Hair Restoration To Baldness Using Body Hair

Hair forms to be a major aspect of a person’s face, so much crucial that with changing shape and style, the entire appearance varies. Thus, candid     ate loosing more than normal amount of hair strands can go for several options available to them like FUT and FUE, etc.

Hair is a vital object in the body.  Taking a random picture in this scenario would show that around 80% of men are affected by androgenic alopecia, which is men pattern baldness. Usually in the process of hair transplantation, the hair from the back of the scalp of the patient himself is considered as the donor region replaces the barren space. But what should the people with no hairs left in their head do. This is when the need of changing the donor zone comes on the scene.

Body hair is also used in the procedure of hair transplantation surgery, known as the advanced follicular unit extraction.  The one limiting factor which can obstruct you from achieving a successful outcome is the limited donor zone.  Body hair is proposed to be an alternative to the source of the donor region from where the hair could be taken. Though body hair is seen to grow much longer when placed in the scalp, as a result from the influence of scalp dermis or recipient influence.

FUE enables to harvest follicular units with natural grouping of 1-4 hairs at a time, which are implanted in the recipient zone.

As a leap forward for this advanced practice, this donor area enables potential chance of hair transplant with body hair. Any hair transplant actually confines the donor supply to the 5000-7000 follicles, but only a tenth of the lost hair can be replaced using a head donor source alone, with at times making it a displeasing coverage area.

 The benefits

When it becomes virtually impossible to achieve full scalp coverage of hair with successful hair transplant to restore hair, the body hair transplant has opened up great opportunities combined with today’s technologies for a virtually limitless amount of donor hair, eliminating the previously faced issue.

·        Minimally invasive process

·        Minimal scarring

·        Quick recovery

·        Services even severely bald men

·        Also meets the need of eyebrow transplantation

There are certain things which the patients should know from beforehand. The location change of the scalp doesn’t change the physiology of the body hair and the growth will be just to a certain extent and can never grow longer than that nor change the composition compared to what it was in the original location.  Depending on the success of the process, the new hair usually grows around nine months and continues to improve for the next 24 months.

Follicular Unit Transplant—Improvisations Of The Strip Technique

Over the years something, more than just the revamped names have changed. With improvision over the years, the surgery was performed by the surgeons as groups of 1- 4 hairs pulled together, known as follicular units. The principle of follicular grafting has come up with a new dimension with well projected medical procedure and revamped terminologies like FUT and FUE. Inititally, the surgeons juts picked up random numbers from anywhere they found suitable depending upon their perception of hair restoration process.  But this technique had a very funny looking appearance and the head seemed to look like a doll’s hair, which was far from natural.

 The process which involved punch grafting and strip harvesting had both increased the count of morbidity issues as the idea of a method which involved excising the skin from the permanent donor zone at the back of the scalp didn’t do quite well, resulting in more and more scars and unwanted results.

Giving rise to a new technique of strip excision known as Follicular Unit Transplant  or FUT procedure.  The main change, which has come with the internal process with the use of multiple bladed scalpels during the process of anesthesia. But after the change in scenario now after local anesthesia the procedure is performed without affecting the area anyhow, without bruising, scarring or excess blood loss.

Local anesthesia constricts the collagen and blood vessels, causing less blood flow and fastening up the recovery procedure.  While there were multiple strips of skin extracted, causing more transection rate of hair follicles earlier, it is just a  2mm wide strip of skin  from the donor zone which is deployed.

With the help of advanced technique the donor wound is closed with a closure technique known as Trichp closure which dissolves with the soluble sutures and staples.  Before this the donor closure technique of the strip procedure had morbidity issues with serrated island and pierce closure techniques.

Infact , standing in the present scenario, the punch grafting technique is outdated and FUT is the preferred one.  Some people confuse between these two processes as they may look pretty similar.

