Hair Implant - What To Expect

 In today’s article we will be sharing all about hair implants and about specifically doing hair implants in Singapore. 

What is a hair transplant?

Hair transplantation is a surgical procedure that basically moves hair follicles from the back of your scalp the ‘donor site’ to a balding part of the scalp known as the “recipient site”. For males, you can also have a surgical hair transplant done in Singapore to restore or add some facial hair if you want to. You will normally have it done in the doctor’s office where the surgeon will first clean your scalp and inject some medication in order to numb the back of your head. 

What are some of the common procedures of hair transplant available in Singapore?

• FUT Strip Harvesting

This method involves removing your living hair follicles from the donor area by surgically removing a strip of scalp containing skin. Afterwards, they will dissect the strip into individual follicular units for reimplantation into the areas that are balding. Then the surgical wound will be closed allowing for the hairs next to the wound to be as close to each other as possible.

• FUE Method

FUE basically stands for Follicular Unit Extraction whereas FUEE stands for Follicular Unit Excision and Extraction. The procedure involves individually harvesting follicular units. In order to perform this well it requires training and experience. The follicular units that are retrieved from the scalp are assessed by a group of trained technicians. They are called grafts now that contain hair follicles and the surrounding tissues that support the  follicle’s survival. The FUE method has gained popularity among many in the past decade. One main reason is the patient can be close to having scar free surgery.

Depending on the size of the transplant the process may take around 4 to 8 hours and you may be required to have an additional procedure if you still continue to lose hair or if you feel you want thicker hair.

Here are the basic 10 steps of a hair transplant:

• Trimming Hair

The donor’s area will be trimmed according to the number of grafts that are required to be harvested.

• Anaesthesia Medication

The medication is to numb the area which will be done with administration/ injection of local anaesthesia.

• Extraction 

The follicular units are loosed from the scalped and then picked for inspection by a specially trained team.

• Quality Check

Each of the grafts will be looked at from under a high magnification microscope to ensure that the follicles are intact and that there is sufficient supporting tissue around them.

• Food

Yes, normally there will be a lunch break for you to eat and replenish yourself.

• Marking

The doctors will use a marker to draw out the hairlines and marks for the recipient area.

• Site Preparation

The area is cleaned and numbed with anaesthesia. The removal or trimming of the surrounding hair on the recipient's area may not be needed.

•  Site Making

Doctors will then use a small blade to make specific incisions, ensuring that they are in a predetermined density and pattern, along with angling the wounds so that it will be a consistent pattern to show a much more realistic appearance.

• Hair Implantation

The harvested grafts will then be placed by a team of professionally trained nurses and hair technicians who have the required knowledge and experience.

• Closing

An antibiotic ointment will be applied on the area of the donor area and will be bandaged for a day. The recipient will be sprayed with a special solution that will be provided to you to ensure the area is moist and healthy.

• Recovery

Once the surgery is over, you may find your scalp extremely tender. You may have to consume medications for many days. The surgeon will ask you to keep the bandages on your head for at least a day or two. An antibiotic or anti- inflammatory drug may be prescribed for you to take over several days. Normally most people are able to return back to work fully after two to five days after the operation. Within a few weeks you will start to notice that the transplanted hair will fall out but afterwards you will notice new growth of hair. Commonly you can see 60% of new hair growth after 6 to 9 months.

• Cost

The cost of the hair transplant will vary depending on the amount of hair that you are planning on moving, it can range from $4000 to $15000 and most insurance plans do not cover it. Just like every other surgery, when it comes to transplant there is potential for risks such as bleeding and infection. There is also a chance of having scarring and an unnatural looking new hair growth. It is best to consult with your doctor about the possible risks and what is the best you can benefit from having the surgery done. With the information they provide you can make a much better decision.

Here are some things to expect after your hair transplant:

For most patients the day after their procedure they are able to go back to normal, however there are some things that you need to avoid during your recovery period to ensure you have a better recovery period and to ensure that the grafts do not accidentally dislodge in the first week. Some of the activities are as listed below;

• Physical exercise such as golfing, swimming and soccer. Most patients can go back to light exercises such as walking or jogging after a few days. But we highly encourage you to be cautious during your first week

• Do not submerge scalp in a pool

• Usage of styling products or chemical sprays

• Avoid alcohol and tobacco as it can affect the blood circulation which is critical for speedy recovery

• When bending or lying down keep your head elevated by using 2 to 3 pillows for at least the first few days

Singapore has many outlets for you to have hair restoration done and they provide hair transplant services as well. We suggest that you speak to a hair regrowth specialist first before making a decision. We hope this article has helped you clear any doubts that you may have had about hair transplants.

The above article is written purely for marketing purposes. For an actual assessment of your hair condition, please make an appointment with us.