The cosmetic industry has left no stone unturned in improving one’s appearance and personality. Some people gravitate towards cosmetic procedures to enhance their looks or to hide any flaws that hinder their appearance. One such global concern is hair loss or alopecia. It is a distressing experience for men and women as it affects their looks and lowers their self-esteem. But the good news is there is hair transplantation, a popular aesthetic procedure that is remarkably beneficial for anyone suffering from hair thinning or balding.
A hair transplant is an aesthetic surgery designed to restore hair in an area of the body with little or no hair (usually on the scalp), shares the famous hair transplant surgeon in Jaipur, Dr. Akangsha Sharma at AK Aesthetics. This operation involves the removal or extraction of healthy hair follicles from a site that has enough hair and is resistant to hair loss, and then the transfer of them to cover the hair thinning or balding sites of the body. Scalp hair transplant usually involves taking donor hair from the side or back of the head and transplanting it to the hairline or top of the head of the same individual.
Hair transplant has been carried out by hair experts or cosmetic surgeons for many years now. There are two methods by which hair transplant can be performed, including Conventional Follicular Unit Transplantation or Strip Surgery and Advanced Follicular Unit Extraction. The surgery usually is 4 to 8 hours long depending upon the number of hair grafts to be transplanted.
So far hair transplant is one of the preferred surgeries that most men and women seek as a remedy for their hair fall or loss. However, sadly the procedure is mired in many myths, which is why many people are not going ahead with their hair transplants. Therefore, to dismiss these misbeliefs, here is a compiled list of facts debunking the most prevalent hair transplant myths, and this information is shared by Dr. Akangsha Sharma, Best Plastic Surgeon in Jaipur at AK Aesthetics. By reading this information one can make informed discussion regarding the surgery procedure.
Myth 1: Hair transplants are not meant for older people suffering from hair thinning or balding.
Fact 1: This is far from reality. Anyone, falling under the age bracket of 27 to 70 years, is medically approved to have a hair transplant if they have sufficient donor hair. This means elderly patients have stable hair loss and enough donor's hair is not barred to have hair transplants. Furthermore, under the age of 21, it is recommended to not have hair transplants as the doctor cannot determine the cause of hair loss by that age. There is a better chance of the patients having successful hair transplants if they wait until they get slightly older.
Myth 2: Hair transplant surgery is unbearably painful.
Fact 2: A hair transplant is performed under local anaesthesia which ensures that the patient does not feel any pain or discomfort throughout the surgery. Once the effect of anaesthesia wears off, mild pain can be expected by the patient, but that can be alleviated with prescribed painkillers. However, with advanced hair transplant techniques, the recovery period is just 2-3 days, therefore reducing the need of taking pain-relieving medications.
Myth 3: Only men can seek hair transplantation.
Fact 3: Many women simply accept hair loss as they believe that a hair transplant is not for them. The truth is both men and women having pattern baldness can undergo FUT or FUE hair transplant techniques for exceptional hair growth. The only variation is that women tend to have sparser hair loss areas in a pattern different from men.
Myth 4: The candidate can expect instant results after hair transplantation.
Fact 4: In reality, transplanted hair takes time to grow as it passes through three stages of the hair growth cycle: telogen (hair shedding phase), catagen (the transition phase), and anagen (the hair growing phase). The new, transplanted hair usually falls out within three weeks, but the roots of the hair do not stop growing. As soon as blood supply to the hair roots is formed, it stays for a lifetime. The hair roots begin to grow hair after about 2 months, with the best hair growth seen between the 9th and 12th months. One can see noticeable hair growth in 4-6 months but consistent results are usually visible after 6 months.
Myth 5: Hair washing is not permissible after hair transplant surgery.
Fact 5: The day after having a hair transplant, the patient can wash and shampoo their new hair gently as these actions won’t affect new hair growth. The treated sites must be kept clean.
Myth 6: Transplanted hair looks obvious.
Fact 6: After a successful hair transplant, once the newly transplanted hair grows in, it blends seamlessly with the existing hair. By comparing the before and after photos of the patient, one can see incredible results. When a hair transplant is done under the supervision of a good and experienced hair transplant surgeon, there is no need to worry about appearance. The patient can be sure that their hair will look more natural than earlier. The cosmetic surgeon or dermatologist first checks the precise positioning of single, double, and triple hair follicles and the angle of the hair to accordingly transplant new hair, thereby providing a truly natural appearance. As the transplanted hair after full growth can be washed and cut as one wants, just like his/her natural hair.
Myth 7: Hair growth medications are required to assist the growth of transplanted hair.
Fact 7: Transplanted hair resembles natural hair, lasts for a lifetime, and does not need special care and maintenance. There is no need for any special shampoos, medication, or ointments to help them start growing or continue to grow.
Myth 8: A hair transplant can work even on a completely bald scalp by taking someone else’s hair.
Fact 8: A hair transplant is never obtained from someone else, as the body would reject the foreign donor hair follicles. Body hair can still be used as a donor for scalp bald spots but this is only done in extremely rare cases. It's generally not recommended as the body hair does not match with the scalp hair, they result in cysts and scars formation on the scalp, and the growth rate of body hair transplant is less than 50%.
Myth 9: Hair transplant surgery can harm one’s brain.
Fact 9: This is not possible as the structure or hair of the scalp does not come in contact with the skin under the scalp.
Myth 10: A hair transplant is a very expensive solution to hair loss.
Fact 10: A hair transplant is an affordable surgery because it requires a one-time money investment that in long run would be beneficial as the results are permanent. With advancements in techniques and technology used in hair transplantation, the cost has been reduced.
Myth 11: Additional treatments are not required to prevent hair loss after a hair transplant surgery.
Fact 11: A hair transplant alone cannot eliminate hair fall or loss concerns. It needs to be performed in combination with many post-operative treatments and medications, including certain creams, ointments, PRP injections, and oral tablets to minimise hair loss over time.
At AK Aesthetics, Best hair transplant in Jaipur is performed using a special device, a special graft implanter from the United States, that makes the procedure minimally invasive and ensures early healing of the patient. Dr. Akangsha Sharma has offered this surgery benefit to countless patients across the world. To get to know more about this procedure, pay a visit to AK Aesthetics.
