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In cases of men’s baldness, hair transplantation, or grafting, is a commonly used surgical procedure which aids the process of hair restoration. The technique consists of the replacement of skin with intact follicles from a place, resistant to male hair loss, to the affected area. This method of hair transplantation is usually a response to pattern baldness in men, with many small drafts being transplanted to the recipient site, rather than a single strip of skin.
Besides with scalps, the procedure has been successful in restoring eyebrows and eyelashes. The practice of grafting in such cases of baldness has been around for over 50 years. It should be noted that its evolution has been truly remarkable. The process used to include the transplantation of much thicker clumps of hairs while the procedure was more painful and the results - unsatisfactory. A breakthrough development came in the form of “mini-grafting” of five to eleven hairs.
At present, advanced technologies have allowed the so-called Follicular Unit Transplantation (FUT), which imitates the usual growth pattern of the hair by introducing between one and four hairs in a follicle: a so formed natural “follicular unit.” This is a huge upside of the natural appearance, characteristic for this approach. There are two other ways to take care of transplanted hair. The first is referred to as Strip Harvesting and means the removal of a strip of the scalp, which is then cut into pieces and inserted into the balding area. This procedure leaves a scar to be covered, at the donor site.
The other method is called Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) Harvesting, which stands for the taking out of separate hair follicles, in small incisions of 0.7-1.25 mm. The transplantation is carried out with the help of a micro scalpel. This method leaves no scars, thanks to the small size of the removed tissue. Both procedures happen under local anesthesia. The former, however, requires about two weeks` recovery period and rest, whereas the FUE Harvesting is free of post-surgical pain and no stitches need to be removed. The recovery period is decreased to seven days with no stitches to take care for.
Each of the procedures is intended for a different degree of baldness. No two cases are alike. Individuals are advised to consult with more than one specialist before selecting any of the treatment options available. |
