If you are searching the internet for the very first time for information about hair transplant, and you are short of time you want information in a nutshell, then this primer with 26 alphabets is just for you.
So watch: https://youtu.be/Vgm_VkJHfqU
Let’s embark on our alphabetic journey with Dr Bhatti:
A – Alopecia:
Alopecia refers to hair loss, which can occur on the scalp or other parts of the body. It encompasses various conditions, including androgenetic alopecia, alopecia areata, and scarring alopecia. Understanding the type and cause of alopecia is critical in determining the appropriate treatment, such as medications, hair transplant surgery, or lifestyle changes. Alopecia can significantly impact a person’s self-esteem and quality of life, making it a crucial focus in hair restoration practices.
B – Baldness:
When we call someone bald, the term baldness more often than not denotes pattern baldness, both in males and females- also referred to as androgenic alopecia.
Male and female pattern baldness happens consequent to the sensitivity of hair follicles to DHT, the active form of testosterone. Remember it is the sensitivity and the the amount of testosterone or DHT that is the culprit.
And usually, androgenic alopecia is progressive, the degree of progression depending upon the degree of penetration of the gene. This is variable. Eliciting family history usually will allow us to predict the level of baldness the individual will get over the years.
C – Hair Cycle:
The hair cycle comprises three phases: anagen (growth), catagen (transitional), and telogen (resting). Understanding this cycle is fundamental to diagnosing and treating hair loss. The anagen phase, where hair actively grows, can last several months, while the catagen phase is short, leading to the telogen phase where hair shedding occurs. Disruptions in this cycle can lead to conditions like telogen effluvium, where a disturbingly disproportionate number of hairs enter the shedding phase prematurely.
D – Donor Areas:
E – Telogen Effluvium:
F – FUE vs. FUT:
G – Grafts:
Once hair follicles are devoid of blood supply after they are harvested, they are referred to as ‘grafts’. The number and quality of grafts are critical for achieving natural-looking results. Grafts can contain one to four hairs each, and their meticulous placement ensures density and proper hair direction. Ensuring the survival and growth of transplanted grafts is a key objective for any hair restoration surgeon, involving precise handling and care.
H – Harvesting:
Harvesting refers to the process of extracting hair follicles from the donor area for transplantation. The skill and technique used in harvesting significantly impacts the survival rate of grafts and the overall success of the transplant. Proper harvesting minimizes damage to hair follicles and ensures a high graft survival rate, which is essential for achieving the desired aesthetic outcome.
I – Incisions (Slits):
Incisions or slits or channels are tiny openings created in the recipient area where grafts will be placed. The angle, depth, and distribution of these incisions are critical for ensuring natural hair growth patterns and density. Precision in making these incisions helps in achieving a natural appearance and optimal hair growth. The size and spacing of the slits must be meticulously planned to avoid damage to existing hair and to promote a high graft survival rate. If slit making is not precise, if slits are not parallel to one another improper cross-eyed placement of grafts will lead to poor growth. So slit making is a very important step and like it is for harvesting, only the surgeon is qualified by law to perform it.
J – Hair Loss Journey (Timeline):
K – Knowledge of the Doctor/Research by the Client:
Research before a hair transplant is key to choosing the right centre for your hair transplant. Similarly Knowledge in hair transplant surgery encompasses understanding the biology of hair growth, surgical techniques, patient selection, and post-operative care. Continuous education and staying updated with the latest advancements are crucial for providing the best care. A well-informed surgeon can tailor treatments to individual patient needs, ensuring optimal results and patient satisfaction. Knowledge also includes understanding patient expectations and effectively communicating realistic outcomes.
Look for a surgeon who may either be a plastic surgeon or a dermatologist but specialises only in hair and that is all he does. More likely than not, if you follow this, you will be in safe hands.
L – Local Anesthesia with Lignocaine: https://youtu.be/14LAWnIS1ng?si=shJcUOjgha8YnQzU
M – Magnification: https://youtu.be/JevBWJLU_lU?si=xObraGBfxLe4ueT4
N – Norwood Classification: https://youtu.be/DD2pf87EVOc?si=jjlzjFeFrKOMANda
O – Oral Finasteride & other medications: https://youtu.be/xmj7uEWAvDc?si=usyFAH3fgm3LhkHx
P – Punch Type & Size: Punches are tools used in FUE to extract follicular units from the donor area. They vary in size, typically ranging from 0.7 mm to 1.0 mm. The choice of punch size and quality affects the graft quality, healing, and scarring. Smaller punches reduce visible scarring but slow down the harvesting process. Punch size should be just a fraction larger than the follicular size to prevent high transections rates.
Q – Quit Smoking: https://youtu.be/GKrus91vIOM?si=BiNgdRj4aakXlKnz
R – Robotic Surgery:
Robots have in all fields where they were used helped in cutting down costs. However in hair transplant they enhanced the cost by as much as 100%. This was the second reason why today they are history.
The first reason is they just do not do the procedure better and more precisely than humans as was touted.
If robots were doing hair transplant as efficiently as humans, as hair transplant surgeons who bought them made us believe, why did the surgeons using them continue to call themselves hair transplant surgeons?
Also why has the hype around robots subsided!
The answer is not hard to seek- because robots have been a colossal business failure for practices that used them.
Hair transplant is still a skill based surgery. Robotic skills still need a lot of improvement to be able to match that of a skilled doctor.
S – Scars:
T – Lab Tests:
Lab tests are important in diagnosing the causes of hair loss other than androgenic alopecia. In androgenic alopecia they are essential for knowing the hormonal status and starting DHT blockers as per tailored treatment plans is essential if we have to minimise side-effects and mitigate risks.
Sometimes a scalp biopsy may be needed in cases like alopecia areata and cicatricial alopecia and other miscellaneous scalp conditions.
U – Ugly Hair Transplant Results-Hair Transplants Gone Wrong: https://youtu.be/xOUO-N7DVEY?si=0rNIyL1YwvCrtf8r
V – Vertex: https://youtu.be/-J-Jop-94rI?si=9jHCxdKGiK8GvaNs
W – Whey Protein: https://youtu.be/D18uiIkWHMM?si=HE6P73UJugOH_baS
X- Exercise or physical training: https://youtu.be/DeCJ1f5TRcM?si=3XmtMSSzPDhwAHji
Y- Why hair transplant is not for everybody: https://youtu.be/lEEk9oD0UvE?si=ImkEKI6BT_QWowWC
Z- Zen of hair transplant: A hair transplant is considered a mundane, humdrum, repetitive task done by the surgeon and his team day after day, with endless back-breaking tedium. After a while when the surgeon has been doing procedures for some years, he enters a state of calm attentiveness in which his actions are guided more by intuition than by conscious effort.
The surgeon becomes one with the procedure, lost in the rhythm of the tasks at hand.
