Is Hair Transplant Worth It? Hair transplant is a popular hair restoration measure which most hair loss patients prefer. Men who are as young as 35 years old are already losing their hair, and 85% of these have already gone bald or severe thinning by the time they are 50. That is why a lot of men are turning to hair transplant for a sure answer. So for those who are considering it as an option to regaining volume, here are some of the possible gains and losses you can encounter along the way.
BENEFITS
It helps them to achieve a healthier body image. With today’s advanced technology and techniques, one can be assured that results can be achieved faster, safer and more pleasing. Experts are constantly searching for new ways to ensure less scarring as possible. With these, it can be said that cashing in on hair transplant is a worthy investment. With a good and experienced surgeon and careful planning you improve your chances of achieving the best results.
DISADVANTAGES Despite its increasing popularity, hair transplant has been
Surgery is something that should not be taken lightly. Aside
tossed under so much scrutiny in the past. This is because
from the fact that it is costly, it also brings a number of risks.
former practices were not really giving sterling results.
But what pushes hair loss patients to opt for this procedure is
Instead of restoring hair and improving the patient’s
that these has long provided better results compared to other
appearance, it is only highlighting the problem with the
hair loss treatments.
poor results.
Hair transplant can give you natural looking results that could
It would be ideal to believe that this should be a thing of
last you for many years. Compared to the usual hair pieces
the past. However, hair transplant surgery is not a closely
such as wigs, toupees and weaves, it offers a permanent
guarded practice leaving a lot of surgeons who are not
solution with better-looking outcome.
really trained to perform hair surgery to present them as
The procedure itself is painless and it would only require local anesthesia to get it done resulting to a virtually painless
one. This has led to a number of poor outcome requiring costly revisions.
process. Although there may be some discomfort afterwards,
But the catch here is that you are not really entitled to as
but this is generally tolerable. The patient can even be
many revisions as you would hope for without really
discharged on the same day once vital signs are sure to be
undermining results. The reason is you are also dealing
stabilized.
with a limited number of resources which is your hair. So
The emotional benefits associated with the successful results of hair transplant surgery are also astounding. The coverage and look that it is able to attain can make patients feel better about them, boosting their self-esteem and confidence.
any failure would always render corrective surgeries to be more difficult.
“Hair restoration may be the most important selfimprovement decision of your life. If you suffer from hair loss, the stigma of “baldness” is one of the first ways that people think of to characterize you.” ~ Dr Andrew Kim The cost is also a major throwback for some potential patients. This procedure would require you to pay by the hair graft on top of the surgeon’s fee and anaesthetic fee. This is expectedly an expensive procedure that would cost you thousands of dollars per session. In some cases a single session would suffice while some patients would need a second session for better coverage.
The Psychological Effects of Hair Loss in Men As the famous saying goes, “you don’t know what you’ve got ‘till it’s gone,” hits right at home especially when what you’ve lost is constantly brought into awareness every time you look in the mirror. Hair loss, whether as an unwelcomed visitor or a permanent occupant, provides in those affected a mixed sense of loss, humiliation and helplessness. Aside from losing patches of hair or all of it, this condition, in some way or another, also takes away a part of what that person was. Hair loss is stigmatized as a sign of old age and less desirability. What used to be a lush set of mane are now patches of hair and a shiny glimpse of scalp. A common perception,
which
is
usually
more
negative
than
If you have been taking hair loss medications before the
otherwise, would pass someone’s thought immediately or
surgery, you would still be advised to do so in order to
the sufferer could inevitably think so when someone looks
prevent the progression of hair loss.
at them.
Along the way to recovery, there will be a point where the hair grafts would shed in what is called shock loss. Although this is a normal process, but it can leave the patient bald at some point making him look like his presurgical self. This can cause anxiety for some patients but this will relieve on in time as new hair starts to spring out in its place.
