Statistics reveal that nearly half of all women find their hair thinning by the age of 50. Figures for men could be even gloomier.
Some doctors promote estrogen as a definitive approach to prevent hair loss.
However hair transplant doctors in Frederick have this to say, “The effectiveness of hormone therapy is still not proven and long term therapy exposes patients to high levels of serious health risks”.
Preventing complete hair loss is one issue, but what is the solution for men (or women) who are already bald?
No one as yet has invented a fertilizer for hair growth.
Yes, you can alternate between one wig and another.
Sadly, not all are happy with wigs.
“It’s not the real thing”, says a professor vainly battling fast receding hair. “Moreover, people recognize it instantly”.
Till such time a magic hair growth potion is invented, anyone with no hair wanting to look young has no other option but to go for hair transplant.
The prospects of what a hair transplant procedure can do are strongly persuasive.
Chiefly, it permanently restores hair by transplanting new follicles into balding or thinning areas.
One of the most frequently asked queries relate to the duration of such a procedure.
Hair transplant doctors in Westminster usually take a full day. The transplant surgery is done under local anesthesia.
Another question relates to choosing between two most debated procedures, FUE and FUT.
1. FUT, also known as Follicular Unit Transfer
Hair transplant doctors in Frederick call it “strip harvesting”, because the procedure involves removing a single strip of scalp having copious follicles, extracting out the follicular units and then creating grafts for transplanting.
This method is meticulous and very labor intensive. Nevertheless, it is quick if done by an experienced hand.
The chief advantages of this procedure are:
• It is cheaper than FUE.
• It is very accurate because surgeons use microscopes to perform the operation.
• It is quick.
• Good number of drafts can be performed in a single session.
A few drawbacks
• The patient will have to make do with a stitch at the back of the head.
• The scar has to heal, which can take up to a week or a little more.
• It is more painful than FUE.
2. FUE, also known as Follicular Unit Extraction
In this procedure, the surgeon removes one follicular unit at a time from the donor area with a small instrument, often called punch, and transplants it into the bald area.
It is for this reason that this procedure is also called suture less transplantation.
The chief advantages of this procedure are:
• It is relatively much less invasive.
• It is less painful than FUT.
• There is quicker healing time than the FUT procedure because there are no sutures.
• There is no scar, allowing the patient to shave his/her head any time.
A few drawbacks
• More expensive than FUT.
• Total number of drafts that can be transplanted in one session is limited.
• Not as precise as FUT because hair is pulled out at random.
• Donor scalp needs to be trimmed very short to facilitate the procedure – not a very agreeable option with patients.
Regardless of the advantages and drawbacks mentioned for both the FUT and FUE procedures, it makes sense for an individual to consult a competent surgeon to get counsel on which procedure is best for their condition.