Q. What is microfollicular hair transplant surgery?
This is a surgical process which redistributes hair in areas of baldness by a technique which allows transplantation of single hair follicle one by one.
Q. Is Micro-follicular hair transplant the same as the previous procedure ?
No. earlier plugs of hair or minigrafts containing 3-4 hair follicles were used. Today we realise that the best results are obtained when we use micrografts containing 1-2 hair follicles for hair transplant. This extremely delicate and painstaking procedure results in satisfactory results.
Q. What are the benefits of Micro-follicular hair transplant surgery?
Because the donor hair is transplanted from areas not susceptible to balding, the results last a lifetime. This procedure is being used both in men and in women in androgenic alopecia as well as in other alopecia conditions, scars etc. this is a comfortable procedure, allowing return to work as soon as the next day.
Q. Who is a good candidate for a hair transplant surgery?
If the candidate has realistic expectations from the surgery, willing to understand the process and accept that the hair transplant results can take upto an year to come, he will be a good candidate. The most important aspect is the presence of hair on the potential donor sites, like the back of the head, without which hair transplant cannot be done.
Q. What are the steps in a hair transplant procedure?
This procedure involves removal of hair strip from the back of the head after giving a few injections of local anesthesia. The strip is then processed to remove hair roots containing units known as micrografts or follicular units. These micrografts are then implanted one by one in the areas of baldness after giving a few local anesthesia injections there. The whole process can take 4-10 hours.
Q. What is the recovery time?
We remove the bandages the next day. There is a bit of swelling in the area of the back of the head which can persist for a few days, however that should not stop you from carrying on your normal activities.
Q. Are there complications or risks for a hair transplant?
None. Antibiotics are given to prevent infections. A scar on the back of the head is inevitable. However that is not visible and gets hidden beneath the hair.
Q. What is FUE. Is it better than Strip procedure?
FUE is the individual removal of roots using special punches. However 91% of all hair transplant surgeons all over the world perform the strip procedure. In FUE, there are multiple dots all over the scalp, there is damage to surrounding hair follicles and large sessions are not possible , necessitating multiple procedures, and more expensive than the strip technique, thus making the latter. the preferred procedure by most major centers all over the world.
