What To Anticipate During The Hair Transplant Procedure?

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It's uncomfortable to consider, but many people experience hair loss. Knowing what to expect from a hair transplant procedure is crucial if you're considering getting one. This article will overview the entire hair transplant procedure, from the first consultation to the after photos. Remember that your experience may differ from other patients, and discuss your concerns and questions with your healthcare provider. Your attention is appreciated.

What Is A Hair Transplant?

Hair grafts are tiny pieces of the scalp with one or two hairs taken from a healthy area of the head (typically the back) and transplanted to a bald area and commonly known as "hair plugs," a shortened form of the whole phrase.

The surgeon will begin by preparing the area for the process by washing your head and injecting medicine to numb the back of your head. To perform the transplant, your doctor may select either follicular unit strip surgery (FUSS) or follicular unit extraction (FUE).

The FUSS procedure entails having 6 to 10 inches of skin removed from the top of your head. They tucked it away and closed the scalp with stitches. The hair immediately conceals the area.

The next step is for the surgical team to divide the strip of scalp that was removed into 500-2,000 tiny grafts, each containing a single or a small cluster of hairs.

As part of the FUE procedure, the surgeon's team will shave the back of your scalp. The doctor will carefully pluck out individual hair follicles when that time comes. Tiny dots will appear as the wound closes, but your hair will conceal them.

After the grafts have been prepared, the surgeon will numb the recipient area, make small incisions with a scalpel or needle, and then carefully insert each graft into one of the incisions. They will most likely enlist the aid of their teammates in planting the grafts.

If your hair loss persists or you decide you'd like fuller locks at a later date, you may need additional treatment.

Surgical hair transplantation is often performed. Hair transplants can be completed in several ways, but at their core, they all involve grafting healthy, hair-bearing skin from one area of the scalp to another, usually to cover up bald spots or patch over scar tissue.

Hair thinning can be brought on by scalp inflammation, an injury to the scalp, or the more common male pattern baldness (also called androgenetic alopecia). Accidents, surgeries, and thermal burns can cause permanent hair loss that you can disguise with a hair transplant.

Hair loss that is permanent but amenable to transplantation can also be caused by inflammatory diseases like lichen planus, lupus, or morphea.

There are other options besides cosmetic surgery if you are self-conscious about your appearance and want to boost your confidence. Treatments range from taking medication prescribed by a doctor to using over-the-counter products like minoxidil lotion or simply learning to love and accept your natural appearance.

You cannot reverse male-pattern baldness through hair transplantation. While hair transplants can hide bald spots temporarily, they cannot prevent further thinning. Since male pattern baldness tends to worsen over time for most men, it may be prudent to combine surgical and medical approaches to combat its progression. Talk it over with your medical professional.

Things To Consider Before Having Hair Transplant Surgery

Some things to consider before going through with hair transplant surgery are:

An appropriate level of realism is essential. A full head of hair can't be achieved through a transplant if there isn't much, to begin with. The results will be optimal if the remaining hair is as thick and dense as possible.
Results are better with thick, light-coloured or grey hair than with thin, dark hair.
In some cases, hair transplant recipients experienced a full recovery from their thinning hair nine months after their procedures.
Count the price before acting. Medicare and private health insurance companies rarely reimburse patients for cosmetic surgery. However, hair replacement surgery is considered a reconstructive treatment and may be covered by health insurance if the hair loss is caused by burns or trauma. Discuss expected out-of-pocket expenses with your surgeon.
It has been shown that smokers have a higher incidence of surgical complications. If you plan on having surgery, quitting smoking is a must.
After a hair transplant, you may still need to see your doctor occasionally.

Finding A Hair Transplant Surgeon

mature man going through follicular unit extraction process (1)

If you're interested in getting a hair transplant, you might want to consult your regular doctor for recommendations on where to go to get one done.

Ask the surgeon about their education and experience during your initial consultation. It is best to have these procedures done by a trusted medical expert specialising in hair transplantation and extensive experience with the course.

