Hair Transplant
Causes of Hair Loss
Old age, hormonal changes, genetics, smoking, excessive weight gain and loss, burns and traumas. The treatment methods to be recommended for patients applying due to hair loss are as follows;
1- Tissue Expansion
Special balloons are placed under the scalp right next to the hairless area and these balloons are inflated at certain intervals to expand the scalp. The expanded scalp is spread in place of the hairless skin removed with a second surgery, reducing or completely eliminating the hairless area.
2- Flap Surgery
The hairless area is removed and a section of the hairless skin is shifted and moved to this area.
3 -Skin Reduction
Used for small hairless areas. The hairless area is removed and the hairless skin on both sides is stitched together in the middle.
4- Hair Transplantation
In order to perform hair transplantation, patients must have healthy hair on the back and sides of their heads. Factors such as hair color, hardness, waviness and curl affect the outcome of the procedure.
Pre-Operative Period
Hair transplantation is a safe procedure if performed by a doctor and team who are trained and experienced in this field. You should choose a doctor who is experienced in tissue expansion and flaps as well as transplantation techniques and who knows which type of surgical procedure would be more suitable for you. If your doctor says that he can only perform one of these techniques, you should go to a more experienced doctor in this regard. If you smoke, it would be appropriate to quit a week or two before the surgery, and if you are taking medications such as aspirin that may increase bleeding, be sure to inform your doctor.
Operative Period
Hair transplantation is usually performed under sedation and local anesthesia. General anesthesia is applied in more complex procedures such as tissue expansion and flap application. A thin strip of approximately 2 cm thick is taken from the scalp in the nape area. The area where this strip is taken is closed by bringing the scalp on both sides together in the middle, and no permanent problem occurs in this area. The hair cells on the thin strip taken are divided into pieces to contain one, two or at most three hair follicles. Holes are opened with special needles in the area where the hair will be transplanted and the previously prepared hair follicles are placed in these slots. A second operation may usually be required after 6 months for a successful result.
Post-Operative Period
After the surgery, that area is kept closed for 4-5 days. You can wash your hair starting from the 5th day. Since the blood flow to the scalp will increase after strenuous activities, there may be bleeding in the areas where the hair transplantation is performed or in your stitch line. For this reason, you should avoid strenuous exercises for about 3 weeks. The transplanted hair falls out on its own after about 6 weeks, and your permanent hair starts to grow within the next 2 months.
