Is Hair Transplant

Worth It? Hair transplant is a popular hair restoration measure which

most hair loss patients prefer. Men who are as young as 35

years old are already losing their hair, and 85% of these have

already gone bald or severe thinning by the time they are

50. That is why a lot of men are turning to hair transplant for

a sure answer. So for those who are considering it as an option

to regaining volume, here are some of the possible gains and

losses you can encounter along the way.

BENEFITS

Surgery is something that should not be taken lightly. Aside

from the fact that it is costly, it also brings a number of risks.

But what pushes hair loss patients to opt for this procedure is

that these has long provided better results compared to other

hair loss treatments.

Hair transplant can give you natural looking results that could

last you for many years. Compared to the usual hair pieces

such as wigs, toupees and weaves, it offers a permanent

solution with better-looking outcome.

The procedure itself is painless and it would only require local

anesthesia to get it done resulting to a virtually painless

process. Although there may be some discomfort afterwards,

but this is generally tolerable. The patient can even be

discharged on the same day once vital signs are sure to be

stabilized.

The emotional benefits associated with the successful results

of hair transplant surgery are also astounding. The coverage

and look that it is able to attain can make patients feel better

about them, boosting their self-esteem and confidence.

It helps them to achieve a healthier body image.

With today’s advanced technology and techniques, one

can be assured that results can be achieved faster, safer

and more pleasing. Experts are constantly searching for

new ways to ensure less scarring as possible.

With these, it can be said that cashing in on hair

transplant is a worthy investment. With a good and

experienced surgeon and careful planning you improve

your chances of achieving the best results.

DISADVANTAGES

Despite its increasing popularity, hair transplant has been

tossed under so much scrutiny in the past. This is because

former practices were not really giving sterling results.

Instead of restoring hair and improving the patient’s

appearance, it is only highlighting the problem with the

poor results.

It would be ideal to believe that this should be a thing of

the past. However, hair transplant surgery is not a closely

guarded practice leaving a lot of surgeons who are not

really trained to perform hair surgery to present them as

one. This has led to a number of poor outcome requiring

costly revisions.

But the catch here is that you are not really entitled to as

many revisions as you would hope for without really

undermining results. The reason is you are also dealing

with a limited number of resources which is your hair. So

any failure would always render corrective surgeries to be

more difficult.

The cost is also a major throwback for some potential

patients. This procedure would require you to pay by the

hair graft on top of the surgeon’s fee and anaesthetic fee.

This is expectedly an expensive procedure that would cost

you thousands of dollars per session. In some cases a single

session would suffice while some patients would need a

second session for better coverage.

If you have been taking hair loss medications before the

surgery, you would still be advised to do so in order to

prevent the progression of hair loss.

Along the way to recovery, there will be a point where the

hair grafts would shed in what is called shock loss.

Although this is a normal process, but it can leave the

patient bald at some point making him look like his pre-

surgical self. This can cause anxiety for some patients but

this will relieve on in time as new hair starts to spring out in

its place.

Hair transplant alone is not a sure answer to hair loss

problems. What would make this procedure successful is

the expertise of the surgeon and his good eye for aesthetics.

Therefore one must make the conscious effort to make sure

that you land yourself an excellent surgeon, otherwise you

would only be wasting good money on second rate results.

SO IS IT REALLY WORTH IT?

Yes, hair transplant can give you your money’s worth when

it comes to restoring good hair coverage. But you have to

make the effort for the preparations, and you have to shell

out good money for a dependable and reputable surgeon. If

you have the money to spare, this is definitely an excellent

option with results that outweigh its drawbacks.

The Psychological Effects

of Hair Loss in Men

As the famous saying goes, “you don’t know what you’ve

got ‘till it’s gone,” hits right at home especially when what

you’ve lost is constantly brought into awareness every

time you look in the mirror.

Hair loss, whether as an unwelcomed visitor or a

permanent occupant, provides in those affected a mixed

sense of loss, humiliation and helplessness. Aside from

losing patches of hair or all of it, this condition, in some

way or another, also takes away a part of what that person

was.

