If you are currently experiencing hair loss, we have some good news for you. There are now lots of methods promising to help you restore your youthful look, but are they worth the time and money? Hair transplant surgery, in particular, has become incredibly popular, and there are lots of high-end clinics in Turkey offering a variety of procedures, but are they as effective as advertised?
To answer this important question in more detail, we have provided an overview of the different techniques used, who they are for, and what the most common results are.
What Does a Hair Transplant Entail?
Many have heard this phrase, but what does it actually mean? What are the main types of hair transplant procedures, how do they work, and are there any risks involved? Let’s go over each method and see.
Follicular Unit Transplantation (FUT)
This variation has been around for decades and is now considered a bit dated, as newer techniques offer more natural-looking results. Nonetheless, a cut is made in the donor area, just above the neck at the back of the head, to remove a strip of skin along with all the hair on it. That is why it’s also known as Follicular Unit Strip Surgery (FUSS).
Then the tissue is broken down into individual hair grafts containing one to four strands, and the surgeon makes incisions in the bald spots of the scalp, where they then implant the donor hair. It is quick and offers excellent graft survivability, but the patient is left with a scar, the operation takes longer to recover from, and there is a higher risk of complications.
Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE)
Unlike the previous option, FUE is a minimally invasive operation where each follicle is taken from the donor site one by one, preserved in a special solution, and then implanted in previously made microscopic incisions at the recipient site. The tools used are state-of-the-art, with sapphire blades that reduce tissue damage and improve precision, becoming more common.
Direct Hair Implantation (DHI)
In this subcategory of the previous method, the assistants can load the extracted grafts into Choi Pens, specialized instruments with a hollow needle tip, and the surgeon can make a tiny hole and implant the follicle in one motion. This offers more precision, and the donor hairs can be placed closer together for a fuller, natural look. The latest Robotic DHI automates a part of the procedure, and allows two people to work on implantation at the same time, thus cutting the length of the surgery by half.
The success rates of hair transplants in Turkey performed using the FUE and DHI methods are 95% to 98%, based on data from thousands of operations.
Who Is the Best Candidate for the Procedure?
The most common cause of hair loss is genetic, so if you have a family history of male pattern baldness, you will experience it at some point in your life as well. For most people, it starts in their early to mid-thirties, and it’s typical to see a more deeply receding hairline, in an “M” or “V” shape, and thinning of the existing hair on the top of the head, during this time.
This is analogous to stages 3 and 4 on the Norwood scale, and noticeable in 50% of men in this age group, although some can begin to experience it when they are only 18 to 20 years old.
If you are between 30 and 40, and have had this type of hair loss for the last five years, you are an ideal candidate for a hair transplant procedure. Patients are advised against doing the operation earlier in life, as the specific hair loss pattern won’t yet be fully developed, which can lead to a patchy look in several years, as it progresses.
Expectations
Will a modern hair transplant work in most cases? What type of hair growth can you expect? Is there some sort of side effect to worry about?
These are the usual questions doctors get from people who are considering this procedure, and they have a fairly simple answer. If performed by a skilled surgeon at a good clinic, up to 98% of surgeries are considered a success, with patients regaining a full head of hair within one year after the surgery.
How Long Will the Results Last?
It’s difficult to put a specific number on how long the transplanted hair will last, as there are lots of different factors at play with each separate case. However, as long as you had it at an age when your hair loss pattern was stable and in a stage where you still had plenty of hair in the donor area, it should last for years and years.
With the appropriate aftercare in the first few days post-op and the upcoming months, and if you are careful not to pull the hair hard and put stress on it over the years, you could keep your youthful look for the rest of your life. If the existing hair continues falling out in other areas with time, you can schedule an additional session.
Things You Can Do After the Operation to Get the Best Results
During the first few days post-op, you will need to use a neck pillow to elevate your head when you sleep and avoid touching the scalp. You should also wear buttoned shirts or clothes with zippers to avoid pulling anything over your head and stay out of direct sunlight.
From day five and up to two weeks after the surgery, you will be able to wash your hair gently using lukewarm water from a bowl or bottle (not a high-pressure shower) and apply the oils provided by the clinic to moisturize the scalp.
The scabs will have fallen off by then, and you can go back to your regular routine in the upcoming months, but be careful not to engage in activities where someone could put their hands on your head or you could bump it into an object.