You might have heard of amazing hair transplant before and after results, and the magic that it does to people's cosmetic appearance. Now, you are considering getting a hair transplant in Turkey, too. Everything you should know and expect before getting on a plane to Turkey to get a hair transplant you can find right here, in this article.
What are the Different Hair Transplant Techniques?
Figure 1: One of the modern operation rooms at Cosmedica Clinic in Istanbul, Turkey
When considering getting a hair transplant in Turkey, it is necessary to familiarise yourself with the different hair transplantation procedures. This will allow you to choose one that best suits you according to your safety, budget, and other preferences.
There are two types of hair transplants. The FUT technique and the FUE technique. Despite being different, the two techniques effectively restore thicker and natural-looking hair.
The FUE Technique: The Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) technique harvest individual follicular units from the scalp. With this technique, the hair follicles are randomly removed.
The FUE hair transplant procedure allows the surgeon to harvest as much hair as needed from the donor area without making the thinning noticeable. This is done through a microscopic incision on the scalp to achieve amazing results.
The FUT Technique: The Follicular Unit Transplantation (FUT) involves the removal of a long thin piece of tissue from the back of the scalp. After this, there is the removal of the individual follicular unit from the strip using stereo-microscopic dissection.
After the needed follicles have been harvested, the surgeons carefully close the wound, leaving behind a single and fine linear scar.
Is Hair Transplant Painful?
Figure 2: A hair graft is about to be implanted into the patient's recipient site
When focusing on surgical or medical procedures, especially for plastic surgery, it is difficult to say if pain can be completely avoided, as pain is a very subjective feeling.
However, it is safe to say that the hair restoration procedure is not very painful, but it does come with some discomfort.
Discomfort Before Hair Transplant
Some patients have reported some form of discomfort before their hair loss treatments procedure kicks in. This point where the discomfort sets in is the application of the numbing medication. Here, doctors apply local anaesthesia to the scalp to easily pick grafts from the donor area.
The numbing medication is usually injected across the donor and recipient region, but Cosmedica Clinic in Istanbul, Turkey also offers needle free anaesthesia for those who wish to avoid that part of the surgery.
The injection of this medication is done with a fine needle, and it is quick and superficial. The pain caused during this process is minimal, so there is not much discomfort to be worried about.
Patients who have complained about the discomfort also said it lasted for seconds and maybe minutes in some cases. Some have even described the discomfort as similar to a slight pinching in the arm.
After the application of the numbing medication is complete, there is nothing else to worry about before the hair transplant.
Discomfort During The Hair Transplant
Just like the numbing of the donor area, this phase also has some discomfort. Grafts that are picked from the donor area will have to be implanted in the recipient area. For this to happen, the recipient site must be numbed again with the help of a local anaesthetic.
The same process that was used for the donor area is repeated here. After the numbing medication has been applied in the recipient area, the patient feels no pain during the hair transplantation itself.
Discomfort After The Hair Transplant
Usually, after the hair transplant procedure has been completed, the doctor administers some more numbing medication that lasts about 3 hours. Within these 3 hours, the patient is encouraged to return home and begin taking their post-operative pain medications.
The patient will have to begin the medication before the numbing wears off. If this is done as instructed by the doctor, there is usually no pain or discomfort experienced. If a patient is experiencing any discomfort, they only need to take the medication, and it will go away. Aside from the above, there are no serious side effects.
At What Age Should You Get a Hair Transplant?
Figure 3: A Cosmedica patient's new hairline is being marked before the operation
Androgenetic Alopecia or male pattern baldness may set in at an early stage in life. When this happens, it makes sense to want to have a hair transplant immediately. But is it the right decision to make? Usually, a hair transplant can be carried out on any person above 18. However, experience has shown that the best time to have a hair transplant is when you are 25 years and above.
For many people, before this age, full alopecia or balding or thinning has not set in yet. Hence having a hair transplant is not always effective. For instance, the balding may not have taken effect at this time of the transplantation. When it does take full effect, it will leave new areas without hair in the transplanted area.
Do You Have to Shave Your Head for Hair Transplant?
Figure 4: Dr. Acar of Cosmedica clinic marks the donor area of the patients head before the operation
Shaving your hair before a transplant will depend on the procedure that is chosen for you. For example, if the FUT procedure is chosen, you don't need to shave your head. All that is needed is for the surgeons to trim a small trip at the side and back of your head.
If the FUE procedure is adopted, you will have to completely shave your head before the procedure begins. This is to allow the surgeons to position the FUE instrument so they can carefully remove the hair follicles. This also helps decrease the number of grafts that would be damaged and to precisely transplant the graft in the recipient area.
What Is the Success Rate of Hair Transplant?
Hair transplant surgery in recent times has become very successful because of technological advancement in this area. According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information, the hair transplant success rate is between 90% - 95%. This means that most of the hair transplant procedures being carried out are successful.
While it is good news that hair transplants are largely successful, there are also important things that would determine their success. For instance, the extent of your hair loss, the expertise of the surgeon and the procedure followed.
All these contribute greatly to how good your hair transplant before and after results will be. Therefore, it is important to consider the right clinic and surgeon for your hair transplant.
How Long Do Hair Transplants Last?
Figure 5: Cosmedica Clinic waiting area
It is okay if you have questions about the longevity of transplanted hair. Why should the transplanted hair not fall out as well, what is the difference to the hair that was lost?
Transplanted hair is permanent for a simple reason. For people who need a hair transplant, it is often the case that not all their hair is gone. There is usually hair at the back and side of their head. These hairs are known to be immune to alopecia or balding. From these places, the doctors will take the hair (known as the donor area) and transplant in the recipient area.
The good thing about this hair is that they maintain their characteristics when taken from the donor area. In addition, once they acclimatise to their new environment, and there is visible hair growth, they stay immune to balding.
Nonetheless, a patient can experience hair loss after a hair transplant. This is called shock hair loss. Once the fallen hair grows back, however, they become permanent. For this to happen and the transplanted hair to become permanent, it takes between 6 months and 18 months.
The effects of hair transplant Turkey before and after the procedure need not worry you if have access to the right medical team. At Cosmedica Clinic in Istanbul, Turkey, all the help that you need for a successful hair transplantation is awaiting you. reach out today to begin the process.