But in reality the hair follicle units are harvested one by one with micro-punches and magnified vision with advanced techniques and super fine instruments, leaving tiny pin prick holes in the donor zone and a decreased density of hair. While earlier, it would be in the size of a pencil eraser leaving bigger spots to heal.

The FUE process takes 2 weeks time to complete healing and fade, which is way faster than the previously used technique. Patients are given post operative instructions which should be taken care of enabling faster recovery.

Hair Grafts— Methods, Possibilities, Costs and Reviews

Hair transplantation is an autologous surgery wherein a person’s own hair at the back of the scalp is relocated onto bald areas at the front and center of the scalp to achieve an even coverage all over. The density and volume of the resulting hair restoration depend on how much hair the patient has to donate for the procedure.

There are two modern methods of extracting the donor hair— Follicular Unit Transplant (FUT strip excision) and Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE). The two methods differ by means how the donor hairs are extracted, while the final creation of the hair grafts and the methods of planting them on the recipient (bald) zones, are all the same. FUT removes a strip of skin from the donor zone and dissects that skin to yield hair grafts according to the follicular units, while FUE plucks them out directly from the scalp.

Follicular Grafting and Micro Grafts

It is now identified that hair growth takes place in a certain pattern, in naturally occurring groups of hair rather than the single strands as we see it. There are single hair follicles as well as 2, 3, 4 and a maximum of 5 hair follicles that are densely packed in a unit, termed as follicular units.

So now, each hair graft contains from a single hair follicle forming a single hair graft, and up to 5 hairs, forming micro grafts. Hair transplantation practitioners hadn’t known about the hair follicular units until the late 90s. The predated techniques of the 80s and early 90s used larger hair grafts, that were chunks of skin harvested through strip excision or punch grafting that went on to create hair plugs that looked like the bristles of a toothbrush rather than natural hair. But now, only follicular grafting concept is followed outdating the “mini grafts” as now referred to contrast with single grafts and micro grafts.

Types of Hair Grafts

The types of hair grafts are referred by the number of hairs each graft contains, which could be from one to 5 and sometimes, 6 hairs and anything more that that could be considered as an immigrant that is no more in use.

Types of hair grafts are classified as a single hair sprouting from one individual follicular unit, type two could be two hairs sharing one hair follicular unit, and a three or more hairs sprouting from a common unit. Hair graft numbers determine the placement of them in a row.

Creating Hair Grafts

The creation of hair grafts differ with FUT and FUE. The strip excision with FUT is done under a microscope in an open dissection process where the surgeon could see the hair angles and directions apparently. Hair follicles have the tendency to change directions that seem on the surface of the scalp and that which resides beneath. So the open dissection is an advantage, which with the FUE procedure is a risk factor. As the FUE procedure plucks out he hair follicular units, it is at risk that the hair graft could be damaged in the very way of extracting it, if it is pulled in the opposite direction.

Hair Loss— Types And Causes

About Hair Growth Cycle

Every hair is a single shaft which grows form a follicle embedded on the dermal papillae of the scalp. The hairs keep growing and fall out and grow again, and this growth cycle continues.

Ø Male Pattern Baldness

Receding hairline is what determines the pattern of a male baldness. This hairline keeps on moving backwards and forms an ‘M’ pattern. Caused mainly due to genetic pre disposition and hormonal changes and fluctuations, this is pretty common among all men.

Ø Women Pattern Baldness

The hair thins starting from the top crown region and the exact reason behind this are still not understood. It can be due to any of the below mentioned things like changes in the  male hormone for example  after  reaching menopause , aging , or medical side effects, pregnancy, etc.

Ø Telogen Effluvium

Telogen Effluvium is the second most common form of hair loss, which starts at the early telogen phase of hair growth cycle, causing the telogen hair to shed, which can be recognized with the presence of the keratin bulb which sticks at the root of the hair.