Expectations And Recovery

Your scalp may feel tender after surgery—possible prolonged use of pain medication. At the very least, you'll need to cover your head in bandages for several days after surgery. They might also suggest taking an anti-inflammatory or antibiotic for a few days. There is typically a 2- to the 5-day recovery period after surgery before patients can return to their regular routines.

Some transplanted hair may fall out as early as two weeks after surgery, but new growth should appear within a few months. It takes 6-9 months for most people to notice a full head of new hair. After hair transplantation, some doctors recommend using minoxidil (Rogaine) to stimulate hair growth, but the drug's efficacy is debatable.

Risks And Costs Of Treatment

In general, it is not covered by insurance.

Like any surgical procedure, there is always a chance of complications after a transplant. Scarring and unnatural-looking new hair growth are also possibilities.

Compresses and antibiotics can help alleviate the pain. Shock loss can also occur when the donor area suddenly loses some of its natural hair. However, in most cases, this is only temporary.

Discuss these concerns with your surgeon and your expectations for how much better you'll feel after the procedure. They will be able to advise you on whether or not it is a viable choice.

What Happens During A Hair Transplant?

DHI Melbourne Direct Hair Implantation

A leader in the evolution of the hair restoration industry, DHI sets new standards and introduces innovative techniques and medical treatments to provide world-class care to patients across the globe. DHI is the gold standard in hair restoration with the most substantial research advisory board, world-class facilities, and US and EU patents.

DHI Hair Transplant Process

Extraction

Single follicles are manually extracted by an experienced and highly skilled Doctor using a manual punch less than 1mm in diameter.

Follicle Care

The extracted follicles are carefully sorted and preserved in HypoThermosol and maintained at a constant temperature between 4-8C to ensure maximum hair survival.

Implantation

The preserved follicles are implanted one by one using the DHI patented Implanter. Your Doctor will control the depth, direction and angle to ensure a natural-looking result.

Why Choose DHI Melbourne?

Safe And Painless

Strict protocols are applied to all processes to guarantee your complete safety at all times. The administration of local anaesthetic is less painful than having a blood test, ensuring your procedure is pain-free. Our patients quickly return to their regular routine with minimal to no downtime.

Natural Results

The patented DHI Implanter allows your Doctor to control the hair's depth, direction and angle. It ensures 100% natural-looking results for all patients without anyone being able to notice you have had a hair transplant.

Minimal To No Scarring

We use manual punches less than 1mm in diameter. It offers the best control over the angle and depth during extraction and provides the best tactile feedback to the Doctor. The DHI Implanter allows implantation in one motion without cutting or creating any slits in the scalp.

Maximum Viability Guaranteed

We guarantee over 90% graft survival ratio for extracted hair and natural results, whilst the industry average is about 50%. It will maintain the extracted hairs between 4-8 degrees Celsius in HypoThermosol, an optimised hypothermic preservation media that enables improved and extended hair preservation.

Only By Doctors

Medical doctors trained and certified by the London Hair Restoration Training Academy and DHI International perform the procedure from start to finish.

Growth For Lifetime

Only healthy hair follicles, excluding hair in the telogen phase, are chosen and implanted.

A hair transplant procedure typically lasts between four and eight hours. If you're getting a lot of hair transplanted, you might have to come back the next day for a few more hours.

Most surgeries can be performed while the patient is awake and only require a local anaesthetic to the scalp. Mild sedatives are used to help some patients relax.

Your dermatologist will begin the procedure by shaving off any healthy hairs. Your dermatologist may shave off a section of your scalp containing only healthy hairs or remove individual hairs to achieve a natural appearance.

The second method takes significantly longer, preventing the formation of a thin, long scar on the scalp. It is helpful for men who like buzz cuts and other close-cropped styles.

Technicians must prepare the donor's hairs, and the surgeon must prepare the scalp before a hair transplant.

Two or three members of the hair transplant team may be required to assist in the placement of the healthy hairs into the balding area. After the procedure, your scalp will be bandaged, and you will be given post-op care instructions to follow at home.

Follicle extraction (FUE) and follicular unit transplantation (FUT) are the two most common methods used to harvest follicles for transplantation.

