Do you want fuller, younger-looking hair? If so, you should consider getting a hair graft. Also known as hair transplants, hair grafts are surgical procedures in which hair follicles are moved to where patients are experiencing hair thinning or baldness. Not everyone is eligible for hair transplants, but countless men and women have benefited from the procedure. Here, we will review some of the most important information you need to know about how hair grafts work, such as the different types of procedures and what you can expect in the weeks following the grafting. Is a hair transplant in your future? If so, then read on to learn more about this exciting option.
People who have hair transplants often need to wait about three weeks before they can resume their normal activities. During the first five days following hair grafts, people also need to take antibiotics and anti-inflammatory medication to prevent infections and swelling that may occur.
Hair grafts are considered surgical procedures. They are day procedures, so people who receive hair transplants return home in a matter of hours. That said, all surgical procedures carry the risk of complications. Side effects might include numbness, bleeding or tingling at the transplant sites.
Yes, hair grafts are permanent! Affordable solutions for thinning hair or baldness usually involve topical treatments such as ointments or shampoos, but those tend to have mixed results, and the results are not permanent. Once hair follicles are transplanted, the full hair will continue to grow.
Unfortunately, hair grafts do not work over large areas of scar tissue. This means people who are bald as a result of an injury, accident or intensive treatment may not be eligible for hair transplant procedures.
There are two types of hair graft procedures -- follicular unit transplantation (FUT) and follicular unit extraction (FUE). Each type of procedure works differently, and some people might be better with one over the other.
Follicular unit transplantations, or FUTs, work by moving strips of scalp taken from the backside of the head. These strips are then used to fill out areas where hair thinning or mild-pattern baldness has occurred.
Most hair transplant centers offer financing plans for people who get hair grafts. This helps to make the procedures more affordable so that more people can rediscover what it's like to live with a more full head of hair.
Follicular unit extractions, or FUE hair grafts, work by transplanting individual hair follicles from parts of the head or even other parts of the body. These procedures are less invasive than FUT procedures.