Hair transplant thickens hairlines and covers bald crowns by a mere relocation of existing hair follicles. It is a simple surgery that involves the minimum intervention of body tissues. It is appreciated because
- It gives you natural hair on a bald or thinning area.
- It offers minimum downtime and quick recovery.
- It gives natural and permanent hair.
- It involves minimum potential side effects and complications.
Hair transplant seekers often ask surgeons about the surgical procedure. Many people just turn their back to the amazing procedure just because it’s a surgery and surgery is something that fears everyone. In fact, people who know the transplantation procedure rarely give the idea another thought before opting for the treatment. Let’s see what happens when you reach the clinic on the day of your hair transplant.
An orientation to the transplant procedure
Your surgeon welcomes you in the clinic and light refreshment is presented to ease any pre-op stress and discomfort. Once again surgeon discusses the hair transplant procedure with you. He listens to your preferences, goals and the desired appearance that you want to have after surgery. He lets you know even the minute details of your surgery if you want to know the whole procedure step-by-step.
This little discussion before the surgery helps to relieve stress and tension that almost all the patients develop on the day of their surgery.
Donor hair removal
Clinic staff leads your way to the surgery room when you feel ready for the surgery. Surgeon administers local anesthesia into the donor area. It makes the area numb within a few minutes and at this point,, the surgeon starts the extraction of hair follicles either through FUT or FUE.
In FUT (follicular unit transplantation) surgeon takes out a strip of donor tissue from the back of the scalp and the donor area is closed with the help of sutures. While in FUE (follicular unit extraction) scalp tissue is not extracted rather, the surgeon separates individual hair follicles directly from the scalp. The output of this step is a strip of skin if FUT is performed and hair grafts if FUE is performed.
Hair graft creation and preservation
In a FUT procedure, highly skilled technicians dissect scalp strip with the help of a stereoscopic dissecting microscope and extract hair follicles. However, in an FUE procedure, as individual hair follicles are extracted so, it does not need such a step.
Extracted hair grafts are kept in a chemical solution so that they remain alive in an artificial environment.
Refreshment and break
A small break comes at this stage to ease you and to relieve any discomfort that you may have developed so far. You can walk around and enjoy refreshments. The next phase starts after 20 to 25 minutes of break.
Plantation in the recipient site
In the last phase of your surgery surgeon plants hair grafts in the recipient site. This procedure is the same for both the extraction techniques, FUT and FUE. The surgeon creates small incisions in the recipient area and then hair follicles are planted to create required density. And with this, your surgery would end.
Post-op package
Surgeon discusses post-op care and medications. You can resume your daily activities immediately after the treatment but strenuous activities should be postponed for a few days. Surgeon specifically discusses how you can wash your scalp and which hair care products you can use. You need to be some degrees more careful until your transplanted hair follicles attached to the blood supply of the recipient site.
Believing that now you are well informed about the transplantation procedure, I am looking forward to seeing the amazing benefits that the hair transplant would bring for you!