In follicular unit transplantation (FUT):

An incision will be made in the back of the patient's head, and the surgeon will remove a small piece of scalp skin with a scalpel. In most cases, the incision will be several inches long.
Stitches are used to finish the job.
Using a surgical microscope and a sharp knife, the surgeon cuts the removed scalp into smaller pieces. These pieces, when implanted, will facilitate the appearance of natural hair growth.

Follicular unit extraction (FUE) involves making hundreds or thousands of tiny punch incisions over the back of the head to remove individual hair follicles.

Hairs are carefully inserted into these slits.
Many hairs can be transplanted in a single surgical session.
Afterwards, you will cover your scalp for a few days with a graft, gauze, or bandages.

Procedures for transplanting hair can take up to four hours. After about ten days, your surgeon will remove the sutures from your wound.

They are spaced out over months to give the transplants enough time to heal between sessions.

What Happens After A Hair Transplant?

After hair transplant surgery, you may experience discomfort and need pain relievers like:

Antibiotics are used to lessen the likelihood of infection, pain relievers
to reduce inflammation and pharmaceuticals.

The newly grown hair typically falls out about two to three weeks after a hair transplant. New hair can now grow in its place. After 8-12 months, most patients will notice new hair growth.

Doctors commonly prescribe minoxidil (Rogaine) and finasteride (Propecia) to stimulate hair growth. These drugs can also prevent or significantly reduce further hair loss.

Six to nine months after surgery, most patients report seeing improvement. There are cases where a full year is required.

Please note that the transplanted hair will fall from two to eight weeks after surgery. It is to be expected. Hair transplant recipients often notice that their hair appears thinner three months after surgery. Repeatedly, this is to be expected.

Patients have many questions in the first few months after their procedure as they wait for their hair to grow back. Our patients are kept in the loop during this time, so they know what to anticipate.

After four or five months, many of our patients contact us because they are concerned that their new growth hasn't started or is coming in unevenly. It is expected at this point and should not be cause for alarm.

Each individual is unique, but new hair growth typically begins around months four, five, or six. Complete results from FUE may not be seen for nine, twelve, or even eighteen months.

Again, there is variation in new hair growth because each patient is unique. However, a general idea of the outcomes at various points in time is as follows.

First Week

Healing will take place during the first week. Generally speaking, most patients will experience rapid resolution of any post-operative redness and irritation at the implant site.

Within a week, the vast majority of our patients have fully recovered.

From One Week To Three

With time, the inflammation and redness should fade. Some patients recover from their injuries more slowly than others in the short term.

After about ten days, your grafts will be securely in place, and you can return to your regular shampooing and showering routine.

For some time Of One To Three Months

The lack of change or, even worse, increased hair loss is entirely average during this time. It's possible that after the procedure, your hair will appear even thinner than it did before.

It's normal for this to happen; try not to freak out. After temporarily going dormant during the extraction and re-implantation procedure, your hair follicles are reawakening.

By doing so, they encourage the growth of new hairs by forcing the development of new follicles beneath the skin's surface. It's because of this that you've started losing hair.

36 Months

It is typically the beginning of the expansion phase. However, it's normal for the first few regrown hairs to be noticeably paler or even wholly colourless. In the future, your hair will grow fuller and firmer.

In addition, it's normal for hair to grow in unevenly at first. Different follicles will heal and regrow at various rates because they were implanted throughout the growth cycle.

Acne-like red spots on the scalp are possible during this time. Even though they're not particularly pleasant, these indicate that new hairs are trying to emerge. Ingrown hairs may blame the redness, which occurs when new hair becomes wedged under the skin.

6-9 Months

By this time, YOU should mostly heal your hair follicles, and the new growth should be fuller, thicker, and closer to your natural hair.

The growth rate may be affected by your surgeon's method and the degree of success they had in placing each graft.

Beginning at around the six-month mark, we typically observe 60-80% new hair growth at our clinic. However, this can vary significantly from patient to patient and from grafting to grafting.

Between Nine And Twelve Months

About 90% of new growth typically appears during this time frame.

Between One Year And Two Years

Some people may even be experiencing new hair growth at this time. In addition, your hair's texture and colour may shift further as your follicles adjust to their new routine.

