The male pattern of hair loss is clearly characteristic of men. The most obvious is the thinning at the temples (the highest point above the brow arch) and a receding hairline. This is often difficult to hide, especially at the sides or in strong winds and rain. During a hair transplant, hair follicles – also called grafts – are moved from the hair ring at the back of the head to the treatment area. Because the hairs that grow in the hair ring are immune to hair loss, they continue to produce hair in their new location for the rest of their lives. The hair follicles can be moved in various ways.
What methods are there?
At o2 Clinic we use the following methods:
1Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE):
This stands for follicular unit extraction. Here, the individual hair follicles are removed one by one, from different places on the scalp and transplanted to the problem areas. In this case, it can be chosen whether or not to shave the donor area:
Shave: the donor area is shaved, allowing the grafts to be harvested faster and more efficiently.
No-shave: This is the removal of hair in its long form where the patient does not have to shave any part of the head for the procedure. It is also called “unshaven FUE”, “non-shaven FUE”, “U-FUE (or Undetectable FUE)” or long hair FUE.We use this method less because it is much more time-consuming and because it is less easy to work with. If you are still interested in this method, you canhereread all about it.
Hair technicians who are implanting grafts using the FUE method.
Direct hair implantation is the latest hair transplant technique in which it is no longer necessary to make channels or incisions in the recipient area. Using a special implantation device, the DHI Implanter, the hair follicles are implanted directly.
A choi pen or DHI Implanter is used to harvest and implant the hairs using the DHI method.
During your consultation or based on your photos we will determine together which technique suits you best. The DHI method is not suitable for every patient.
How many grafts do I need?
1 With Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE):
Usually 2 sessions are needed to achieve a natural-looking result (requiring 50 to 60 hairs per cm²). We can implant a maximum of 40 hairs per cm² per session.
Approximately 4.000 grafts can be placed, which corresponds to 10.000 to 12.000 hairs.
2 With Direct Hair Implantation (DHI):
In terms of the number of grafts that can be placed, this is equivalent to the FUE method, approximately 4.000 grafts.
What is the difference between a male and female hairline?
Male hairline
The hairline is higher
M-shape
Female hairline
The hairline is lower
Inverted U-shape
The female hairline can vary in position. Ideally, the hairline should be 5 to 6,5 inches above the eyebrows and should begin at the point where the skull changes from more horizontal to more vertical. In men, the average hairline is higher than in women. Another difference is the shape of the hairline. A man often has receding corners above the temples, creating an “M” shape. In contrast, the female hair pattern is oval, smoother, and fuller around the edges of the face.
Male aging pattern
Receding hairline
Female aging pattern
Overall thinning
Another difference between male and female hairlines becomes apparent with age. There is a typical male pattern of baldness with a receding hairline. How many women do you see walking around with a receding hairline? There are sometimes biological women who suffer from hair loss, but this is usually a thinning of the hair over the entire scalp and not in one spot.
When will I see the results of a hair transplant?
The results will become visible 60 days after the procedure. About 14 to 21 days after the procedure, your newly transplanted hairs will begin to fall out, but fear not, this is normal. The roots of the hairs are still under the skin and new strong hairs will grow from them in the coming months. About 6 months after your surgery, approximately 70% of the follicles will have new hair. The remaining hairs can take up to a year to fully develop.
Is hair transplant surgery painful?
According to most patients, a hair transplant is not a painful experience. Patients are always given local anesthesia and antibiotic pills to relieve discomfort. Most patients report that the procedure is pain-free and does not require patient recovery.
How long does the recovery from a hair transplant take?
After the operation:
The hair is NOT washed or styled. The hairs are still loose so they would simply fall out. The skin must be given time to grow back together.
You will be given a bandage that must remain in place for at least 1 day. You could return to work, but we recommend taking a week off to fully recover.
After 2 days:
You must visit the clinic for the first washing and aftercare. The bandage is gently removed and your hair and scalp are washed with water and a mild shampoo.
Avoid strong shower jets, but let the water drip gently over your head. Gently pat dry (do not rub).
Avoid physical exertion or exercise during the first week because your body needs time to recover. This limits the risk of injury or bleeding.
During healing, some small scabs may form and you may experience some minor swelling in transplanted areas. If scabs form, they usually disappear within 7 days.
After about 2 weeks:
The newly transplanted hairs will fall out – this is normal.
After about 3 weeks:
The following activities can be picked up again: exercise and sports, sunbathing, visiting saunas
After about 2 months:
Only then can the hair be colored again.
After about 3 months:
The new hair will start to grow up to about 12 months after your hair transplant. And of course, if you have long hair, the new hairs will take a while to catch up.
Tips for aftercare
Make sure your head is higher than the rest of your body so that any wound fluid can be drained and swelling is reduced.
Try sleeping on your back.
Cooling is allowed, but never directly on the transplanted area. Always try to cool areas of the face where the swelling subsides.
Wait a few days after surgery to wash your hair. Only use mild shampoos for the first few weeks.
You should be able to return to work or normal activities in about 3 days.
Do not press a brush or comb over the new grafts for approximately 3 weeks.
Do not wear hats or pull sweaters or t-shirts over your head until your doctor says it is okay.
Do not do any exercises for about a week.
Don’t worry if you lose some hair. This is part of the process. It is possible that the transplanted hair will not grow much or blend in seamlessly with the hair around it for a few months.
Complications
What are the possible side effects of a hair transplant? The most common side effect is scarring. Some degree of scarring cannot be avoided with any procedure. The FUE graft harvesting technique causes very small, round and usually white scars in the donor area of the patient where the grafts were removed. With long hair, these are almost undetectable.
Other possible side effects include:
Infections;
crust or pus around the surgical sites;
Scalp pain, itching and swelling;
Inflammation of hair follicles (folliculitis);
Bleeding;
Loss of sensation around the surgical sites;
Visible areas of hair that do not match the surrounding hair or are noticeably thinner;
Permanent hair loss if your hair is still balding.