What most people don’t know is that aside from the receding
hairline
and
hair
loss,
there
are
also
psychological factors here at play. Society considers a full head of hair as something more attractive and desirable. Research has even shown that employers prefer applicants who have hair from those
Hair transplant alone is not a sure answer to hair loss
whose hairlines are receding or is gone entirely. It has
problems. What would make this procedure successful is
something to do with the common notion that hair that is
the expertise of the surgeon and his good eye for aesthetics.
full and thick is a sign of virility and youthfulness.
Therefore one must make the conscious effort to make sure that you land yourself an excellent surgeon, otherwise you
The already bruised ego of the man who suffers from hair
would only be wasting good money on second rate results.
loss is impaired much further when he sees that his social life is also affected. For instance in dating, women prefer
SO IS IT REALLY WORTH IT? Yes, hair transplant can give you your money’s worth when it comes to restoring good hair coverage. But you have to
men who are not bald than those who are or is getting there. The common downside is that these men appear to be older than they really are. They now develop a fear that they are no longer attractive enough to find a mate.
make the effort for the preparations, and you have to shell
Hair loss can also lead a man to have a poor body-image
out good money for a dependable and reputable surgeon. If
and a low self-esteem, especially among those who are
you have the money to spare, this is definitely an excellent
affected by it in their early 20’s.This leads them to feel
option with results that outweigh its drawbacks.
insecure and fear what the people around them might think. It can worsen especially when they are subjected to jokes and ridicule.
5 Reasons Why Patients
The good thing about FUT is that the extraction process is done
Choose FUT Hair Transplant
hair follicles. It reduces transection rate significantly resulting
Technique Hair transplant is a surgical restoration technique that allows hair loss patients to have a chance at restoring good hair coverage. Over the years that it has been in practice and continually evolving there are two techniques that have been in use. These are FUT (Follicular Unit Transplantation) and FUE (Follicular Unit Extraction). FUE is the latest approach introduced offering lesser scars, but many still opted for the traditional FUT. Here are the following reasons why they chose to do so.
1. Number of grafts maximized The number of hair grafts that can be harvested during an FUT procedure is maximized during a single session. This procedure involves the use of the stereoscopic microscope which improves the result graft harvesting. The high magnification allows better yield of intact hair making excellent quality grafts for transplant. The process involved with FUE increases the likelihood of damage as it is sort of a blind approach which could cut through the follicle if done at a poor angle. Since you don’t have the luxury of hair to be used as grafts,
under a microscope greatly reducing the level of damage to the to better graft survival.
4. The process can be achieved faster FUE would only require the expertise of one surgeon to perform the hair extraction. Whereas with FUT the extent of the procedure can be reduced because after the surgeon removes the strip of scalp containing the hair grafts, hair technicians then works on this to remove the donor hairs with the aid of a stereoscopic microscope. While this is being done, the surgeon sutures the scalp back together and prepares the recipient site. The teamwork results to a faster hair transplant process. Also, what can be done in 2-3 FUE surgeries can be accomplished with just one FUT procedure.
5. More affordable than FUE FUE requires more tedious labor that it why it costs more than FUT. Since this hair transplant technique requires meticulous removal and specific angles since this procedure no longer uses high powered microscope, certain expertise is required. Surgeons who perform this procedure would charge you more compared to that of an FUT.
it is very important that these are very much maximized. This technique could allow as much as 3500 grafts to be transplanted.
Hair Transplant Surgeon
2.
Better hair coverage compared to FUE Since FUT provides better yield after extraction, this significantly improves your chances at achieving better hair coverage. Also, FUT provides fewer traumas to the head because the hair grafts are removed in one strip, compared to the FUE where repeated punches would have to be made to singularly remove the hairs directly from the scalp. With FUT the scalp is spared from too much trauma allowing it to be a more conducive environment for the implanted hairs.
3. Less damage to hair grafts Follicular damage during extraction is one of the challenges faced during both approach.
With over 10 years’ experience in all areas of Hair Restoration Surgery Member of Korean Society of Aesthetic Surgery Prince of Wales Hospital Plastic Surgery Department, Resident
PHONE/WEBSITE: 1300 733 092; www.aihr.com.au