Hair loss is stigmatized as a sign of old age and less

desirability. What used to be a lush set of mane are now

patches of hair and a shiny glimpse of scalp. A common

perception, which is usually more negative than

otherwise, would pass someone’s thought immediately or

the sufferer could inevitably think so when someone looks

at them.

What most people don’t know is that aside from the

receding hairline and hair loss, there are also

psychological factors here at play.

Society considers a full head of hair as something more

attractive and desirable. Research has even shown that

employers prefer applicants who have hair from those

whose hairlines are receding or is gone entirely. It has

something to do with the common notion that hair that is

full and thick is a sign of virility and youthfulness.

The already bruised ego of the man who suffers from hair

loss is impaired much further when he sees that his social

life is also affected. For instance in dating, women prefer

men who are not bald than those who are or is getting

there. The common downside is that these men appear to

be older than they really are. They now develop a fear that

they are no longer attractive enough to find a mate.

Hair loss can also lead a man to have a poor body-image

and a low self-esteem, especially among those who are

affected by it in their early 20’s.This leads them to feel

insecure and fear what the people around them might

think. It can worsen especially when they are subjected to

jokes and ridicule.

“Hair restoration may be the

most important self-

improvement decision of your

life. If you suffer from hair loss,

the stigma of “baldness” is one

of the first ways that people

think of to characterize you.” ~

Dr Andrew Kim

5 Reasons Why Patients

Choose FUT Hair Transplant

Technique

Hair transplant is a surgical restoration technique that

allows hair loss patients to have a chance at restoring good

hair coverage. Over the years that it has been in practice

and continually evolving there are two techniques that

have been in use. These are FUT (Follicular Unit

Transplantation) and FUE (Follicular Unit Extraction).

FUE is the latest approach introduced offering lesser scars,

but many still opted for the traditional FUT. Here are the

following reasons why they chose to do so.

1. Number of grafts maximized

The number of hair grafts that can be harvested during an

FUT procedure is maximized during a single session. This

procedure involves the use of the stereoscopic microscope

which improves the result graft harvesting. The high

magnification allows better yield of intact hair making

excellent quality grafts for transplant. The process involved

with FUE increases the likelihood of damage as it is sort of

a blind approach which could cut through the follicle if

done at a poor angle.

Since you don’t have the luxury of hair to be used as grafts,

it is very important that these are very much maximized.

This technique could allow as much as 3500 grafts to be

transplanted.

2. Better hair coverage

compared to FUE

Since FUT provides better yield after extraction, this

significantly improves your chances at achieving better

hair coverage. Also, FUT provides fewer traumas to the

head because the hair grafts are removed in one strip,

compared to the FUE where repeated punches would have

to be made to singularly remove the hairs directly from the

scalp. With FUT the scalp is spared from too much trauma

allowing it to be a more conducive environment for the

implanted hairs.

3. Less damage to hair grafts Follicular damage during extraction is one of the

challenges faced during both approach.

The good thing about FUT is that the extraction process is done

under a microscope greatly reducing the level of damage to the

hair follicles. It reduces transection rate significantly resulting

to better graft survival.

4. The process can be achieved

faster

FUE would only require the expertise of one surgeon to perform

the hair extraction. Whereas with FUT the extent of the

procedure can be reduced because after the surgeon removes

the strip of scalp containing the hair grafts, hair technicians

then works on this to remove the donor hairs with the aid of a

stereoscopic microscope. While this is being done, the surgeon

sutures the scalp back together and prepares the recipient site.

The teamwork results to a faster hair transplant process.

Also, what can be done in 2-3 FUE surgeries can be

accomplished with just one FUT procedure.

5. More affordable than FUE

FUE requires more tedious labor that it why it costs more than

FUT. Since this hair transplant technique requires meticulous

removal and specific angles since this procedure no longer uses

high powered microscope, certain expertise is required.

Surgeons who perform this procedure would charge you more

compared to that of an FUT.

Hair Transplant Surgeon

With over 10 years’ experience in all areas of Hair

Restoration Surgery

Member of Korean Society of Aesthetic Surgery

Prince of Wales Hospital Plastic Surgery

Department, Resident

PHONE/WEBSITE: 1300 733 092; www.aihr.com.au