Frequently Asked Questions
What can I expect on the day of my transplant?
1. CONSULTATION, PICTURES, AND HAIRLINE
You'll arrive at our medical clinic early morning and have your final consultation with your Surgeon. We will trim your hair in the needed areas, and your hairline and donor area will be drawn on.
2. PREPARE LOCAL ANESTHETIC.
The Physician will trim the hair make the markings in the donor and recipient areas. After preparing the donor area (back and/or lateral part of the scalp) by trimming the hair down, local anesthesia is applied.
3. EXTRACTION OF THE FOLLICULAR UNITS FROM THE DONOR AREA
The Surgeon will extract the hair units from the scalp with the aid of extremely fine forceps. The number of follicular units extracted in a one-day procedure ranges from 1500 to 3000, which amounts to 3000 to 8000 hairs. This number varies from patient to patient, according to the density of the donor zone (number of hairs per follicular unit).
4. PREPARATION OF THE FOLLICULAR UNITS
Immediately after their extraction, the follicular units are placed in a specific solution that ensures their vitality. A member of the team starts their preparation under the magnification of a stereoscopic microscope. The proper preparation and conservation of the follicular units are essential for the success of the transplant.
6. LUNCH BREAK
As the transplantation may last from 5 to 8 hours and even though the patient will be pain-free under just local anesthesia, a break is needed between the end of the extraction phase and the beginning of implantation. This short break averaging 30 minutes allows the patient to have a light meal, provided in the recovery room.
7. IMPLANTATION OF THE FOLLICULAR UNITS
In this phase of the procedure, anesthesia is applied to the recipient area and micro orifices are made where the follicular units will be later implanted. The incisions are made with needles with a thickness of under 1 mm. The depth of incision is exactly the same as the follicular unit length, thus avoiding the lesion of the blood vessels present in the scalp. The incisions define the future angle and growth direction of the hairs, which will be similar to the natural hairs present at the recipient area. The follicular units are then implanted one by one in the bald recipient zone, respecting the direction, angle and density distribution patterns of the existing hair in the recipient area.
8. FINISH
Once the procedure is completed, you will have a fresh bandage around the back and sides, with the top exposed. Your consultant will go over the aftercare procedure again and you are free to go. We ask you to arrange a ride home, as you do not want to go on public transport or drive after your procedure.
AFTER THE PROCEDURE
For the first 3 days you need to be extremely careful you don't touch the hair transplant, this includes sleeping up right. After 3 days, you'll gently wash the transplant with baby shampoo. After 10 days you can wear a hat and after 3 weeks you can wear a helmet. About 80% of the transplanted hairs fall between the first and the sixth week after surgery leaving their roots inside the scalp. This is a normal part of the procedure and you'll begin to see a thin sprout of new hair growth from 3 months. Full results after 12 months.
How much does a FUE Procedure Cost?
Because each of our clients have a unique experience here at The Hair Loss Studio Derby, the prices may vary. It all depends on the number of grafts you have during your procedure and of course the complexity of the area to be transplanted. Costs and quotes include everything you will need from start to finish from check-ups to post-op medications. Our speciality here in the clinic are repair cases, due to the challenging nature of corrective surgery. So patients will have to be examined before cost estimate can be provided.
Am I a suitable candidate?
Arranging a personal consultations is always advised, as there are many variables to investigate. This includes your age, family history of hair loss, and type of hair loss. We can determine your overall
suitability of treatments from these factors. Everyone is different and we aim to give you the best personal experience possible.
How long before I see the results?
At 3-6 weeks post procedure your transplanted hair will begin to shed, it will then take a further 2-4 months to start re-growing. Its expected for the regrowth to be at the half way stage at around the 6 month stage.Finally the end result is achieved at 12-14 months. We do recommend you attend the 6 month check up to review progress as the results can vary.
Will the results be natural?
