A hair transplant is a surgical procedure to regain fuller and thicker hair. It’s a popular option for people with hair loss and thinning hair.

When appropriately performed by skilled surgeons, hair transplants can look natural. it’sIt’s almost impossible for a layperson to tell the difference between your natural hair and the transplanted hair.

What is a Hair Transplant?

A hair transplant is a procedure used to treat thinning or balding hair by moving healthy hair follicles from one part of the scalp (known as the donor area) to the balding part. During surgery, your doctor uses one of two main techniques to obtain grafts: strip harvesting or follicular unit extraction.

In strip harvesting, your doctor removes a long, thin piece of scalp skin from the back of your head and separates it into tiny sections using stereo-microscopic dissection.

The grafts are then implanted into the balding area in their natural groupings to mimic the natural hair growth pattern. The resulting fuller head of hair looks natural.

How Does a Hair Transplant Work?

A hair transplant may be an option to restore hair growth. A surgeon removes hair follicles from an area of healthy hair (known as the ‘donor site’) and implants them in areas with thinning or balding.

The grafts are surgically implanted in the balding or thinning area of the scalp using special micro-punches. This is called an FUE procedure.

A hair transplant is a permanent solution to balding, as it relocates lifelong hairs resistant to the hair loss process from the back of the head to an area where you’re balding. This means your transplant can sometimes last a long time, up to 20 years or more.

How Long Does a Hair Transplant Take?

The time it takes for a hair transplant procedure to take place depends on the type of surgery you’re having. Most hair transplants use FUE (Follicular Unit Extraction), which involves extracting hair grafts from areas on your scalp that don’t have enough hair to cover a bald spot.

These grafts are then implanted into a bald area to restore hair. Many types of grafts are used in hair transplants, including punch grafts, mini-grafts, micro-grafts, and strip grafts.

These grafts are fragile and take time to secure themselves in their new location. This means it’s important not to hit or damage them in the first 10-14 days after a hair transplant.

What Are the Possible Side Effects of a Hair Transplant?

A hair transplant is a safe, effective treatment for thinning or hair loss. But it’s important to understand that some side effects can occur.

During a hair transplant, your doctor will remove follicles from a dense area of your scalp (the donor area) and implant them in the areas where you’re losing hair. They can use follicular unit transplantation (FUT) or follicular unit extraction (FUE).

The most common side effects include itching, swelling, and bruising. Itching is usually mild and will disappear in a few days, although scabs may form.

Does Insurance cover Hair Transplants?

One of the biggest concerns when deciding to undergo a hair transplant is whether Insurance covers it. Unfortunately, most insurance companies do not cover hair transplants for cosmetic reasons, so you will most likely have to pay out of pocket for the procedure.

However, if you can prove that the hair transplant is a medical necessity, your health insurance might reimburse you. You must submit a letter of medical condition from your doctor and provide all your medical records.

There are two main types of surgical hair transplants: follicular unit strip surgery (FUSS) and follicular unit extraction (FUE). The former involves removing a strip of skin from a non-balding area and placing it onto the balding areas.

Are Hair Transplants Safe?

A hair transplant is an invasive surgical procedure. Patients who choose to have the surgery should have realistic expectations and discuss their goals with a doctor.

In a hair transplant, the surgeon moves hairs from where hair grows (called a donor area) to areas where hair is thin or bald. During the procedure, you receive local anesthesia to numb the scalp.

The surgeon then places small pieces of scalp from the donor area into tiny slits in your balding scalp. These may be micro-grafts of one or two hairs, mini-grafts of a few hairs, or larger grafts that can be up to 40 hairs.

Are Hair Transplants Effective?

A hair transplant procedure is a very effective way to restore natural-looking hair growth after hair loss, especially for patients with mild to moderate baldness. But it takes patience and consistency to see results.

The first step to a successful hair transplant is choosing the right surgeon. They should be experienced and knowledgeable about the best techniques for achieving results.

Next, your doctor will clean the scalp and inject a local anesthetic to numb the area. Then, they will perform one of two transplant methods: Follicular Unit Strip Surgery (FUT) or Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE).

In FUT, the surgeon removes a 6- to 10-inch strip of skin from your back. This strip is then separated into grafts containing a single hair each.