Hair loss, hair thinning, or baldness, whether due to disease, or injury, or genetics, can be an extremely emotionally damaging experience for a person. Their sense of confidence and self-esteem can be negatively impacted by this, leading to further negative outcomes in other areas of their life and performance. That is why solutions like hair transplants have bought much-needed relief and comfort to individuals living with hair-related troubles. In just one surgery, said individuals could go from patchy, hairless scalps to full and luscious, thick locks. If this sounds like something that intrigues you, perhaps you should consider the option of going for a hair transplant assessment. Keep reading to find out more. If you have already decided to go for one, then congratulations! This is going to look at what to consider before undergoing the procedure.
The History Of Hair Transplants
In 1952 the first human hair transplant was performed. Since then, medical advances have come a long way, and during the 90s, the current procedure was refined to what it is today. Hair transplants were first established to treat male pattern baldness but now offer an answer to people with a wide range of hair loss problems. The procedure works by grafting individual hair follicles into your scalp. As you can imagine, this can be a timeous and extremely delicate process. Fortunately, due to anesthesia and analgesics, it is found to be a largely painless experience, which is even more comforting news to many hair loss sufferers.
Who Would Be Performing My Surgery?
While certain professional technicians are qualified to perform this procedure, it is probably a wise idea to opt for a medical professional such as a doctor or surgeon to do your transplant. This will ensure your transplant looks completely natural and is professionally and safely done. Clinics like groclinics.co.uk in the UK only employ medical doctors and nurses to perform hair transplant surgeries. Their approach is a full assessment, looking at your medical history and hair loss, providing you with a diagnosis, and then explaining all the options available to you. After your procedure, they provide you with a premium, individualized level of post-operative care since healing takes some time.
Is It For Life?
Hair transplant surgery can last a lifetime since healthy hair follicles have been implanted into your scalp. The only thing to be aware of is that if you only undergo a transplant for a portion of your hair, you may experience further loss of your original hair. In which case, you might opt to have more than one transplant done at a later stage. It is not a guarantee that one transplant will assure you a lifetime of a full head of hair, but depending on your assessment, the professionals will guide and advise you on this. They may recommend that you opt for more than one. However, this will all be dependent on what you can afford, as well as your preferences, of course.
Will It Work?
Hair transplants have around an 85-95% success rate, which means that it is a very promising way to almost guarantee a full head of hair. The success of hair transplants is reportedly much higher than that of over-the-counter hair growth treatments. It can take between 6 – 12 months for the full healing process to take place after the surgery, and then by that point, new hair should begin growing from the healthy follicles. Before and after photos of people who have undergone surgery is a great way to feel inspired and excited about the efficacy of it.
How To Prepare For My Surgery?
Like other operations, it is important to take a few safety precautions before you go under. These include limiting all alcohol consumption for at least 3 days before surgery. This is due to the fact that surgeries cause some level of bleeding, and alcohol can affect your blood loss. It is also not advised to smoke for 24 hours before your surgery. You do not need to get a haircut before you go for your transplant. Lastly, it is also recommended that you go for regular scalp massages for a week or two leading up to your operation.
Getting a hair transplant operation might seem like a daunting process. However, those that have been through it feel that the results make the experience well worth it. If you are experiencing negative feelings and thoughts around your hair, whether it is due to baldness, an accident, or alopecia, this could be the solution you have been seeking. Hair transplants, when performed by qualified medical professionals in the right setting, show incredible rates of success. Hopefully, this discussion has provided you with some more information on how to best prepare for your upcoming hair transplant procedure.