Baldness treatment
Hair transplant has been successfully used for many years as an effective method for effectively combating baldness. This is a surgical treatment is aimed at making up for hair loss in places of baldness or significant thinning hair. The number of treatments performed globally is growing dynamically. In 2014, for example, about 1 million of them were performed. Just to illustrate, two years later, in 2016, over 1.8 million successful baldness treatments were performed.
Where did such a significant growth in interest in this type of treatments come from? It is all because of the innovative as well as the minimally invasive FUE method.
FUE (Follicular Units Extraction) modern method of hair transplant is based on removing of the individual hair follicles and implanting them in a balding place unlike the classical methods of transplantation in the case of FUE, there is no need take from the scalp the strips of tissue in the vicinity of occipital to obtain hair follicles, the main place of hair follicles removal. Furthemore, hair follicles can also be transplanted from the vicinity of a chest, chin as well as lower limbs. At the place where the follicle is being removed, a microscopic scar is left which cannot be seen with the naked eye.
HAIR TRANSPLANT INDICATIONS
The FUE hair transplant treatment is recommended for people who are particularly interested in avoiding the formation of disfiguring scars in the areas from which hair follicles are being removed. A substantial advantage of the treatment is a short recuperation time. The treatment is performed in the following cases:
androgenetic alopecia
ciclosing baldness
post-traumatic baldness
hair loss after burns
scars
Hair loss around eyebrows, mustaches and beards
Hair loss in the pubic region
FUE HAIR TRANSPLANT CONTRADINCTIONS
advanced diabetes
unregulated hypertension
inflammatory diseases of the skin or scalp
alopecia areata
blood coagulation disorders
allergy to anaesthetics
any type of cancer
PRE-TREATMENT RECOMMENDATIONS
The treatment requires some preparation. First, the patient should perform some necessary laboratory examinations such as:
complete blood count
APTT and INR blood coagulation indicators
fasting blood glucose
tests for HIV, HBS, HCV
In addition, it is not recommended alcohol consumption at least 3 days before the treatment and not to use aspirin and anti-inflammatory drugs for 10 days prior to the treatment.
Day of the treatment:
hair should be washed properly
do not apply hair spray, gel nor styling mousse
it is advised to have light breakfast or lunch before the treatment
it is a long procedure, so wearing comfortable clothes is advised
Due to the long duration of the treatment, it is recommended to wear comfortable clothing that does not restrict the natural movement.
COURSE OF THE TREATMENT
The patient is thoroughly informed about how the treatment will be carried out during the initial consultation with the specialist. During this meeting, in particular, the area from which the individual hair follicles (donor area) will be able to be removed as well as the place of implantation of the transplant (the recipient area) is determined. Directly before the treatment, the donor area is being shaved to a length of about 1 mm. During hair follicles removal, the patient is placed in the position of lying on the stomach. The second stage of the treatment (implantation of hair follicles) is carried out in the sitting position. After the treatment, a dressing is secured to protect the place from which hair follicles were taken.
FUE hair transplantation is performed under local anesthesia and lasts 4-8 hours – depending on the number of grafts to be taken.
POST-TREATMENT RECOMMENDATIONS
Post treatment recuperation is really short. It takes approximately 7 days for the donor area to recover and the re-growing hair will make the small scars easy to be hidden.
In the first days after the treatment, a patient needs to be extra cautious in order not to damage the transplanted hair follicles by excessive rubbing or pressure.
There is no need not worry about swelling of the forehead that may occur as an effect of injection of local anaesthetics. The swelling is only temporary and will go away on its own within a matter of days.
The first washing of the head can be done 5 days after the treatment. Until then, patients shall regularly wash the skin using physiological saline every 2-4 hours. Small scabs covering the transplanted the sites peel off within a week.
It is perfectly natural that after two weeks of FHU treatment, the transplanted hair falls out, and new ones grow in their place. In individual patients – at different times. In some people, the re-growth of new hair effect is visible after only 3 months, and in others – the treatment will provide its full effect – after a year. Nonetheless, the final effect can be evaluated after w year from the treatment.
1-5 days
It is recommended to systematically wash the area of the implanted hair with physiological physiological saline every 2-4 hours,
Physical activity and effort should be avoided,
It is advisable to avoid places where the increased risk of scalp infection existence may occur (e.g .swimming pool)
6-21 days
Patients can start washing their heads with ultra-soft shampoo, pH 5.5 – 5.8,
Water flow used to wash the area of transplanted hair cannot be too strong,
Patients can start low intensity physical activity (e.g. walking).
After 21 days
The scalp and hair can be washed and cared for , just like before the treatment,
Physical activity with high intensity is allowed.