Ø Traction Alopecia

This is a form of alopecia caused when external force is applied in pullingthe hair, leading to trauma and tension in the area. This is mainly found on head of people who tie their hairs a lot in pony tail, pig tail, braid, corn rows, etc from of hair styles. Mainly found among the Afro American women, telogen alopecia is not quite uncommon among female candidates.

Aspects Which Make A Candidate Ideal For Hair Transplant

1.     Donor Density

This plays a great role in hair transplantation as if the patient possesses good hair density then the transplanted hair in the recipient area can be expected to grow in a fair density.

2.     Donor Dominance

Auto grafting, which is also known as donor dominance maintains the characteristics of the donor hair selected, deciding upon the growth rate, texture and quality of the existing hair which will offer probable results in a new site irrespective of what are the qualities of the recipient area.

3.     Scalp Laxity

The extent which determines how far the tissues can be stretched under tension suggests the scalp laxity. Though it varies from person to person, but one with a good scalp laxity can recover more hair restoration in lesser time post surgery as compared to candidates with weaker scalp laxity.

For more details please visit our Harley Street Hair Transplant Clinic.

Exploring the FUT Strip Technique

There are numerous factors which can cause tremendous amount of hair loss, so much so that there remains no viable option to be chosen from other than going for the hair transplantation. The two main types of hair transplant, which have been ruled in the present scenario, are FUT (Follicular Unit Transplant) and FUE (Follicular Unit Extraction). There is a stigma attached to the FUT procedure of hair transplant has misled many and taken away from the pros of the newly advanced methods. FUT strip process involves a single blade incision, follicular grafting and is a lesser invasive procedure with more benefits than demerits.

FUT strip has developed from the old technique of strip harvesting, involving a procedure of stripping out a thin part of the skin from the back of the scalp, which is the permanent donor zone, meant for yielding donor hair. The strip procedure has been previously the sole reason for donor scarring, bruising and hair plugs. But with the advanced technology and improvised techniques, follicular grafting and micro dissection has changed the dimensions of the outcome involved.  Infact, now it is favored by the surgeons themselves for an even quality of hair grafts as compared to the FUE process  for a full head coverage operation just under a 7 hour session.

·        Use Of The Local Anesthesia

Previously this method  was performed  under general anesthesia, with greater issues of blood loss, scarring and bruising, replaced by the new procedure of local anesthesia, which not only constricts the blood vessels of the treatment area, but also  stiffens the excess blood loss in that region.

·        Use Of A Single Blade Incision

With the use of a scalpel just a lateral slit is made in the present time, which used to be a multi blade incision process.  This has reduced the level of scarring along with greater rate of success to achieve the desired results.

·        Follicular Grafting

Every hair grows out of a single follicle.  The follicular grafting is abided by FUE hair restoration and FUT. / While for FUT the strip of skin is placed under a microscope to dissect the follicular grafts, while the FUE process involves the donor zone to be cropped and collected after easy detection under 30 x magnifications.

·        Undermining

Performed occasionally to relive tension this process can help you ease out while recovering.

·        Trichophytic Closure

This closure process reduces the chance of the coordinated incision in a systematic way. This closure technique also allows the existing hairs to grow leniently through the scar hiding it completely.

·        Use of absorbable staples and sutures

 The closure of the donor wound can be either is done with sutures or staples. With staples there will be lesser inserted and lesser inflammation, and lesser risk of damaging the existing hair after donor harvesting.

All About A Successful Eyebrow Restoration

Eyebrows occupy a very visible location on one’s face and play quite an important role by changing the dimension of the eye area entirely upon its shape, the significant loss of which may cause a total change in the way the face appears. Though the styles and trend keeps changing, but sparse eyebrow are not quite aesthetically desirable.

Hair transplant in the eyebrow region are done both by men and women.  Eyebrow restoration is in fact gaining wide popularity which is achieved with FUE procedures aids remarkable results. Be it angled eyebrows, or naturally formed, everything is possible with this process.