We have a strict protocol that ensures we only have doctors completing the placement to ensure the naturalness of the final result. The FUE hair transplant procedure requires excellent surgical skills and natural artistic flair and we encourage you to view our gallery to see how we achieve the natural results which are the hallmark of a great hair transplant.
What is a Hair Transplant?
There are two common types of hair transplant surgery available on the market: FUT and FUE.
FUT stands for follicular unit transplantation and is otherwise known as strip surgery. This involves removing a piece of skin, dividing it under a microscope into individual groupings of follicular units and then those are transplanted into the recipient area.
FUE stands for follicular unit extraction. Rather than a strip, FUE involves individual follicular extraction in which follicles are removed within a small circular punch that is less than a millimetre in diameter. FUE is newer and generally favoured more due to the minimal scarring shown after.
Why Hair transplant?
When all other methods have failed, a transplant is usually the final option available. The success rate of a hair transplant is extremely high, but one downside is you have to wait up to a year to see the full results. The benefit of the transplant, however, is that you should not need to purchase any other costly shampoos or medication, as the transplanted hair should last a lifetime.
The only person that can answer whether it is the right procedure, is the individual suffering with hair loss. Here’s a little exercise to help your decision. Imagine yourself with the head of hair that you really want. Imagine what your life is like with that head of hair – what do you see, hear and most importantly, feel now that you have it? Now, focusing on those feelings, write down three words that describe how you feel – use simple words such as confident, energised or focused, rather than complicated phrases.
The days of having to just deal with hair loss are over, and with more celebrities undergoing transplants than ever, it is fast becoming the norm.
How long will it last?
The hair follicles that are transplanted are genetically-resistant against baldness so they will, in theory, continue to grow over your lifetime. However, you'll still notice hair loss on different areas of your head, and may choose to explore the option of another transplant procedure in the future. Laser Therapy is another alternative to combat hair loss, as this combats DHT (Dihydrotestosterone) which is the enzyme behind most hair loss causes.
Will it hurt?
When you read about the procedure, or see any images of the immediate results, it may not look pretty – but the fact is, there’s no pain with the surgery, just a little discomfort. Think of it like getting a filling done at the dentist.
The discomfort comes from being in the chair for up to ten hours for the entire process to be completed, though you will get regular breaks.
Post-op, you might experience some mild pain immediately after the procedure but nothing that your standard painkillers can’t handle, any minor discomfort will last no longer than a couple of days.
How long does the procedure take?
Hair transplants are generally performed on one day, sometimes if there is a large area that needs to be covered, you may need multiple procedures.
On the day of a transplant, a general timeframe is between 6 - 10 hours, this would include breaks in between different stages of the procedure. If you need another procedure, we generally advise 12 months between transplants.
What are the risks involved with a hair transplant?
There are very low risks linked with a hair transplant. The main reason a transplant can be deemed a failure would be if the patient is in poor health or the aftercare instructions provided by the surgeon are not followed correctly.
In the overwhelming majority of cases, the expectations that are set out during the consultation are met or exceeded. During a consultation we will underline any potential issues and set realistic expectations. A lack of available donor tissue, for example, could make it difficult to deliver the appropriate degree of coverage in the recipient site.
When can I expect to see results?
Up to the first 3 months, the transplanted hair will grow and fall out as the grafts begin a new hair cycle.
At 6 months, you will start to see the hair coming through. At 12 months it should be fully developed.
What is the recovery time?
Patients are able return to work after 3 days after a hair transplant, however most people stay off work for 2 weeks to aid the recovery.
Got A Question Not On The List?
Book Your Free Consultation Today
If you would like to discuss the best treatment for you then call us today for a free consultation. Many of our team have experienced hair loss themselves and have had an FUE Hair Transplant. Our customer centric approach will ensure that you will get the very best results.
All consultations take place at our Derby branch where our team of clinicians also offer Low Level Laser Treatment and Scalp Micropigmentation.