Hair Replacement Procedures
In our society, terms like "hair transplant," and "scalp
reduction," are praised by doctors and advertisements, but they
leave consumers befuddled. Yes, everyone knows these are
surgical hair replacement procedures to attempt to reverse hair loss. But how
do they work? How are these surgeries performed?
Treatments vary. Some surgical procedures may take place in a
surgeons office. Others may occur in a outpatient surgical
center or a hospital. Just in case you feel alone, here are some
questions that have been posed by many men just like yourself:
Is it going to hurt? Will I be asleep through the procedure?
To answer these questions, we'll be blunt. All types of surgery
are uncomfortable. Some men experience extreme sensitivity and
tenderness to their scalp, others experience minor discomfort.
There isn't one specific side-effect that all men experience.
Results vary from patient to patient. Fortunately, these
procedures are usually performed with a local anesthesia as well
as sedation. Patients rarely feel anything while the surgery is
taking place.
Different Types of Surgical Procedures
Hair Transplants This procedure is broken down into
sessions to achieve final results. Patients generally seem
satisfied with the outcome of these procedures, although there
is a healing process which can take months between each session.
Results do vary for men and women, and it may take up to two
years to achieve a full and natural looking head of hair.
Tissue Expansion After the surgeon makes an incision, a
tissue expander (balloon-like device) is inserted beneath the
scalp beside a bald patch. Over the course of several weeks, the
tissue expander inflates; causing the skin to expand and promote
the growth of skin cells. Once the skin has stretched enough, a
surgeon will perform an additional procedure to relocate the
expanded skin to cover the bald patch.
* Scalp Reduction This technique is designed specifically for
patients who require coverage at the top and back of their
heads. Men who experience baldness and thinning to the front
hairline will not benefit from this procedure.
Final Results
Unfortunately, results are rarely final and these treatments are
very costly. As well, they may require a surgical touch-up
procedure. This may take place once the incisions have healed. A
surgeon may decide to fill a hairline or thinning patch by using
grafts.