Baldness is something that nobody wants to suffer from. But, it can be the reality for men of any age. The good news is that there are hair transplants that can offer natural and successful results, whether you are suffering from hair thinning or pattern baldness.
There are different types of hair transplants, and when you begin to look into this treatment, it can be confusing. One popular option you are going to see offered in many reputable clinics is a manual FUE hair transplant. Let’s take a look at the process involved in this treatment so you can get familiar with it.
Extracting the Healthy Hair Follicles
The first step of your hair transplant journey is going to be extracting healthy hair follicles. They will be taken from a donor area, which will be discussed with you before the procedure begins. Indeed, this is going to be from an area of the scalp where there is plenty of thick and healthy hair. The area that is these hair follicles are going to be moved to the recipient site in order to reverse baldness or hair thinning. As an example, when you choose a manual FUE hair transplant by Dr Yaman, a manual punch is going to be used to extract healthy hair follicles. This is classed as the safest way to extract them without causing damage to the skin. It also minimizes the risk of over-harvesting.
Implanting the Hair Follicles
Of course, once the healthy hair follicles have been extracted, it is going to be a case of moving them to the recipient area. This is something that can take the longest amount of time during the process. Indeed, the surgeon wants to ensure the best results. It is difficult to say how long the manual FUE hair transplant will take. This will depend on the number of hair follicles that are extracted. Roughly, you can expect the surgery to be around a few hours in duration. Most surgeons will allow you to have some breaks so that you can relax too. In fact, to put your mind at ease, there are some surgeons that will allow you to watch television during the process. This can keep you distracted and allow time to pass quickly.
Not a Painful Procedure
Many people are worried about whether a manual FUE hair transplant is going to be painful. After all, it is a type of surgery, and it can be daunting to think about. But, it is important to know that most people do not experience any pain during this process. While there can be some mild discomfort, this is not something that people find intolerable. Remember that your scalp is going to have local anesthetic on it. So, this takes away any pain.
The Recovery
Most people expect the worst when it comes to recovery from a hair transplant—in other words, having to take a lot of time off work. But, this is not the case when it comes to a manual FUE hair transplant. Most patients are able to return to work quite quickly, which can be within a few days.
There will be some rules that you need to follow after having a manual FUE hair transplant to promote the best results. For example, it will be important not to exercise for a while and not to be in direct sunlight. This should not be done for a few weeks, and you will receive advice from your surgeon. There will also be some rules regarding washing your hair. Again, your surgeon is going to give you all the information you need to follow to ensure the best results and maximum comfort during the recovery process.
Experienced surgeons are using the best devices for this surgery. This means that the damage done to the donor area is minimal, which allows for short recovery times. Thus, you can expect the donor area to heal faster than in other methods, which can be reassuring.
The Side Effects
Again, recovery is faster than other methods. But, you can expect some side effects after the surgery. When you know what they are, you are not going to panic. In particular, some swelling can happen. While this can be quite mild, you might find it alarming. Know that this is normal and it can last for a few days. For instance, swelling is common on the scalp, but it can also appear around the eyes and they can become puffy.
There is also likely to be something called shock loss. This is when the hair starts to shed and fall out. Again, this is something that does not sound good when you have just had a hair transplant. But, it is a normal part of the process. The hair tends to grow back faster after this stage.
The Results
Generally, results can start to really show around six months in and it can take up to one year to see the full results from a hair transplant. The key is to be patient and make sure you are taking care of yourself during this time. Then, you can enjoy thicker and fuller hair. This means making sure you have a healthy diet, you are following your surgeon’s instructions, and you are taking care of the hair. It will be exciting to see what this transplant has achieved for you.