Hair Transplantation

 Hair transplantation by follicular units transfer is performed under local anesthesia. There will be slight pricking pain only when the local anesthesia is injected. After that the entire surgery is painless. Pain medications will be prescribed for 3-4 days after surgery to keep you comfortable.

 There will be a long fine line in the donor area which will be completely hidden by the existing hairs. Refined techniques in taking the strip and closing the wound makes the scar very thin.The scar will be seen only if the head is shaved for some reason.

 Only your own hair can be safely transplanted. Another persons hair will be rejected by your bodys immune mechanism. Most people with male pattern baldness have enough donor area in the back of the head.

 The time required for hair transplantation will depend on the number of hair grafts to be planted/ grafted. The total operation time can vary from 4-8 hours. You will not have to spend all the time inside the operation theatre. Once the scalp strip is taken you can relax outside while the hair grafts are being prepared for transplantation.

 The hair follicles for transplanting in male pattern baldness are taken from areas that are not affected by male hormone. The hair follicles in this area will continue to grow normally after the transplantation. Complete normal hair growth is seen in 9-12 months. Normal cyclical shedding will happen to these hairs also, but they will grow back.

 The transplanted hair starts a healthy growth in 6-9 months time. The transplanted follicles will undergo normal physiological cyclical shedding. The transplanted hair follicles are resistant to the effects of male hormone that causes progressive baldness.

The cost of hair transplantation varies depending on the  number of follicles to be transplanted or the area of baldness to be treated. The total cost of hair transplantation in Cochin/ Kochi , Kerala can vary from INR 60,000 to INR 200,000.

 Gentle washing of the hair can be started from next day of hair transplantation procedure. Hair wash with gentle hand massage of the scalp can be started from day 7. Shampoo wash is allowed after 1 week.

 The transplanted hair follicles may start shedding from 2 to 3 weeks after surgery. Hair growth starts 4 months after surgery; complete natural healthy growth is usually seen 9 to 12 months after the follicular units transfer.

 Number of sessions will depend on the size of the area to be covered and the thickness of hair growth desired. Most people are satisfied with one session of hair transplantation. Further sessions can be safely done with an interval of 6 to 8 months. More than two sessions of hair transplantation is rarely required.

 Normal daily activities can be started from next day of surgery. Swelling on the scalp and forehead will resolve in 2-4 days. Dark crusts that form in the area of follicle implantation takes 1-2 weeks to loosen up and come off. If you can work with a cap on, you can start in 3-4 days. Otherwise, it is better to take 2 weeks off from work. 

  Follicular units transfer is currently the best method for hair restoration in male baldness. Follicular units can be harvested by the strip method or by follicular unit extraction. The strip method of FUT is considered better for covering larger areas as more follicles can be obtained with less damage to roots by this method. FUE may cause more damage to follicles and lesser number of hair follicles can be transplanted. 

 Hair transplantation is a surgery performed at the skin level. There is no chance of damage to internal organs and so there are no serious side effects. Swelling and discomfort usually resolves in 2-4 days. Numbness on the back and top of head improves with time. 

 Hair transplantation by follicular units transfer results in natural hair growth in bald areas. The hair growth looks natural and all activities can be continued without fear of losing hair. Hair transplantation is the best treatment now for male pattern baldness. Hair fixing is a camouflage method where artificial hair in the form a patch/ wig is clipped to the existing hair. Hair fixing only covers the area of baldness without treating the area. Hair fixing is a good option for people who do not have enough donor area for hair transplantation or for those who want an immediate coverage of the baldness. 

 Hair transplantation for treatment of baldness is a team effort requiring well trained staff under a skilled Cosmetic plastic surgeon. Hair transplants by follicular units transfer is regularly performed by Dr. Hari Menon at Lakeshore hospital in Cochin, Kerala. For best results in hair growth, combination of medicines and hair transplantation is advised. Dr. Hari is not doing hair transplantation in any clinic now.

 Hair loss in men is usually a progressive condition. Medicines alone are effective to stop further hair loss and for some regrowth of hair. Hair transplantation helps to grow hair in areas that do not respond to medicines. There are other medical causes of hair loss in men and women. The treatment of such conditions requires evaluation and correction of the cause. 

 The medicines prescribed for hair growth are proven to be safe when taken in the right dose. Although side effects are reported, they are very uncommon. The medicines prescribed by Dr. Hari Menon are approved by the US FDA for hair loss treatment. 

 In long hair transplant the full length of the transplanted hairs are maintained. This gives an immediate result, although it is temporary. The long hairs will fall off in two weeks and regrowth occurs in 6-8 months. Long hair transplant takes longer time to perform. The advantage lasts only for 2 weeks, so it is not preferred by most people. 

 Hair transplant by follicular unit transfer, when performed by experienced surgeons, is always successful. All the transplanted follicles may not grow, but the success rates are very high with proper technique and post operative care. Once the hair growth starts, patients who have undergone hair restoration are highly satisfied.

 Hair transplantation/ FUT/Follicles transfer is a day care procedure and does not require hospital stay. If you are coming from a distant place, you can stay back in the hospital for a day after surgery.

 It is technically possible to transplant body hair to the head. But the number of follicles available is very limited and there will be multiple scars on the body. 

  In the strip method of FUT, the scalp is closed in a fine line with absorb-able sutures. The follicle grafts are placed in tiny holes and get fixed in position by tissue glue. There is no need for sutures/ stitches to be removed.

 The follicular grafts are inserted into tiny slits on the scalp. The grafts lock into position and then get fixed by tissue glue from the blood in the scalp slit. There is no need to fix the hair grafts by sutures or any other measures. The grafts get completely adherent over many days. 

 Combination of medicines and hair transplantation is the best way to treat baldness in men. Medicines help to prevent further hair loss. Hair transplant is a surgical procedure that transfers the hair follicles from the back of head to the bald areas. The transplanted hair follicles will grow like normal hair. 

 Shaving is not required for hair transplant surgery. Only the area from where the strip of scalp is taken will be clipped during surgery. Once the wound is closed, there will not be any sign of surgery in that area

 FUE stands for Follicular Unit Extraction, another method of follicular unit transfer(FUT). In the traditional method of FUT, a strip of scalp is taken from the back of head and cut into follicle grafts. In FUE, the individual grafts are cored out from the back of head with special punches. The advantage of this method is that there is no long scar in the back of head. FUE takes longer time to perform and the number of follicles that can be taken in one session is limited. For these reasons, the strip method of FUT is the most efficient and so more popular. After strip method, the scar is well covered by hair and can be seen only is the head is completely shaved. Second or third sessions are easily possible after strip method of FUT, whereas, it is more difficult following FUE.

 Hair loss in men causing baldness is most often because of “androgenic alopecia”, which is a genetically determined and hereditary condition. The diagnosis is made by clinical examination. Special tests are not required. Hair analysis can show the thickness of hair growth. 

 There is no age bar for baldness treatment. Hair transplant can be done at any age provided there is enough donor hair and medical fitness. 

 Treatment for hair loss should be started as soon as you notice significantly high hair loss and if there are other men in family with baldness. In early stages, medicines alone may be enough to maintain good hair density. You should consult a hair restorative surgeon to know if the hair loss is serious enough to start treatment. 

 A normal healthy diet is important to provide adequate nutrition for hair growth. Additional supplements are rarely required. There is no particular food that improves hair growth. 

 Hair oils provide conditioning of the hair. The effects of medicated herbal oils have not been scientifically studied to know the complete effects.