One significant development has made it possible to achieve realistic outcomes today. These days, surgeons usually transplant healthy hairs one by one. To conceal the thinning hair, you inserted hair plugs into the scalp. As time progressed, people started to notice the hair plugs.

Modern advancements in hairline design and hair placement in thinning areas also contribute to the appearance of natural growth.

With these advancements, even a professional stylist or barber may be unable to tell that you've had any work done.

While these advancements are helping patients achieve more natural results, the quality of your surgery will still significantly impact the final product. Choose a surgeon familiar with hair loss and who routinely performs hair transplants.

male going through follicular unit extraction process (2)

Dermatologists are experts on hair loss because they treat skin, hair, and nail conditions. Many of them can also perform hair transplants and advise you on whether or not you would be a good candidate.

Who Is A Good Candidate For A Hair Transplant?

Do you identify as a man in his twenties who is losing hair? It may advise you to take a medicine to treat your hair loss before a transplant.

Hair transplants can be successful for men and women of any race.

There are two prerequisites for getting a hair transplant:

You have good healthy hair on your scalp for a hair transplant to the balding area.
Hair regrowth in balding areas of the scalp

You can ask your dermatologist if you have either of these conditions during your appointment. You will get a complete scalp examination from a dermatologist.

A blood test may also be necessary to determine the cause of your hair loss. It can help rule out some possible underlying medical conditions if you lose your hair. A scalp biopsy is a procedure that is required for some patients. During your consultation, your dermatologist can easily and quickly collect the samples necessary for the scalp biopsy.

Though it's unlikely that anyone will ever have a full head of hair, having thicker hair can be an aspiration.

Conclusion

Hair grafts are small sections of healthy scalp containing one or two hairs that are implanted to bald spots. Hair plugs is a typical abbreviation for this term. The surgeon will make 500–2,000 microscopic grafts out of the scalp, each with a single hair or a cluster of hairs. Damage to the scalp, inflammation of the scalp, or the more prevalent male pattern baldness are all potential causes of hair thinning (also called androgenetic alopecia). Hair transplants can mask permanent hair loss caused by trauma or medical procedures like amputation or thermal burns.

Hair transplant surgery usually takes between four and eight hours to complete. Hair loss after a hair transplant procedure can occur as soon as two weeks after the procedure, but new growth should be visible within a few months. Most people need between six and nine months to realise that their hair has grown back. There are two methods for performing a hair transplant, and each can take up to four hours. In follicular unit extraction (FUE), the individual hair follicles are extracted through hundreds or thousands of tiny punch wounds made across the back of the head.

Three months following a hair transplant, many patients find that their hair is thinner than before. While the exact timing may vary from person to person, fresh hair growth normally begins between the fourth and sixth month mark. It may take nine, twelve, or even eighteen months for the full effects of FUE to become visible. Because individual hair follicles recover and renew at varying rates, initial hair growth may be patchy. Red spots on the scalp, similar to acne, may appear at this time.

The redness may be the result of an ingrown hair, which is caused when a new hair becomes trapped under the skin. Hair follicle healing should be largely complete on YOUR end at this point. The new hair should be thicker, fuller, and more like your own in appearance. Dermatologists specialise in the diagnosis and treatment of problems affecting the skin, hair, and nails, making them the go-to professionals for questions about hair loss. You can get hair transplants from several of them, and they can also tell you if you're a good candidate. Anyone, regardless of ethnicity, can benefit from a hair transplant.

