Hair replacement is a surgical method that involves transferring individual hair follicles from one area of the body, also referred to as the donor site, to areas where balding or baldness is present. Hair replacement is mainly employed to treat male pattern baldness, although it is also available to women. Grafts comprising of healthy hair follicles are surgically applied to the bald areas.
Many precautions are taken while undergoing hair replacement surgery. Patients are always briefed regarding the procedure and what should be done before, during and after. You may also be asked whether you’d want just one session or more than one. Always make sure to research on the surgeon and type of hair restoration surgery you’re going to get and of course how much.
Once you’ve found a good surgeon and decided on the type of hair replacement surgery you want (there are a few but they all have the same goals), your doctor will likely recommend that you stop smoking, at least just for the surgery. You will be given this order because smoking can obstruct the healing process and may stop blood from reaching your scalp.
You may also be advised not to eat or drink certain things. Alcohol is a big no, because it can cause a serious problem once you receive the anesthesia. It may also contradict with the drugs that you have to take for the surgery. You may be asked to avoid drinking alcohol many days prior to the date of the procedure.
During the procedure, you may be given a mild sedative and briefed by your previously discussed expectations and aims. You will be administered with local anesthesia so that the donor area of your scalp can be prepared. The local anesthesia will ascertain that you’ll feel no pain throughout the surgery. Once it’s ready, your surgeon will start taking out the donor strip. This will take less than an hour. The donor area will then be closed and the medical technicians will start segregating follicular units from the donor site. Recipient sites where hair will be attached will be prepared by surgical incisions. Grafts will be gradually added one by one. Some facilities offer added services like movies and in-between breaks and snacks for maximum comfort.
After hair replacement surgery you’ll conventionally have a bandage employed to the scalp to conceal the implant wound. You’ll be expected to go back to the clinic to have the bandages taken out and for evaluation. Or, you may be asked to stay in the clinic for a few hours before the bandages can be taken out. The bandages or other coverings used are there to prevent possible bleeding. On the other hand, micrografting, a kind of hair replacement procedure, generally does not require bandaging.
You’ll be advised to take extra care after the hair replacement. Some patients are advised to sleep in a sitting position for the first night. Oftentimes, you will be asked to avoid wetting your head for the initial 24 hours. You may also not be allowed to use shampoo in the next 3 days. You’ll likely be asked to return to the clinic to have your scalp rechecked and cleansed.