A man’s or woman’s head of hair has always been an integral component of their image and self esteem which is one of the primary reasons that hair replacement surgery and treatment have become so popular over the past few decades. The replacement of lost or thinning hair follicles is typically categorized as either non-surgical or surgical hair replacement methods or techniques. Additionally, there is currently a variety of these available today.
Non-surgical hair replacement options
These include products like hair systems (hair pieces, toupees, or wigs), prescription medications (Propecia), and topical applications (Rogaine). Numerous technological advancements with all of these have resulted in their increased popularity and use.
Surgical hair replacement options
There are a couple of surgical options for hair replacement that have become fairly common. These include:
- minor surgery – micro-grafting, mini-grafting, punch-grafting, slit-grafting, or strip-grafting
- major surgery – flap surgical procedures, scalp-reduction, or tissue-expansion
In general, the former hair replacement procedure involves the transplanting of small grafts or “punches” of hair follicles from a donor area and transplanting it to the balding area of the patient’s scalp. The latter involves surgically relocating strips of donor scalp to the balding area or removing a portion of the balding area and pulling the scalp together in order to cover the surgically removed portion.
The specific procedure that is chosen by the surgeon is determined by the needs of the client in question and the extent to which the condition has evolved. Some surgeons may recommend both techniques in order to correct the condition and restore a sense of normalcy for the patient. Conversely, most hair replacement surgeons will suggest using non-surgical treatments if the condition has not evolved to the extent where surgery is the only alternative.
Duration of the process
The length of time involved in the hair replacement process depends on the individual and can vary from a one-time procedure to a longer process involving several procedures. A single procedure can take up to 8 hours in the surgeon’s office or their clinic using a local anesthetic. In a lot of cases, the entire procedure cannot be done in one trip and is carefully planned out over two or three visits space from 90 days to 6 months apart.
On a closing note, you should be careful when selecting a hair replacement surgeon as there are still some out there who are not that reputable.