Main causes of eyebrow loss

Gene plays an important role in every kind of physical symptoms. Starting from androgenic alopecia, thyroid problems, scarring, side burns, and side effects from tattooing and repeated plucking can result in permanent hair loss in the eyebrow region.

Understanding the anatomy of eyebrows is quite dramatic in varied directions and angles. The edge of the eyebrows hairs close to the nose, directs upwards and as it goes towards the centre and end, the hair angles downwards or outwards, which often adds augmentation in the central brow region.

There is another basic difference between the hair follicles and eyebrows growing flat to the surface of the skin, as compared to the skin of the scalp hair. The growth cycle of the hair of the eyebrows are opposed to the hair follicular units in the scalp. The growth phase of the scalp can last upto 7 years, while the eyebrow hair growth lasts upto 4 months.

Techniques Followed For Eyebrow Hair Transplant:

The natural anatomy of eyebrow directs the course of the eyebrow restoration minutely. As the hair technique in the eyebrows are quite different from the hairs on our scalp. The texture and the angles of the scalp hair are usually flatter and finer, which requires finer equipments for prominent outcomes.   In most cases the hair from the nape of the neck matches the texture of the eyebrow closely enough for successful transplant.

The hairs are twisted to from the naturally curling brow hair.

Usually 50-100 hair grafts are required to restore a full eyebrow structure and FUE hair transplantation technique is used for extracting a single hair follicle through micro- grafting. Surprisingly enough the end result happens to offer natural appearance and just less than one time investment you can regain your entire look with a perfectly done eyebrow.

There is just one problem related to this procedure. As the follicles are taken from the other body areas, thus the destined growth of hair length is longer than what is meant for facial hair. But regular trimming is the solution to this issue, though seasonal trim leaves the ends brittle unlike the natural fine-tipped end of normal eyebrows.

Trichophytic Closure: Witness Scar- Less Wounds Post-Surgery

For those seeking for a hair transplant with strip method, there is a high possibility of being left with a long linear scar in the donor region, making it the major concern for many who wished to undertake the same. But with the introduction and practice of the Trichophytic closure method, witnessing a scarless end result has become possible.

The hair closures done post surgery is actually really important as it may or may not leave the potential range of the linear scar in the donor region. The Trichophytic form of closure ensures practical invisibility of the wound in the donor area. 

Mainly used for closing the wound which occurs due to removal of the strip in the FUT technique of hair transplantation, Trichophytic Closure is considered a new way to camouflage the hair transplant incisions in patients.

When the edges of the donor wound are meticulously closed, they result a fine, linear scar which is approximately 1-2mm in width.   If the connective tissue of the patient and the edges of the scar are roughly closed, then there is highly possibility of leaving scars wide enough to be visible by the naked eyes. 

While the educated patient hopes that the hair transplant surgery produces scars practically invisible to the normal eye and stays assured that the scars can be invisible so that they can wear their hairs’ short. And Trichophytic Closure procedure is the best way to improve the intensity of the scars, which we receive post surgery.

This process is inclusive of trimming the upper edge of the incision and suturing the wound in such a way enabling certain amount of hair growth through the scar making it invisible. The edges of the wound, which were cut in an oblique manner for better overlapping is sutured.

The Success Rate

The success of this closure technique just doesn’t depend on how far experienced the surgeon is, but also on the rate of healing process and characteristics of the patient’s skin.   Not every patient is meant for undergoing Tricho closing, especially for the younger patients, which is why the surgeons decide on which close technique to use.

FUT itself is capable of creating naturalistic results and along with that if it is accompanied by this close technique the result is self assuring. 

Tricho means ‘short’ suggesting the fact that you can opt for this closure technique in case you wish to wear your hair short. It is seen mostly in the reconstructive or corrective hair treatment.  Get the correct know about regarding the technique to structure your hair and scalp accordingly. Hair transplantation is a great option to people suffering from significant loss of hair, putting away stages of worry which may be faced.