A full head of hair is the goal for any individual striving to maintain a healthy, youthful appearance. As we age, hair loss and thinning can become a problem for many. When the hair loss has reached a point where medication or topicals are not creating new hair growth, hair transplant surgery is likely the next step. There are many procedures available at UFP Hair Restoration that can give you the restored hair you have been looking for. Hair transplant surgery is the most popular hair restoration treatment we offer along with several non-surgical options. So how does hair transplant surgery work?
What is Hair Transplant Surgery?
Hair transplantation is a surgical practice that has been around for many years. Fortunately, techniques have improved overtime and results are more natural than ever. UFP Hair Restoration performs several successful hair transplants each week, making it a fairly easy and popular procedure to have done.
With hair transplant surgery, grafts are first taken from the “donor area”, the dense portion of hair on the back of the head that is resistant to male or female pattern hair loss. There are two main methods of hair transplant. The first is called FUT (follicular unit extraction), or the strip-method, which involves removing a strip of scalp from the back of the head. That strip is then disected into individual follicles that are transplanted to the needed areas. The second method is FUE (follicular unit extraction), where the grafts are taken from the back of the head one by one. This technique eliminates the need for a linear scar on the back of the head.
During a consultation with our hair restoration Utah experts, your surgeon will make appropriate recommendations on hair loss treatment, providing plan and pricing information. If hair transplant surgery is right for you, your pre-operative visit and surgery will be scheduled. Most patients find the procedure quite tolerable and worth it.
What to expect with hair transplant surgery
Hair transplant surgery on average takes 5-9 hours depending on how many grafts are transplanted and the individual’s hair quality. The patient is numbed with a local anesthetic and made comfortable during the procedure. After the procedure the scalp can be tender and pain medication is provided to help with discomfort. It’s important to take it easy while the grafts are healing, generally 1 week is needed of not disrupting the grafts and gentle care. Light exercise and regular activity can be resumed 1-2 weeks following surgery. It is important to follow strict sun protection recommendations during the first year to allow the grafts and scalp time to properly heal.
Patients can expect to see new hair growth from their hair transplant within 3-5 months after surgery and final results around 9-12 months. To help stimulate and maintain hair health, Minoxidil and Finasteride will likely be prescribed.
For more information on hair transplant procedure and cost in SLC, Draper, Layton and surrounding areas, please call (801) 776-2220 or contact UFP Hair Restoration for a hair consultation.