Long gone are the days of "hair plugs" and "barbie-doll-cornrow" looking hair transplants. According to Dr. Gregory Pistone, an elite hair restoration surgeon recommended by the American Hair Loss Association, the surgical hair restoration industry is a multi-billion dollar industry. If you are considering a hair transplant, become familiar with the procedure and the resources that will help you select a highly skilled physician.
Theory of Hair Loss
Pistone reports that hair loss is caused by certain hair follicles being overly sensitive to dihydrotestosterone, or DHT. DHT attaches to and shrinks hair follicles that are not genetically programed to withstand this androgenic hormone. As this progresses, hairs become less dense and appear significantly thinner.
The Foundation of Hair Restoration notes that three main factors contribute to the onset of hair loss: one, having the genetic disposition to male- or female-pattern baldness; two, the presence of dihydrotestosterone; and third, your age. The older you are, the more likely that hair loss will affect you.
Procedure
Hair transplantation is a highly precise procedure that requires a skilled physician but is relatively easy to understand. In short, according to the Foundation for Hair Restoration, the procedure moves thick healthy hair from the back of your head to the front and top of your head, or whatever area has thinned. Hair in the back of the head---the "donor area"---is not sensitive to DHT and does not thin. Once transplanted to balding areas, your healthy hair will continue to grow for a lifetime.
Types of Procedures
There are two types of surgical hair procedures that produce outstanding results, according to the New Hair Institute. There are known as follicular unit transplantation and follicular unit extraction. Follicular unit transplantation or "strip transplantation" involves making an incision and harvesting a strip of donor area hair to transplant to balding regions. This leaves a scar, usually no more than 2 mm wide. Follicular unit extraction harvests individual hairs rather than a linear strip of hair. There is no scar, but this technique is more expensive.
Expert Insight
Dr. Robert Bernstein, clinical professor of dermatology at the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Columbia University in New York City and recipient of the "Platinum Follicle Award" for his outstanding achievement in the medical hair restoration field, suggests using the FDA-approved hair loss treatments minoxidil and finasteride for at least a year before considering a hair transplant. Finasteride is only for men. Both treatments can help prevent further loss and restore hair in many cases.
Potential
A surgical hair transplant is currently the best way to permanently restore your hair. Although this is sufficient for most, some people are limited to how much density they can restore by their supply of donor hair. In the future, hair cloning may be a viable solution. Donor hair follicles can be multiplied and potentially create an endless supply of donor hair to create full density in even the most extreme cases of baldness.
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