How To Determine Your Candidacy For Hair Transplant

Hair loss may not be an emergency and doesn’t even hurt you physically, but it causes a lot of damage to your self-esteem. You may even get social anxiety and avoid meeting people in public gatherings due to low confidence. However, the good news is you can get over this challenge with the help of hair transplant surgical treatment.

You may have also heard about hair transplant surgery if you’ve done any research to get your hair back. Still, the most crucial thing if you are planning for a hair transplant, is to determine whether you are a suitable candidate for a hair transplant and what conditions can make you unable to undergo this procedure. To give you a thorough explanation of what makes you an ideal candidate for hair transplant surgery, we have come up with this article after conversing with Dr. Shilpi Bhadani at SB Trichology Clinic, the best hair transplant clinic in Gurgaon, so let’s the journey of knowing more about the suitable candidacy for hair transplant.

What are the Criteria for a Good Candidate?

• A good candidate for hair transplant surgery can be anyone, irrespective of their gender. The two most significant factors to consider are having enough healthy hair on your scalp that can be used as donor hair and transplanted to the area in need and be able to grow on the thinning area of the scalp. 

• To determine your candidacy, a dermatologist will conduct a thorough scalp examination and perform a blood test to check for any health condition that may lead to hair loss. Moreover, in some cases, a scalp biopsy would also be necessary. 

• An ideal candidate will also be someone with sufficient hair loss, a healthy scalp, a dense donor area with healthy hair, and overall good health. 

• Candidates need to have realistic expectations about the surgical procedure. 

• Your diet, frequent exercise, alcohol consumption, or smoking can influence hair transplant results. While planning to get a hair transplant, you should also pay attention to your diet and lifestyle. Avoid alcohol and smoking for at least one week before and after the hair transplant.

• You must follow the surgeon’s directions to the fullest. If you can do so, you may be a good candidate for hair transplant surgery. So make sure you get ready to follow the given instructions. 

• It is vital to know that you may experience a temporary ‘shock loss,’ which usually occurs due to the trauma of a surgical procedure. However, you should know that this is a normal part of the healing process, not a cause for concern. 

Factors To Consider Before Going For A Hair Transplant 

• Balding pattern

• Surgeon 

• Choice of the clinic

• Donor grafts 

• Age 

• Expectations 

• Complications

• The percentage of hair being removed 

• Careful extraction of hair follicles 

• Hair loss diagnosis 

• Other health conditions 

• Postoperative care 

Who Is Not A Right Candidate For Hair Transplant Surgery?

A hair transplant isn’t for everyone. Some cases may pose higher risks and do not provide the expected results. However, deciding to proceed with the treatment will depend on the patient. Let’s consider those cases where the treatment is not suitable for you: 

• You are experiencing temporary hair loss due to illnesses, seasonal changes, scalp dryness, medications, chemotherapy, weight loss, stress due to pregnancy, and hormonal changes.

• Low donor hair density 

• You are dealing with mental illnesses like stress, anxiety, boredom, and OCD. 

• Poor scalp health 

• Diabetes

• Pregnancy 

• Hepatitis and HIV 

• Cardiovascular disease 

• Unrealistic expectations 

Types of Techniques Used For Hair Transplant Surgery 

FUT Hair Transplant: It is a hair restoration procedure in which a strip of skin with healthy hair follicles is removed from the donor area and transplanted into the recipient area. This technique gives natural results; it involves dissecting the strip into individual follicular units before implantation. While FUT can leave a linear scar at the donor site, the scar visibility can be reduced with advancements. 

Advantages of FUT

• Cost-effective procedure 

• It offers a larger yield and is beneficial in cases of more extensive follicular requirements, as it is the primary objective of a hair transplant.

• It takes less time and can be done in 5-12 hours. 

• The procedure typically does not require extensive preparation or shaving of the entire scalp. Also, the donor scar will be well hidden within the surrounding hair growth from the beginning.

• In some instances, it can be followed by FUE if needed.

FUE Hair Transplant: It is an advanced hair transplant technique and is one step closer to a minimally invasive procedure. In this procedure, the entire follicular unit is uprooted from the donor sites (back and side of the scalp) with automated punches. Next, hair follicles are harvested from each extracted follicular unit and followed by placing each hair graft in the bald portions after creating holes or slits at the recipient site with the help of a needle or a scalpel. 

Advantages of FUE 

• It gives the donor area a shorter recovery period of 1 week.

• There is no requirement for stitch removal.

• You can witness minimal visible scarring in the donor area, which is also suitable for people who wish to keep shorter hair.

• In poor scalp donor area density, the FUE technique will offer the advantages of extracting grafts from various body parts, like beard. 

• The recovery period has a minimum pain score and limits the need for analgesics and antibiotics. 

Post-Treatment Care Tips 

Try to stay indoors and avoid sun exposure.

• Sleep upright on your back, and keep your head elevated to ensure the transplant area isn’t disturbed. 

• Visible red marks will fade away in 7-10 days. 

• You can start exercising after five days. 

• Do not drink alcohol or smoke. 

• Avoid stress

Conclusion

In conclusion, a hair transplant is a safe and popular surgery that helps you regain your hair. In this procedure, a hair transplant surgeon will move hair to a bald head area. The surgeon will typically move hair from the back or side of the head to the front or top of the head. So, if you have decided to undergo hair transplant surgery, it is time to consult a top hair transplant surgeon.

You can consult Dr. Shilpi Bhadani at SB Trichology. Due to her rich experience and successful history with her patients, she is known as the best hair transplant surgeon in Gurgaon. To book your appointment with Dr. Shilpi Bhadani, visit SB Trichology today!