted grafts normally shed within two to four weeks after the procedure, and permanent hair growth begins in eight to 12 weeks. Significant cosmetic hair growth can be expected within six months and full hair growth within nine to 12 months.
Today's hair transplant procedures use natural occurring groupings of one to four hairs known as ultra-refined follicular units. The use of these units helps to ensure that the cosmetic result of the transplant will appear completely natural.
The evolution of hair restoration surgery has allowed this procedure to be practical for other parts of the body, too, including eyebrows and eyelashes. It is also a practical means to address hair thinning commonly seen in women who have a more diffuse female pattern of hair loss. The side-effects of hair transplantation surgery are relatively minor and serious problems are rare. Modern hair transplantation surgery is comfortable, predictable, and the results are more natural than ever before.