What Is Surgical Hair Restoration And How Does It Work?

For people battling hair loss problems, surgical interventions can help in its restoration. Among the common follicular transplantation processes include strip harvesting and follicular unit extraction (FUE). 

A common surgical hair restoration technique, FUE has become quite popular. It involves removing hair follicles from the individual’s scalp, face, chest, or legs and transplanting them to hairless areas. 

The latest techniques of restoration offer permanent results. If you are looking for a fue hair transplant in Singapore, it would be wise to visit a center that specializes in performing the treatment. Reinstatement of hair can be performed for eyebrows and eyelashes as well. 

The strip harvesting process

This technique entails implanting skin strips on the individual’s balding areas to regrow tresses on the bald patch whereas in FUE, hair bunches and their follicles are removed using the hand. These are subsequently grafted to the individual’s hairless area.

In strip harvesting, the grafted site will have a wiry scar. However, within a couple of weeks, you can expect a full recovery whereas in FUE the recovery time is comparatively lesser. Also, the latter technique can be performed over a single session or in multiple ones. FUE takes longer to perform as it is manually done but gives natural results, leaving no scars behind. 

Also known as the follicular unit strip surgery, in strip harvesting, the surgeon removes a strip of skin (6-10”) from the back of the scalp. This area is hidden by the mane around it. Then the removed scalp strip is divided into tiny grafts (500-2000). Each of these grafts either has an individual hair follicle or a few etched to it. 

How many grafts would be required, the type of graft needed would all depend on factors such as your mane type, its quality, color, and the site on which you are getting the grafting done. In the case of FUE, the scalp is shaved from the back, and follicles are removed one-by-one to be transplanted onto the recipient site. This area then heals on its own with small dots that the existing mane covers.

In both the procedures, be it strip harvesting or FUE, the area where the new hair or skin will go is numbed. Then the surgeon creates holes or slits with a needle or scalpel on the scalp and carefully places each graft into respective holes. In most cases, the process is performed by the surgeon and his team. 

The time taken for completion of the process would depend on the size of the transplant that you need and it ranges anywhere between 4-8 hours. One can always decide on a particular surgical process for mane restoration based on their preference and consultation with the expert. In many places, strip harvesting is considered as a cost-effective process. Read more on how to care for your assets after transplant at https://www.wikihow.com/Care-for-a-Hair-Transplant

Here are a few facts about hair restoration 

– The process of surgical restoration differs from the non-surgical one. In the latter, a selected hair base is fixed on the scalp instead of triggering natural growth as is done in the case of follicle unit transplant or strip harvesting. 

– The impact of the transplant is different for every individual. Clinical transplant does not mean that you will suddenly grow a bush on your head. 

– After the surgery is performed, the grafted tresses behave like natural. It most cases, it sheds between 2-4 weeks of the transplant. It is only after that period that new roots begin to shoot hair on their own. This is a permanent process where you can expect it to continue growing for a lifetime. 

– It’s a time-consuming process in which local anesthesia is administered to render it painless. The patient is released the same day. 

– The cost of tress grafting surgery would vary depending on the chosen procedure. Higher the number of grafts, the higher would be the cost.  

– Not every baldness case can be resolved via common clinical restoration methods. It’s best to discuss your case with an expert before taking a call. 

Your surgeon should be able to suggest the appropriate technique of transplantation that can benefit you the most. It’s best to discuss all the benefits and risks associated with any of the hair restoration services that you opt for. 

Samantha

Samantha hails from Virginia and is a proud wife to a retired Deputy Sheriff and mother to two amazing little boys named Jack & William. A veteran product reviewer; Samantha has been reviewing products for 8 years and offers high quality product reviews with original photography.