Health and Wellness

As hair transplants become a bigger business, here’s what you need to know about the risks

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Hair loss will affect everyone in some unspecified time in the future of their life. But despite its prevalence, treating hair loss is big business.

For example, in Europe there was 240% increase between 2010 and 2021, the interest in hair transplant surgery has increased and Türkiye has become such popular travel destination in the case of a hair transplant operation, which a few of the staff renamed Turkey Airlines “Turkey hair.”

Hair loss is a normal process. People typically lose 50-100 hairs a day – that are replaced – but like other bodily processes, hair growth slows as we age.

Sebaceous glands oil production which make our hair shiny, reduce their activity, which makes the hair look dull. Some hair follicles will reduce your productivitycausing the hair to become thinner and some may stop altogetherleading to less hair.

However, thinning hair and baldness are still stigmatized AND an increasing number people determine to undergo hair restoration treatments.

Why Men Risk Their Lives to Avoid Baldness, Vice, 2023.

Hair transplant is classed as a cosmetic procedure and just isn’t covered by insurance. NHS care in the UK. The cost could also be prohibitive for some individuals who determine to travel to other countries where the procedure is on the market. be less expensive.

Although there are various positive reports of people that have undergone hair transplantation abroad, there are cases where the procedure was performed by unqualified person and where individuals who weren’t candidates for hair transplantation were still treated.

Hair transplant should at all times be performed by qualified surgeon – and never everyone qualifies or is suitable for a hair transplant.

The most fitted candidates are those with: androgenetic alopecia – originally called “androgenetic alopecia,” but affects each sexes. About 10% of girls under 40 have some signs of hair loss, increasing to greater than 50% up to 70 years. In contrast to this, 30-50% of men over 50 have hair loss related to androgenetic alopecia.

In men, the hairline often recedes in an M-shape, which is often known as Norwood’s formulawhereas women tend to develop wider parting and thinning of hair on the top of the head and front of the scalp. This is often known as Ludwig’s pattern.

Treatment Options

Initial treatment for hair loss often involves medication. FinasterideThe drug, which treats benign prostatic hyperplasia and hair loss in men, takes three to six months to show any results. However, any advantages disappear inside six to 12 months of stopping treatment. Minoxidil, one other medicine in the treatment of androgenetic alopecia, has been shown to have a helpful effect on hair loss. However, laser light therapy, administered through a special cap, has demonstrated mixed results.

If initial treatment is ineffective, patients may go for a hair transplant. The two mostly used techniques are: follicular unit transplant (FUT) – also often known as Follicular Unit Strip Surgery (FUSS) – and excision of the follicular unit (WAS).

Both treatments require live hair, often from other areas of the scalp – often the hair growing from the temples on each side and the back of the head.

Using the FUT technique, the surgeon removes a 1-1.5 cm wide strip of skin from the back of the head. The hair and its supporting structures are taken from this strip and implanted into the balding area. The wound from which the skin was removed is sutured. Usually, the surgeon is careful to avoid visible scars.

Hair loss: Fighting a receding hairline – BBC News, 2019.

However, FUE is the more common procedure due to the shorter healing time, reduced risk of scarring, and increased variety of hair grafts that might be harvested. Sometimes the procedure is advertised as “bladeless” and “scarless” – this just isn’t true. The hair follicles are harvested and implanted using sharp blades, and scarring has been reported, including hyper- Or hypopigmented in addition to raised or keloid scars.

Does it make your hair stand on end?

Long-term hair transplant success varies. Studies report that 90% of recipients have good coverage a 12 months after the procedure – however it drops to 9% after 4 years. Many aspects can affect the results of a hair transplant, including age, smoking, sun damage to the scalp and diabetes.After recovery suggestions is important and although some clinics advertise “painless” hair transplants, recovery is commonly arduous and uncomfortable.

Anesthesia could also be used during the procedure, but the scalp could also be swollen and tender, and there may be a significant recovery period. Patients are advised to take two weeks off work and avoid strenuous physical activity, as the grafts are fragile and unstable. The full effects of the transplant may take ten to eighteen months to be seen.

Hair transplantation could also be a popular option for those concerned about hair loss, however it’s a big decision that shouldn’t be taken evenly. If you’re considering about undergoing the procedure, do your research to ensure you’re being treated by a fully qualified surgeon – and be prepared to follow strict recovery guidelines to ensure the best results.

This article was originally published on : theconversation.com

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