The treatment of male and female baldness, plays an important role in maintaining a youthful look. The loss of hair at an early age, mainly in the twenties and thirties, can make you appear to be a lot older than they really are and can lower your self- esteem.
Human hairs grow in certain parts of our head during all our lives. This growth is approximately 1cm per month and goes through various phases:
- · Anagen Active Growth Phase (2 – 6 years)
- · Catagen Involution Phase (1 – 2 weeks)
- · Telogen Resting Phase (3 – 6 months)
The duration of each of these phases are variable.
A good and healthy scalp has approximately 100 000 hairs. Of those, 90% are in the Anagen Phase, 1% in the Catagen Phase and the remaining 9% in the Telogen Phase. The hairs in the Telogen Phase do not grow and are slowly being pushed out of the scalp by the new hair which forms in the hair follicle (hair bulb). It is normal to lose up to 60 or 70 hairs per day.
There are different causes of hair loss:
- Androgenic Baldness produces the loss of hair in men and women. In this condition, hormones along with hereditary characteristics produce the loss.
Less common causes:
- Traumatism: physical, chemical or radiation.
- Infections.
- Hormones.
- Diet.
- Some medications, etc.
Generally men begin to lose hair from the front hairline, (receding hairline) or the vertex. Women generally begin to lose the density of their hair.
People often want to solve the problem with different inefficient products and wigs are often unaccepted. There is still no permanent solution to hair loss, however hair transplant surgery is one of the best options, nowadays offering even more natural results.
INDICATIONS:
This surgery will benefit those patients with the following conditions:
- · Androgenic baldness.
- · A patient who has a realistic objective.
- In other cases, the cause of baldness must be studied, and then treated if possible.
- There is no age limit.
CONTRAINDICATIONS:
- In some diseases, such as alopecia areata and trichotillomania.
- We will not operate if we believe that your objective is not realistic. IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO OPERATE ON PEOPLE WITH EXAGERATED OR FANTASY EXPECTATIONS. I recommend you read the chapter”
SURGICAL OBJECTIVE:
- Solve baldness and increase the amount of hairs seeking the most natural look possible.
PLANNING THE SURGERY:
BEFORE OPERATING:
First you must undergo a complete medical examination. Then we will be able to give you in writing, the modifications that are suitable for you. We always do a photo session as a fundamental part of evaluating your case.
WITHOUT PHOTOS WE DO NOT OPERATE. IT IS ALSO VERY IMPORTANT THAT YOU REMEMBER THAT ALL THE INFORMATION YOU RECEIVE IN WRITING, SHOW AN ESTIMATION OF THE FINAL RESULT.
Between you, the patient and me the Plastic Surgeon, we should agree on the results that we are able to achieve. We ask for blood tests regularly.
We always examine the patient in combination with a Dermatologist.
Remember hair transplant surgery can be suitable for almost all types of baldness. We can also implant hair to increase the density. In the case of a large area of baldness, more than one operation is required, normally between 2 to 3, with a period of 8 months waiting in between the procedures. In the first operation we are able to transplant between 2000 and 4000 hairs, in the second of third operation we are able to transplant an additional amount of hair.
ANESTHESIA:
- Local Anaesthesia, plus Sedation.
- The patient is outgoing.
PROCEDURE:
1 – Anesthesia is applied throughout the whole scalp.
2 – The removal of an area of scalp from the back of the patients head, where hair growth is dense. Normally we remove an area around 2 cm in width and 8 cm in length.
3 – The closure of the removed section with stitches.
4 – The preparation of the follicular units, using microscopes.
5 – Transplantation of the follicles in the bald area.
Operating time varies, depending on the amount of hair needed for transplanting, approximately 10 hours.
6 – After operating a bandage is places around the head, this can be removed between 24 to 48 hours.
EVOLUTION:
After the operation, the hairs start to grow, up to 5mm. After this period the hair begins to fall out. 3 to 4 months later the hairs start to grow again and will then grow permanently.
RECOVERY:
- The patient is outgoing.
- If you experience some discomfort, analgesics can be taken, but never Aspirin as it causes bleeding.
- We give antibiotics but infection is uncommon.
- 30 days after the operation we recommend you use Minoxidil (3%) for a 60 day period.
- A special shampoo is also recommended.
FINAL RESULTS:
- Hair transplantation gives the most natural results, the final results can be seen 1 year after the first operation.
POSIBLE COMPLICATIONS:
- Complications are uncommon, but remember plastic surgery without risks does not exist.
- 20% of patients can have fat pustules(cysts) and vesicles .
