Hair Restoration
.........a personal note.........
Embarking on hair restoration surgery is something no-one should do without careful consideration and expert advice.
The co-author of this site received his 3rd surgical procedure in Feb 2000: 2 at the hairline zone and 1 at the crown and the results are very impressive indeed. I would never have guessed he had a hair loss problem let alone undergone 3 surgical procedures.
He continues to use 5% Xandrox solutions, 1mg Finasteride and Procerin as maintenance for his new investment of new growing hair which will last him a lifetime.................on with the FAQs.
Q. Do hair transplants really work?
A. Yes, and they last a life time. They simply redistribute exsisting permanent hairs from the donar area at the back of the head where the hair follicles are not sensitive to DHT.
Q. Do they look natural?
A. A definate Yes. Carefully performed hair transplants look very natural indeed. It has been said hair restorataion is 80% artistic and 20% surgical. The artistry of the surgeon is a major factor in producing a natural looking appearance, particularly at the hair line zone.
Q. When the hair is transplanted from the donor area which is not sensitive to DHT, to the frontal area or crown where DHT does affect the follicles, will the hair later fall out?
A. No. This was always a confusion I had when I was researching for myself. Let me explain.........The hair follicles at the back and sides of the head are genetically programmed to grow for life so they are not affected by the follicle shrinking DHT. (men showing advanced MPB always have hair at the back and the sides of the head).
Hair from this area, known as the donar area is moved to a balding or thinning spot where it will retain is genetic properties and grow for life.
Q. Is the operation painful?
A. A bit uncomfortable, but not painful. The procedure is performed under local anaesthetic and the donar areas and recipient sites are numbed. The worse part is the anaesthetic needle which stings a bit, but after the first couple have been applied, the whole area is numb anyway.
During the procedure, I chatted to the nurses, listened to the radio and during one of my procedures had a nap!
After, you are given medication to take for when the anaesthetic wears off. You can take this medication for as long as you need it, I stopped taking mine after the 3rd day.
Q. Do I need time off work after my transplant?
A. For most people a little time off work is required. I took about a week off. If you are concerned about the way you look after the procedure, you can wear a hat, but I would not recommend it as you may damage the grafts. Some people have there surgery just before a few days holiday, but avoid sun-burning your scalp!
Q. Do hair transplants leave scars?
A. Not at the recipient sites. The donar area will heal to leave a thin single scar, even after 2 or 3 procedures, but is covered by hair, so it does not notice. What I would advise is to wear your hair a little longer than normal at the back at the time of the procedure. This will help conceal the sutures just after the operation which either fall out on there own, or you can have them removed after about 10 days.
I now wear my hair at about a number 3 or 4, and there is no signs of any scars. If you want to wear your hair very short at the back, say a number 1 or 2, then a fine scar may be visible.
Q. When will I notice growth from my newly transplanted hair?
A. New hair will break through the skin at 3 to 4 months after the procedure, but it will take around 6 months to make any cosmetic difference to your appearance.
Q. Should I continue to use Minoxidil and Propecia after my procedures?
A. Yes. I started using Minoxidil about 5 days after each of my procedures. I did not stop taking Propecia. It must be remembered that MPB will continue where there was no surgery so it is important to carry on with these treatments to stop the effects of DHT on the rest of your follicles. Please discuss this with your surgeon.
Q. How long will it take before I achieve what I am looking for?
A. Most people need 2 to 4 procedures to cover a bald area with acceptable hair density. Your surgeon will probably not recommend you to have a procedure less than once every six months in order to let your donor site heal, so it could take between 1 and 2 years for full growth to be seen from all procedures.
Q. After my initial research, what else should I do and where shall I have it done?
A. It is very important to choose the right clinic for you. These are a few of the things I did before I finally decided to go ahead:
1. Ask to see actual people who have had there hair restoration done at the clinic in question and the same surgeon.
2. Do not take too much notice of before and after photographs (some web sites are full of them). Insist on seeing 'live' examples of your surgeons work.
3. Make sure the surgeons practice is dedicated hair restoration surgery. Only specialising in this field will a surgeon be able to develope his/her technique.
4. Ask to inspect the operating room.
5. Do not use a surgery which is not registered with the local health authority. Ask, or check yourself.
6. Finally, do your research very carefully. Find out what is best for you. Please dont just rely on cost. Make sure the amount of procedures you require is quoted and recommended to you by no other person than your surgeon.
Should you want the name of the clinic where I had my own hair restoration carried out, please contact us and I will gladly send you all contact details.
Q. Are there any other pioneering hair restoration methods available that claim to produce the same results?
A. There are many companies that claim to produce the same results as the hair restoration procedure discussed above, but much of the success is down to the skill and artistry of the surgeon. A most interesting HR procedure pioneered in Austrailia is the Woods Technique. This is getting a fair amount of press at the moment due to the absence of strip harvesting from the donar area. They also claim to transplant hair from the chest to the head for people with limited donar area hair.
More FAQs about Hair Restoration soon. Should you have your own question, please contact us.
