Having a head full of hair can boost one’s confidence and increase one’s charisma. Balding, on the other hand, can affect one’s physical appearance and make one look less attractive. Several factors causes balding, including genetics. Thus, if one’s parents are bald, there are chances that one will be bald.
However, there’s a cure to baldness, and it is a hair transplant. This cure doesn’t have any complicated side effects; thus, it is a safe procedure, usually performed by specialists. There are some interesting things you should learn about this procedure.
Hair transplant procedures
Knowing how a hair transplant is performed will help to prepare your mind if you intend to opt for the procedure. There are two types of hair transplants, namely:
- Follicular unit transplantation (FUT)
- Follicular unit extraction (FUE)
Follicular unit transplantation (FUT)
This hair transplant type is also known as follicular unit strip surgery (FUSS). The procedure for carrying out FUT include:
- The surgeon uses a scalpel to remove a piece of the patient’s scalp. The scalp is usually removed from the back of the head and has a strip size of about 6 – 10 inches long. A scalp that long can stretch from one ear to the other ear.
- The Surgeon closes and stitches the part of the head where the scalp was removed.
- He split the extracted scalp strip into tiny pieces of about 2,000 smaller fragments known as grafts.
- He uses a needle and blade to make small holes in the patient’s scalp. He then transplants the small hair fragments into the holes. The process of inserting the hair fragments is called grafting.
- The surgeon then covers the surgical area using gauze or bandages.
Follicular unit extraction (FUE)
Below is the procedure for carrying out FUE
- The surgeon shaves the hair at the back of your head
- They remove follicles from your scalp skin, leaving behind tiny marks
- Similar to the FUT procedure, the surgeon uses a needle and blade to make small holes in your scalp and insert hair follicles into the holes
- The surgical area is then covered using gauze or bandages.
Recovery Tips
The following tips will help you obtain the best result after hair transplant:
Strenuous activities and exercise
For the next couple of days after your hair transplant, you should abstain from exercise and strenuous activities. If you want to pick something from the ground, don’t bend your waist; instead, go on your knees. The logic behind this is avoiding any activity that will make blood rush to your head. You should also abstain from any activity that can lead to heavy sweating.
Washing your hair
You shouldn’t wash your hair for the next few hours after the surgery. However, you may begin to wash after 48hrs. The proper way to do this is to use ordinary water or add a little shampoo to a cup and fill it up with water to make bubbles. Gently wash your head with it and rinse with more water.
You should avoid pouring shampoo directly on your head. The idea behind this is to ensure that you handle your newly transplanted hair with caution
Hair dye, smoking, and alcohol
The harsh chemicals in hair dyes are not good for your frail hair graft. Thus, you should avoid dying your hair for about four weeks after the procedure. Also, you don’t want to impact blood flow to the transplanted area; thus, you should stay away from smoking. Although it is better to give it up, if you can’t, you shouldn’t smoke for the next four weeks after the transplant.
It is a bit easier for alcohol. Of course, it can also impact blood flow to your head, but you don’t necessarily have to wait for four weeks in this case. You’re recommended to take at least a five days break before you take alcohol.
Itching and swelling
Your head might swell a bit on day 3 or 4 after the procedure. This is normal and shouldn’t make you panic. However, you can prevent this from happening by sleeping vertically for the next seven days after the procedure. This means you shouldn’t sleep on your bed; instead, you should opt for a recliner. Doing so helps to prevent blood rush to the head. You can as well apply ice just a little above the eyebrow, not directly on the scalp.
You don’t want to disturb the scab from healing. Thus, if you experience an itchy feeling in the transplanted area, you shouldn’t scratch it, at least for the first few days after the transplant. A better way to get rid of the scratch is by gently rubbing a conditioner on your scalp.
Sunlight
You should avoid exposing your scalp to direct sunlight for at least two weeks. If you must go out in the sun, you can use an umbrella, or if it’s five days already after the transplant, you can wear a hat.
Sex
Having sex a few days after the transplant is not a great idea. Therefore, you’re recommended to abstain from sex for at least seven days after the procedure. Although sex helps to lower blood pressure in the long run. However, during the activity, your heart pumps faster and raises your blood pressure. Such high blood pressure may be unhealthy for your transplants.
Also, during sex, you’re likely going to sweat, and there’s a high chance that the treatment site will be touched. This may affect the scabs’ healing process and increase the chances of having an infection.
Eat healthily
Your hair requires nutrients to grow healthy, and a good source of those nutrients is food and fruits. Therefore, you should eat healthy meals after the transplant. The nutrients will help maintain a healthy blood flow to your head, which will hasten the healing process and help you have a better hair growth.
Some of the nutrients you need include magnesium, calcium, iron, protein, zinc, vitamin B6, protein, and biotin. If you can’t get enough of these in your meals, you should take supplements. You should also take enough water to keep your body hydrated.