Content Summary

Knowing what to expect from a hair transplant procedure is crucial if you're considering getting one.
Remember that your experience may differ from other patients, and discuss your concerns and questions with your healthcare provider.
Hair grafts are tiny pieces of the scalp with one or two hairs taken from a healthy area of the head (typically the back) and transplanted to a bald area and commonly known as "hair plugs," a shortened form of the whole phrase.
To perform the transplant, your doctor may select either follicular unit strip surgery (FUSS) or follicular unit extraction (FUE).The FUSS procedure entails having 6 to 10 inches of skin removed from the top of your head.
As part of the FUE procedure, the surgeon's team will shave the back of your scalp.
If your hair loss persists or you decide you'd like fuller locks at a later date, you may need additional treatment.
Surgical hair transplantation is often performed.
Hair transplants can be completed in several ways, but at their core, they all involve grafting healthy, hair-bearing skin from one area of the scalp to another, usually to cover up bald spots or patch over scar tissue.
Accidents, surgeries, and thermal burns can cause permanent hair loss that you can disguise with a hair transplant.
There are other options besides cosmetic surgery if you are self-conscious about your appearance and want to boost your confidence.
You cannot reverse male-pattern baldness through hair transplantation.
Since male pattern baldness tends to worsen over time for most men, it may be prudent to combine surgical and medical approaches to combat its progression.
Talk it over with your medical professional.
Things to consider before having hair transplant surgerySome things to consider before going through with hair transplant surgery are:An appropriate level of realism is essential.
In some cases, hair transplant recipients experienced a full recovery from their thinning hair nine months after their procedures.
Count the price before acting.
Medicare and private health insurance companies rarely reimburse patients for cosmetic surgery.
However, hair replacement surgery is considered a reconstructive treatment and may be covered by health insurance if the hair loss is caused by burns or trauma.
Discuss expected out-of-pocket expenses with your surgeon.
If you plan on having surgery, quitting smoking is a must.
After a hair transplant, you may still need to see your doctor occasionally.
Expectations and RecoveryYour scalp may feel tender after surgery—possible prolonged use of pain medication.
At the very least, you'll need to cover your head in bandages for several days after surgery.
There is typically a 2- to the 5-day recovery period after surgery before patients can return to their regular routines.
Some transplanted hair may fall out as early as two weeks after surgery, but new growth should appear within a few months.
Like any surgical procedure, there is always a chance of complications after a transplant.
Scarring and unnatural-looking new hair growth are also possibilities.
Compresses and antibiotics can help alleviate the pain.
Discuss these concerns with your surgeon and your expectations for how much better you'll feel after the procedure.
They will be able to advise you on whether or not it is a viable choice.
A hair transplant procedure typically lasts between four and eight hours.
If you're getting a lot of hair transplanted, you might have to come back the next day for a few more hours.
Most surgeries can be performed while the patient is awake and only require a local anaesthetic to the scalp.
Your dermatologist will begin the procedure by shaving off any healthy hairs.
Your dermatologist may shave off a section of your scalp containing only healthy hairs or remove individual hairs to achieve a natural appearance.
Two or three members of the hair transplant team may be required to assist in the placement of the healthy hairs into the balding area.
After the procedure, your scalp will be bandaged, and you will be given post-op care instructions to follow at home.
Follicle extraction (FUE) and follicular unit transplantation (FUT) are the two most common methods used to harvest follicles for transplantation.
In follicular unit transplantation (FUT):An incision will be made in the back of the patient's head, and the surgeon will remove a small piece of scalp skin with a scalpel.
Many hairs can be transplanted in a single surgical session.
Afterwards, you will cover your scalp for a few days with a graft, gauze, or bandages.
Procedures for transplanting hair can take up to four hours.
After hair transplant surgery, you may experience discomfort and need pain relievers like:Antibiotics are used to lessen the likelihood of infection, pain relieversto reduce inflammation and pharmaceuticals.
The newly grown hair typically falls out about two to three weeks after a hair transplant.
New hair can now grow in its place.
After 8-12 months, most patients will notice new hair growth.
Patients have many questions in the first few months after their procedure as they wait for their hair to grow back.
Our patients are kept in the loop during this time, so they know what to anticipate.
After four or five months, many of our patients contact us because they are concerned that their new growth hasn't started or is coming in unevenly.
It is expected at this point and should not be cause for alarm.
Each individual is unique, but new hair growth typically begins around months four, five, or six.
Complete results from FUE may not be seen for nine, twelve, or even eighteen months.
Again, there is variation in new hair growth because each patient is unique.
However, a general idea of the outcomes at various points in time is as follows.
Healing will take place during the first week.
Generally speaking, most patients will experience rapid resolution of any post-operative redness and irritation at the implant site.
Within a week, the vast majority of our patients have fully recovered.
With time, the inflammation and redness should fade.
Some patients recover from their injuries more slowly than others in the short term.
The lack of change or, even worse, increased hair loss is entirely average during this time.
It's possible that after the procedure, your hair will appear even thinner than it did before.
After temporarily going dormant during the extraction and re-implantation procedure, your hair follicles are reawakening.
By doing so, they encourage the growth of new hairs by forcing the development of new follicles beneath the skin's surface.
It's because of this that you've started losing hair.36 MonthsIt is typically the beginning of the expansion phase.
However, it's normal for the first few regrown hairs to be noticeably paler or even wholly colourless.
In the future, your hair will grow fuller and firmer.
Acne-like red spots on the scalp are possible during this time.
Even though they're not particularly pleasant, these indicate that new hairs are trying to emerge.
Ingrown hairs may blame the redness, which occurs when new hair becomes wedged under the skin.6-9 MonthsBy this time, YOU should mostly heal your hair follicles, and the new growth should be fuller, thicker, and closer to your natural hair.
The growth rate may be affected by your surgeon's method and the degree of success they had in placing each graft.
Beginning at around the six-month mark, we typically observe 60-80% new hair growth at our clinic.
However, this can vary significantly from patient to patient and from grafting to grafting.
About 90% of new growth typically appears during this time frame.
Some people may even be experiencing new hair growth at this time.
In addition, your hair's texture and colour may shift further as your follicles adjust to their new routine.
One significant development has made it possible to achieve realistic outcomes today.
These days, surgeons usually transplant healthy hairs one by one.
To conceal the thinning hair, you inserted hair plugs into the scalp.
As time progressed, people started to notice the hair plugs.
Modern advancements in hairline design and hair placement in thinning areas also contribute to the appearance of natural growth.
While these advancements are helping patients achieve more natural results, the quality of your surgery will still significantly impact the final product.
Choose a surgeon familiar with hair loss and who routinely performs hair transplants.
Many of them can also perform hair transplants and advise you on whether or not you would be a good candidate.
It may advise you to take a medicine to treat your hair loss before a transplant.
There are two prerequisites for getting a hair transplant:You have good healthy hair on your scalp for a hair transplant to the balding area.
Hair regrowth in balding areas of the scalpYou can ask your dermatologist if you have either of these conditions during your appointment.
You will get a complete scalp examination from a dermatologist.
A blood test may also be necessary to determine the cause of your hair loss.
It can help rule out some possible underlying medical conditions if you lose your hair.
A scalp biopsy is a procedure that is required for some patients.
During your consultation, your dermatologist can easily and quickly collect the samples necessary for the scalp biopsy.

