What is Hair Transplantation?

Hair Transplant plays an important role in showing the social and psychological state of people. For this reason, people who experience hair loss apply to hair transplantation, which is a medical solution. Although hair loss is a physical condition, it affects the psychological state of people. Therefore, the deficiency in the general condition of the hair can be important enough to cause serious psychological problems in some people.

The process of transferring the hair follicles taken from the regions where the hair follicles are denser to the balding or thinned areas of the people who have alopecia (hair loss) problem is also called hair transplantation. In other words, it is a surgical operation preferred especially in Turkey as a natural and permanent solution to baldness.

What are the Causes of Hair Loss?

The average number of hair strands of a healthy adult individual is 100 thousand. In daily life, approximately 150 hairs are shed every day and this is considered normal. However, these lost hairs are replaced by new ones

The most common cause of hair loss in people is hair loss called androgenetic alopecia, which is caused by the effect of genetics. This genetic tendency, which can be passed on by the mother or father, may face the problem of hair loss in 50 percent of people in some part of their lives. Significant hair loss can occur in four out of every ten men between the ages of 40-50. However, this hair loss, called androgenetic, can also be seen in the teens, twenties or thirties.

The cause of hair loss is not only genetic. Hair loss may also occur due to excessive stress, unbalanced diet, traumatic injuries or various medical conditions.

How to Do Hair Transplantation?

Grafts are the roots taken from the programmed area of ​​the hair not to fall out. It is taken by the hair transplant doctor and technicians to transfer it to the area where it is needed aesthetically. Afterwards, these hair follicles are kept in a solution for planting. Hair transplantation should be done carefully and proportionally. Otherwise, an artificial image will appear. Micro grafts, that is, grafts containing 1-2 hair follicles are generally used to create the front hairline. Other planned areas are planted with Minigrafts containing 4-6 grafts. Removal of grafts, selection of the recipient area, frequency and angle are the factors that directly affect the result.

In general, the hair follicles taken from the nape area are used, and if they are not sufficient, they can also be taken from areas containing hair such as the chest area. Hair transplantation is performed with an operation of 6-8 hours using 3000 to 6000 grafts.

Operation and Basic Stages

Before the operation, the person should be prepared both physically and psychologically for the application and for the situation he will encounter afterwards. Afterwards, the person should be informed about the surgical procedure stages, which are the examination and preparation stage, anesthesia application, extraction stage, canal stage and planting stage, and should be warned against the risks of complications.

#1

Inspection and Preparation Phase

Hair transplantation begins with determining the wishes of the person, reviewing the current situation of the person with consultation and determining whether the person is suitable for hair transplantation. In this process, it is important to establish trust by evaluating the expectations of the person together with the physician. The doctor receives status information such as blood pressure, bleeding problem, regularly used medication, alcohol, and cigarettes. The person is made ready for the procedure by performing the necessary examinations in line with all this information. In the same way, the doctor determines the donor area and targets the hairless area where it will look natural.

#2

Anesthesia Practice

Local anesthesia or, optionally, sedation can be applied to the person who will have the application. Sedation is a light practice in which the person is conscious and able to speak and does not remember the painful process. The person to be sedated should be followed throughout the operation. The comfort of the person to be transplanted is very important. This is possible if the hair transplantation process is as painless as possible in terms of physiological and psychological aspects.

#3

Graft Retrieval Phase

It is the process of collecting hair follicles with the FUE engine of the donor area determined in the person. This method, in which each Follicular Unit is taken one by one, is the Micro Motor FUE method, which is much more advanced than the old technology. It also allows more grafts to be taken and roots are taken from the person quickly in a single session.

These grafts, which are collected without any damage, are separated into groups according to the number of hairs. Hair follicles collected before transplanting are stored in a sterile special solution.

#4

Channel Stage

Making small incisions for the grafts to be planted in the area to be planted is called channel opening. The most important operation affecting the success of the hair transplant operation is the channel opening process. The channels are opened with the help of sapphire tip punches. Therefore, this process is also called Sapphire Fue Hair Transplantation. The channels should be opened correctly and should be opened in accordance with the natural hair direction and angle of the person.

#5

Transplant Phase

It is appropriate that the incisions of the area to be planted should be between 0.7-1.2 mm in size. While grafts containing 1-2 hairs are used for smaller incisions than others, larger incisions are made for grafts containing 3-4 hairs. For this reason, while opening the channels, the size of the grafts, sufficient density and the best direction and angle for the natural result to occur are the points to be considered. At the same time, it is necessary not to damage the natural hair follicles in the area.

#6

Complications

With the development of technology, the operated person can return to his daily life within 1-2 days thanks to painless and small cuts.

To Whom Can Hair Transplantation Be Applied?

Contrary to popular belief, hair transplantation is not done only for men. Hair Transplantation for women is also very common. Since the nape area is generally used as a donor, sufficient hair on the nape is sufficient for transplantation. If there is not enough hair on the side and back of the head, the chest area of ​​the male can also be used as a donor.

Various treatments can be applied to individuals between the ages of 20-70. Hair density can be increased by using suitable methods for people who experience baldness or want to increase sparseness.

What are Hair Transplant Methods?

Today, more than one hair transplant method is used. With the advancement of technology, some methods are now being replaced by new and modern methods. For example, the Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) method has replaced the FUT method.

In FUE Hair Transplantation method, hair follicles are extracted one by one from the donor site and planted in the recipient area. Roots are extracted with 1 mm or smaller punches and hair transplantation is performed without leaving a scar. The use of sapphire tips is increasing compared to normal FUE instruments.

Although the FUE method is mostly used, which method will be preferred is determined after the hair and scalp analysis, and after the person decides together with Gencay Temiz and his team, taking into account the demands and priorities of the person.

Another frequently used hair transplant method is the DHI (Direct Hair Implantation) method. In this method, which also provides unshaven hair transplantation, the removal stage is the same as FUE. Differently, a channel is not opened in the forehead area of ​​the person, the channel is opened at the same time with the Choi pen, which is the implanter material developed. Afterwards, the graft behind the penetrating part of the pen is left in the open space. To summarize, people with a small number of grafts to be transplanted or who do not want to shave may request the use of this method.

How is Hair Care Done After Hair Transplantation?

Hair transplantation takes an average of 6-8 hours. After the operation, a bandage is wrapped around the donor site. After that, the person is given instructions to pay attention to and drugs to use. For the first wash, the person comes to the clinic 2 days later and the bandage is removed and the washing process is performed. After the 2nd day, the person can return to his daily life.

In order not to damage the roots in the transplanted area, activities that will make the scalp sweat should not be done for the first few days. Because sweat can damage the transplanted hair follicles. During the first 2 days, it is important to sleep in a position that will prevent the transplanted area from rubbing against the pillow.

What Happens After Hair Transplantation?

Vigorous physical activities should be avoided for about 1 week after hair transplantation. Crusting and itching in the transplanted site may continue for 10 days. This is a sign that you are entering the healing process.

Shedding, called shock shedding, occurs and the transplanted hair falls out at the end of the first month. The transplanted hair starts to grow in 2-3 months. After 6 months, the person can clearly observe the hair growth. After 12-18 months, the real results of the transplant operation are seen.

In this whole process, the person also has a responsibility to get a successful planting result. No matter how well the hair transplant operation went, the person should take care of it very well and regularly during this process, and pay attention to its nutrition in a way that does not damage the roots.