Hair Transplantation for Men with Advanced Degrees of Hair Loss

Dr Vipin Barthwal, Plstic Surgeon, New Delhi/ NCR 

There is perhaps no greater challenge in surgical hair restoration than treating the individual with advanced male pattern hair loss. Fortunately, in probably no other area in the field of hair restoration have advancements in technique and changes in approach led to such a great improvement in results. 

More than 60 percent of all men experience some degree of cosmetically noticeable hair loss by age 50.

The average head contains 100,000 hairs at peak density, with approximately 25 percent of these hairs located in the “permanent” donor area. As many as 50 percent (or 12,500) of the 25,000 hairs within the donor region are available for transplanting, meaning that they can be harvested and the donor site closed without resulting in scarring or abnormal lack of adequate density.

The amount of coverage attained from a hair transplant is a result of the number of hairs transplanted that actually grow. Follicular unit grafting, with single donor strip harvesting and microscopic sectioning of the donor material, is probably the most effective technique for ensuring maximal hair growth. Follicular unit grafting recognizes the aesthetic advantages of keeping intact the natural bundles of hairs as they grow in the scalp. Each follicular unit graft consists of one to four hairs and relies on microscopic dissection for accuracy.The common factor in all natural appearing hair restorations, whether for limited or advanced hair loss, is the creation of an irregular, broken-line hairline composed of

one-hair and, occasionally, two-hair grafts. Subtleties, such as the direction in which the hair grows and the angle from which the hair emerges from the scalp, can have a profound effect on the overall aesthetic appearances.

Follicula unit hair transplantation is the standard and time tested technique with highest patient satisfaction .

The whole procedure is done under local anaesthesia and do not require full anaesthesia. Patient do not require hospital adission and goes back home the same day and can resume normal work from the next day . It usually takes 5 – 6 hours for the whole procedure, which is done by painless technique. Final results are usually expected 6 – 8 months after the procedure which are usually quite good in the hands of an expert  hair transplant surgeon . The transplanted hair grow naturally and have longer life than the original hair.