FAQ

After A Hair Transplant, How Long Until It Looks Like Normal Hair?

When will a person begin to see the results of their hair transplant? Six to nine months after surgery, most patients report seeing improvement. There are cases where a full year is required. Hair transplants typically shed anywhere from two to eight weeks after surgery.

If You Get A Hair Transplant, Will You Be Able To Feel It?

Both the donor and recipient sites may cause discomfort after a hair transplant.

Does Getting A Hair Transplant Hurt?

No, a hair transplant does not hurt because modern techniques and painkillers have eliminated any discomfort associated with the procedure. Hair transplant surgery is typically a pleasant and straightforward experience for those suffering from hair loss. However, it is essential to remember that no surgery is entirely pain-free and that some brief and likely temporary level of discomfort is possible.

After Getting A Hair Transplant, How Do You Feel?

Following a hair transplant, itching is a common symptom. Usually, 7-14 days after surgery, it can affect the entire scalp. In most cases, itching is a sign of healing in the tissue. If it gets bad enough, an antihistamine pill can help.

How Do I Get Some Shut-Eye After Having A Hair Transplant?

When resting after a hair transplant, it's best to lie on your back with your head elevated. You use a neck pillow to support your head while you sleep. Don't sleep on your stomach or toss and turn.

After A Hair Transplant, How Long Until It Looks Like Normal Hair?

If You Get A Hair Transplant, Will You Be Able To Feel It?