When the public thinks of a hair transplant, the first image that normally enters the head of a person is of a man that is balding or has thinning hair on the scalp. It is true that many men suffer from hair loss and have a hair transplant to achieve the hair density and fullness they desire. It is not as commonly known, or acknowledged, by the public that many women also suffer from hair loss. Female hair transplant is performed on a regular basis but there are some females that are not aware of the fact that they can have a hair transplant to address the issue of hair loss.
Cosmetic Town TV recently visited the office of Dr. Craig Ziering, a hair transplant surgeon in Beverly Hills, to get a behind the scenes look at how a FUT (follicular unit transplantation) female hair transplant procedure is performed.
A FUT hair transplant, AKA a strip procedure, begins when the hair transplant surgeon trims a narrow strip of hair located on the scalp of the patient. After the narrow strip of hair is trimmed, the surgeon removes a strip of the scalp from the back of the head in order to remove the skin with the hair follicles. This is the area of the head where the hair has the most density. Hair restoration surgeons look for an area on the back of the head that is elastic and can be hidden by the hair above it. The scalp strip is removed and the skin is then stitched back together. Normally, the hair above the area where the strip was removed falls down and covers the area that is stitched together from public view.
The follicular units will be dissected in their natural grouping of one to four hairs per unit. The surgeon will also create tiny incisions in the scalp in order to implant the hair grafts in the scalp. The hair restoration surgeon will place the hair grafts in the scalp in the direction that the hair follicles will naturally grow. The amount of grafts that are placed in the balding area is determined by the amount of fullness and density that the patient wants to achieve with the final results.
Female hair transplant patients can also undergo an alternative hair transplant method known as FUE (follicular unit extraction). In this hair transplant method, hair grafts are individually taken from the back of the head. The hair transplant surgeon uses a small punch that is slightly larger than a follicular unit to remove the hair grafts. The follicular units are sorted and transplanted into the balding areas of the scalp.
The cost of a female FUT hair transplant depends on the cost per graft charged by the surgeon, the amount of hair grafts needed to achieve the desired results, any fees charged by the doctor or the facility and the area of the country where the surgery is performed. The cost of FUT female hair transplant is normally anywhere from $5000-$20,000.
Patients might see some redness on the scalp in addition to some scabbing on the scalp at the start of the recovery period. There could be some swelling for a few days on the forehead and around the eyes but all of these conditions will resolve on their own. Any stiches or staples in the back of the head are removed after 10 days.
After about 2-4 weeks, the transplanted hairs will start to shed. This is normal and there is no reason to worry when it happens. New hair will start to grow with 2-3 months.
It takes a little while for the final results to become visible. The new hair may look thin and light but it will continue to thicken and become darker as it grows. There will be a significant amount of hair growth after 6-9 months. The final results should be visible anywhere from 12-18 months after the surgery. The new hair that has grown after being transplanted is permanent because it is taken from the back of the head. This area on the scalp is most resistant to hair loss. It should be noted that the existing hair is still subject to hair loss so patients might want to undergo another FUT female hair transplant in the future.
In terms of FUT female hair transplant risks, there are some risks that patients need to be aware of. They include:
Female patients need to schedule a consultation appointment with a board-certified doctor before making the final decision to have a hair restoration procedure. The surgeon will examine the scalp of the patient to determine the cause of the hair loss as well as the available treatment options. The surgeon will also set realistic expectations by letting the female patient know the results that can be achieved by FUT female hair transplant.
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