Long Hair Transplant: Pros & Cons
Watch this video to know the background.
Today’s hair transplant seeker is so confused when he searches for the term “hair transplant” on google. So many techniques so many options! Clinics vying with one another to grab his attention and the last one I saw which is doing the rounds is Long hair transplant.
A patient with grade 5 baldness came to me last week wanting a hair transplant using long hair since he had a wedding to attend later in the month.
I don’t blame him. Look at what this clinic is announcing on the internet:
“Are you tired of short haircuts because they limit your styling options? Do you dream of flaunting long, luscious locks but are hesitant due to concerns about hair transplant procedures? Long Hair FUE is the answer! Say goodbye to limitations and hello to the freedom of long hair.”
Also see this ad and then another before we get on to the explanation in greater detail, dissecting long hair transplant to the last bone.
“If you choose an unshaven long hair transplant, you may be able to return to everyday tasks within days without anyone knowing you have undergone a hair transplant procedure. Redness and scabbing can be obscured under your hair, and you can maintain your original hairstyle.”
Getting married! and there is no time to wait for a hair transplant result? Well, you can get a Long Hair Transplant instead.
Broad daylight Scams that carry well past dusk into the dark dark night!
People will believe anything!
When we talk of Long hair transplant, we are taken in by 2 concepts doing the rounds- Donor Area Preview and Recipient Area preview.
Donor Area Preview
ThroThis means the doctor has a preview of how the donor area will look after the hair transplant. Much like checking a video before you post it to see how it will look once posted.
Recipient Area Preview
The recipient area preview is for the patient to preview how his hair transplant result will look eventually.
but we discount two important things we do not see since our vision is blinkered by hard sell and I am going to explain just this just now.
Let us first understand the concept of Long Hair Transplant.
The concept of recipient area preview when first introduced, involved graft harvest by FUT and transplantation of the donor hair while maintaining its natural length. However all this by ignoring the dynamics of wound healing that determines the width and type of scar that evolves based on scalp laxity and individual healing capacity. The sales pitch wanted the hair loss sufferer to believe that surgical results expected at more than 1 year postoperatively were visualized immediately after surgery, like the preview of a video before it is posted, and it made it less obvious that the patient has undergone surgery.
So let us know what the Long Hair Transplant Sales Pitch looks like:
The stated Advantages and disadvantages of long hair FUE as told to us by a Long Hair Transplant proponent:
The main advantage of long hair FUE we are told is “the immediate visualization of the probable result at 1 year postoperatively. In addition, the recipient area looks natural and is camouflaged by long hair, making the surgery inconspicuous; that is, a recipient area preview is plausible.”
The second advantage of long hair FUE is the concept of “donor area preview.”
The third advantage of long hair FUE is “the concept of previewing hair curl. This has great clinical importance in hair transplantation in the eyebrows, sideburns, and the temples, where it is critical that the hair curls are matched.”
Fourth, the advantage includes “less postoperative pain, no linear donor scar, and no need for donor area shaving. “
Lastly, even during the resting period of hair follicles after the shedding of transplanted hairs, “the hairs that were not shed help create a natural appearance in the recipient area.”
The stated disadvantages include:
The prolonged operation time
Necessity for more surgical staff
Prolonged learning curve
Requirement for a higher degree of expertise
Before I give you my take on this new concept let me tell you that a hair transplant is a balancing act that seeks to give natural results, improved survival rate and give high density without compromising with proper gentle handing of grafts and without increasing out of body time for grafts, using laborious techniques.
Look at this punch used for Long Hair Transplant. The hair is individually threaded into the slot and through an oscillating movement of the punch, the graft is cored and then pulled out. Imagine how much time this takes!
Any technique that prolongs the procedure will cause immense harm by deviating from the protocols of modern day hair transplant.
If you wish a donor preview or a recipient preview, this is very well visible on the clinic’s youtube channel, website or instagram. You do not have to try it out on yourself and risk the many drawbacks that this technique has.
And I will list them out as well.
If the technique is so good, where are the pictures at 2 months and 6 months? There is an occasional picture ofcourse but one odd picture is not enough to make an opinion.
First, let’s clarify what a long hair transplant actually entails. This method involves the extraction of hair follicles while keeping them long—potentially providing an immediate aesthetic change. However, this approach is not without its complications and drawbacks.
1. Temporary Aesthetic vs. Long-Term Results
While a long hair transplant may offer a quick visual boost, the reality is that this hair will inevitably shed. Loves labour Lost ! In contrast, modern hair transplants focus on no shortcuts, no compromise in density, less transection time, optimal survival by decreasing out of body time,long-term growth, giving you results that stand the test of time. And they are verifiable- which long hair transplant is not !
2. Higher Risk of Complications
The method of keeping hair long during the transplant can increase the risk of complications. The manipulation of longer follicles can lead to greater trauma during extraction and implantation, resulting in follicular damage or uneven hair growth. By opting for modern protocols and techniques rather than whimsical newer concepts that cannot withstand peer audit, you reduce the risk of complications and ensure the health and viability of each follicle.
3. Cost vs. Value
Lastly, the financial implications of a long hair transplant often don’t justify the results. Patients might pay a premium for the immediate illusion of longer hair.
“Penny wise, pound foolish.”
Investing in a conventional modern day hair transplant using direct methods of extraction and implantation that provide natural growth over time will yield better value and a more satisfying outcome in the long run.
Long Hair Transplant makes FUE technique from Blind to Double Blind
FUE is a blind technique. The only parameter that guides us to where the root is under the skin and how to angle the punch is the hair that is no more than 1 mm long.
For – greater length will curl and not point to the right direction,
Not shaving the donor hair to 1 mm makes the technique doubly blind and increases transection rates exponentially even in the so called “experienced LHT doctor’s nimble hands!”
And average transection rates are 30%.
No one has ever shown a full hair transplant using long hair transplant in any conference. And when I say full, I mean a case of more than 2500 grafts, not 50-100 grafts done for eyebrow restoration!
And then the grafts become so messy. After hair transplant, serum oozes out and crusts form. These hair get entangled in one another and a big mess results. This can cause graft loss through dislodgement in the first 48 hours.
Secondly, when you make slits in a recipient area with long hair, again there is half a chance with long hair if you wish to achieve high slit density you may injure surrounding hair and the resultant shock loss can be immense and many times permanent.
The hair transplant patient may find it difficult to clean/wash the transplanted hair on his/her own without taking help from an expert assistant in doing it.
When Long hair transplant is advantageous:
That said, there are specific cases where long hair transplantation does have value, particularly in areas like eyebrows, eyelashes, sideburn restoration and mustaches – areas in which meticulous hair curl matching is required. In such cases, the technique can serve a purpose, but it’s essential to approach it with realistic expectations and an understanding of its limitations.
To Conclude:
In conclusion, while the allure of a long hair transplant may be tempting, it’s crucial to focus on achieving lasting results. There is no room for impulsive behaviour, for gullibility and mismatched expectations when you are seeking a hair transplant anywhere in the world today. You will be taken for a ride.
So do your research well before you take the leap.
Remember hair transplant is a surgical procedure- there is no going back. There is no pressing the RESET button!
“Good things come to those who wait.” A well-planned, traditional hair transplant remains the most effective method for attaining a full, natural head of hair.
Don’t be misled by the quick fix—choose a solution that offers enduring benefits.
