What to Expect During a Hair Transplant Procedure

For men and women alike, hair is a security blanket that helps define who they are. It’s not until our hair begins to fall out and become more sparse that we turn to a cosmetic surgeon in Itasca for help. Hair transplants are an ideal way to restore a full head of luscious locks. Here’s what you can expect during a hair transplant procedure at Ashpole Plastic Surgery.

First, What is It?

Doctors have been performing hair transplant procedures since the 1950s, but the technique has changed throughout the years. There are two common methods of hair transplants: follicular unit strip surgery (FUSS) or follicular unit extraction (FUE).

The FUSS Method

The FUSS method consists of removing a 6-10-inch strip of skin from the back of your head and then closing the scalp. Then, the removed scalp piece will be divided into 500-2,000 grafts, each consisting of a minimal number of hairs. Keep in mind that the number and type of graft is dependent on the hair type, quality, color and size of the area being transplanted.

The FUE Method

The FUE procedure consists of shaving the back of your scalp. From there, the doctor will remove hair follicles one by one. The area will heal with a series of small dots that your hair will cover. Both methods end with the doctor preparing the grafts, numbing the area and carefully placing each graft in the hole. The entire procedure will take 4-8 hours, and you may need to get an additional transplant later if you want thicker hair or if you are continuing to lose your hair.

Recovery

You may feel a bit tender while recovering from this surgery, but that is normal. It’s standard to take over-the-counter pain medications for several days following the procedure as well. We can help by prescribing an anti-inflammatory drug to help you during the recovery process. You should be able to return to work 2-5 days after the procedure has been completed. Within 2-3 weeks after the procedure, the transplanted hair will fall out and the new hair will begin to grow in. As a general statistic, most people see 60% of hair regrowth in 6-9 months. If you’re interested in a hair transplant, or if you want to learn more about the procedure, contact our cosmetic surgeon in Itasca today!