Patient Queries

PRE HAIR MAINTAINES SURGERY
Having surgery of any kind is a scary process for anyone to go through. All doctors are aware of this, and your surgeon will surely try to make the experience as comfortable as possible for you.

Following the pre-operational guidelines is one way to ensure that you have the safest and most comfortable surgical experience. Although your surgeon will thoroughly explain how to prepare for surgery, use the following pre-op checklist as a helpful resource about two weeks prior to surgery.

Do not take Aspirin or any other anti-inflammatory medications prior to your procedure

Do not use Rogaine or take tricycle antidepressants, blood thinners such as heparin and commanding, niacin, acutance, beta blockers, and MAO inhibitors

Do not take any multivitamins including vitamin B and vitamin E for one week before your procedure as they will increase bleeding

Stop smoking

Stop drinking alcoholic beverages

Complete any lab tests that need to be done and make sure the results are sent to your surgeon

Fill any prescriptions prescribed by your surgeon. These may include antibiotics and/or pain medication for after the surgery

Make arrangements for someone to take you to and from surgery because, depending on the type of medication you are given, you will not be able to do so yourself

24 hours before surgery:
Shower and wash your hair as usual

Eat breakfast the morning of your procedure. If you are scheduled for surgery in the afternoon have a light lunch before you arrive

The Surgical Process: In the past five years, hair transplant surgery has changed drastically. Hair restoration techniques have advanced to the point where the process is less painful, and the results of the procedure are virtually undetectable.

Today, the most advanced form of hair transplant surgery is follicular unit extraction. This type of surgery involves the removal of a graft of one to three follicles of donor hair from the back of the head, and transplantation to the balding area. This type of hair transplant surgery results in full head of hair with a natural looking hairline.

One session of follicular unit extraction takes about 3 to 8 hours to complete. The number and length of sessions vary by individual case, and usually depend on the extent of hair loss suffered.

Upon arrival to the clinic, patients have the option of receiving a local anesthesia or mild sedative to make the process as painless and comfortable as possible.

The surgical procedure for follicular unit extraction is followed in three basic steps:

• Thin donor strip is removed from the back of head, and the site is stitched closed. The donor site is disguised by surrounding hair and is therefore undetectable.
• Small grafts containing 1-3 hairs are cut from the donor strip under a microscope.
• These grafts are implanted closely together on the balding area of the scalp (up to 60 grafts per square centimeter). This step is repeated until the balding area is filled with new hair.

When the session is complete, the recipient area is usually lightly covered with a dressing to facilitate healing.

Learn more about what to expect after surgery—from the first hour to the following 12 months.


POST HAIR MAINTAINES AFTER SURGERY:
For those thousands of men a year who undergo hair transplant surgery, the most common question remains - How do I take care of my new hair?

This is a very important question to have answered after your hair transplant surgery, seeing as proper post-operative care is vital to the success of the surgery.

Although your hair transplant surgeon will give you all the specific details about caring for your new hair, here are some general post-operative care guidelines:

• Do not shampoo your hair for the first 24 hours following your hair transplant surgery. After this time, regular washing may resume, and despite popular belief, it will not disturb your hair grafts. Regular shampooing is important because it helps remove dirt, blood, oil, and scabs from the recipient area.
• To prevent swelling after the hair transplant surgery, your surgeon may prescribe anti-inflammatory medication. Another good way of decreasing the risk of swelling in the recipient area is sleeping with your head elevated on pillows. You can also use cold compresses to ease the discomfort of swelling or bruising.
• Control the pain of swelling, bruising, and headache with a mild, over-the-counter pain reliever like aspirin.
• Do not scrape off scabs that form at the graft sites. Vigorous rubbing or scratching with the fingernails may dislodge grafts, which may cause mild bleeding or loss of one or more hairs. Keeping the recipient and donor an area moist with a spray-on saline solution promotes their healing, and helps the scabs fall off faster.
• Strenuous activities should be avoided in the first few days after the hair transplant surgery because of the slight chance of the implants being ejected from the scalp during vigorous exercise. Also, exercise stimulates blood flow to the scalp and may lead to bleeding around the transplants.
  
  This special care is needed for about 5-10 days following your hair transplant surgery. After this brief recovery period, no special treatment is needed, and you may resume all normal activities.