Today, nearly half of the adults in the world are suffering from baldness. Moreover, it is not limited to adults. Modern-day stress affects many people of all ages. At work, school, relationships, being under pressure can cause people to lose hair. Also, inherited genes and some hormonal imbalances can play a part in this issue too. Diseases such as thyroid disease, Alopecia Areata, or some infections weaken the hair and make them fall out. Some medications used for the treatment of heart diseases, cancer, arthritis can contribute to hair loss. For women, pregnancy and giving birth to a child are known to cause hair loss too. Considering all these facts, many people use products to prevent hair loss today.  Along with the really effective ones, there are lots of products which are not preventing anything actually. So, it is not surprising that hair implants are getting more popular each day.

People get hair implants with the aim of having more hair on balded areas on the head. It can also be a solution for the areas on which the hair is thinned and look empty. It is a very easy procedure that is done in a short time. Also, it does not have big risks and complications to worry about. In a hair implant procedure, the surgeon removes follicles from the donor area and inserts them into the balded area. The donor area is generally the back of the scalp, but it can be somewhere else like the beard. Hair implants are done under local anesthesia, so they are not painful. Optionally, you can request being sedated and sleep during the process. There are two main types of hair implants; Follicular Unit Strip Surgery (FUSS) and Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE).

Hair implant with Follicular Unit Strip Surgery

Follicular Unit Strip Surgery is a hair implant procedure that makes it easier to cover bigger bald areas. The procedure is done on an outpatient basis. It takes around 4 hours to complete. The surgeon follows these steps during a FUSS procedure:

• The surgeon injects a local anesthetic into the scalp. 
• From the donor area, the surgeon takes a strip of skin off with hair on it. 
• The incision site is closed with sutures. Sutures may need to be removed afterward or can be self-dissolving depending on the surgeon’s choice.
• The surgeon and his/her team split the strip of skin into smaller pieces called grafts. On each graft, there should be a maximum of 10 follicles.
• The surgeon prepares the recipient area by making cuts and holes on it.
• The surgeon inserts the grafts into the prepared holes.
• The surgeon covers the operated area with bandages.

Hair implant with Follicular Unit Extraction

The Follicular Unit Extraction is a rather old technique in hair implantation. It is more troublesome and takes more time. In the FUE procedure, there are no incisions involved, so the surgeon needs to take follicles directly from the head. During an FUE procedure, the surgeon follows these steps:

• The surgeon injects a local anesthetic.
• The surgeon and his/her team take follicles from the donor area one by one using punch tools.
• To the recipient area, the surgeon opens small cuts and holes to prepare it for implantation.
• The follicles are inserted into the prepared spaces individually.
• The surgeon covers the head with bandages and gauze.

As the follicles are taken one by one in the FUE hair implant procedure, it lasts around 8 hours. It is difficult to cover bigger bald areas with the FUE procedure. So, the whole grafting process can take more than one session. After the recovery, lots of small dots will occur in the operated area. But do not worry, they will be covered by your hair when it grows. In both FUE and FUSS procedures, some complications can occur. For example; you can experience infections, bleeding, swelling, itching, hair loss, and more. Your surgeon will inform you about what you should do in those cases. Also, he will prescribe the medication to minimize your discomfort in the recovery period.

Recovery from a Hair implant

After a hair implant surgery, it takes around 4-5 days to recover. You should take a few days off work or school. You are supposed to avoid exercising for a few weeks until your surgeon approves it. After 2-4 days of the surgery, you can wash your hair but you should be very careful. In daily activities, you should be careful about the operated area. It will be a good choice to avoid wearing hats, scarves, and that kind of accessories for a while. In a few weeks, you may see that the implanted hair is falling out. But do not worry, it is natural and new hair will grow back in place of the fallen ones. If you encounter any complications or you think something is going wrong, you should contact your surgeon. He/she will tell you what you should do or prescribe the necessary medication.

How much Does a Hair implant Cost?

It is not possible to give a specific number for the price of a hair implant. It is dependent on many things. The price you will pay at the end of the whole procedure will change  depending on;

• Your surgeon’s charge. As every surgeon has different amounts of experience, they may charge different costs. Also, if there are not many surgeons capable of doing an implant, the existing ones may charge more.
• The coverage of the implant procedure. The more hair you implant, the more it gets expensive.
• The hospital or surgical center’s charge. Different establishments can charge different amounts for the same procedure.
• The type of procedure. FUE and FUSS procedures have many differences. So, it is expectable that they have different costs.
• Additional expenses. You should add additional expenses to your list. For example, the travel costs to the hospital, medications, and other stuff.

As hair implants are cosmetic surgeries, most of the time they are not covered by health insurance plans. Also, as stated above, the final cost depends on many things. In order to get an exact number, you can contact our clinic.