Surgery Overview
Hair transplant surgery involves moving
scalp hair and
hair follicles from an area with a lot of hair to an area with thinning hair
or baldness. This technique
can produce a natural look on the forehead, and a natural, dense look on the
top of the head.
The follicles and hair are removed from one part
of the head with either a tube-like instrument called a punch graft or with a
scalpel. The hair strands are then transplanted into tiny holes or slits in bald areas
of the scalp.
In most cases, you will need several surgeries to
achieve the coverage you want.
What To Expect After Surgery
Often, hair may fall out after it is
transplanted, but new hair will regrow in the transplanted
hair follicle. But it may take a period of time before you can see the new
hair growth.
The success and amount of hair coverage on a treated
area depends on how many hair follicles remain healthy after being
transplanted. You will probably need several surgeries to get the hair coverage
you want. Healing between surgeries usually takes several months.
Why It Is Done
Hair transplant surgery is used to
cover bald spots on the scalp.
How Well It Works
The success of hair coverage
depends on how many hair follicles remain healthy after being transplanted. You
will probably need several surgeries to get the coverage you want.
Risks
Risks of hair transplant surgery
include:
- Death of the hair follicles after being
transplanted, in which case no new hair will grow.
- An unnatural
look with a patchy hair
pattern.
- Infection.
- Scarring.
- Excessive
bleeding.
What To Think About
Hair transplant surgery may
be a permanent treatment for hair loss. But it can be expensive, and it may
take several surgeries and up to 2 years to achieve the coverage you
want.
No other factor may influence the results of cosmetic surgery
as strongly as the doctor's level of experience. Don't be afraid to ask about
the doctor's experience with the procedure you are considering. To learn more
about choosing a doctor, see
Choosing a Surgeon and Facility.
Complete the surgery information form (PDF)(What is a PDF document?) to help you prepare for this surgery.
Credits
ByHealthwise Staff
Primary Medical ReviewerAdam Husney, MD - Family Medicine
Specialist Medical ReviewerE. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine
Current as ofOctober 13, 2016