10 False Facts About Hair Transplantation

Hair transplantation has become an increasingly popular treatment for hair loss with its excellent results. The first step on the road to hair transplantation, which is an important operation that will affect you throughout your life, is the making the decision for the process. The process of deciding on hair transplantation begins with the moment when hair loss reaches a recognizable extent with each passing day. When a person decides to have hair transplantation, she/he will naturally try to get information about the subject from a variety of sources.
The most easy method in this regard is to gather information through the internet. The Internet, which can be a very effective communication tool when used appropriately and correctly, unfortunately contains all kinds of uncertain information due to inaccurate shares. As in many other healthcare fields, people who do not have the required qualifications in the field of hair transplantation may provide wrong information. When it comes to health, we recommend you to check the information you obtain from the internet and other media sources, and rely on scientific institutions.

In this article, we will try to clarify the 10 most common false facts about hair transplantation.

1-Hair transplantation is a temporary treatment method.
2-Only men can undergo a hair transplant procedure.
3-Hair transplantation is a painful treatment method.
4-Hair transplantation is not appropriate for those at an advanced age.
5-The best results are obtained at a young age in hair transplantation procedure.
6-Those who have hair transplantation can immediately attain the results.
7-Hair transplantation is a very expensive treatment method.
8-Hair transplantation can be performed using hair follicles harvested from someone else.
9-Patients’ hair is completely shaved prior to the hair transplantation procedure.
10-Hair transplantation cannot provide a natural look.

Hair transplantation is a temporary treatment method.

The leading false fact about hair transplantation is the thought that hair transplantation procedure is a temporary treatment method. The transplanted hair is extracted from the nape region which is defined as the donor area. This area is also known as “safe zone”. Since hair follicles in this region are not affected by DHT hormone, they are resistant to hair loss. As the hair follicles to be transplanted are taken from hair loss-resistant region of hair which is called the donor area, they will have the same genetic characteristics as the donor area. Therefore, the newly transplanted hair follicles will continue to maintain their resistancy to fall out in the following years. At this stage, it would be appropriate to briefly mention about the phase of shock loss.
Shock loss which occurs after about 2 to 4 weeks following the hair transplant procedure, is a result of a short-term trauma occuring in the transplanted hair follicles and scalp after the operation. It is an inevitable process seen after transplantation.
It is a normal and temporary condition. Even if the transplanted hair falls out during the phase of shock loss, the follicles are not be damaged and provide the required space for new hair to grow.

Only men can undergo a hair transplant procedure

Despite the fact that men come to mind when talked about hair transplantation, among treatment options available for hair loss, hair transplantation has now also become the right choice for women. Even according to the statistical data, approximately 14.7% of those who have hair transplantation are women. Women often resort to hair transplantation to lower the front hairline or to increase hair volume. In hair transplantation procedure performed on women, it is not necessary to shave all hair. In order to create the area where the hair follicles will be taken, a small window is created behind the head between the two ears by shaving in such a way that it will not be visible. It is not even recognized that the person underwent the operation since it does not cause any change in appearance. Therefore, hair transplantation is also commonly preferred by women.

Hair transplantation is a painful treatment method

Hair transplantation operations are performed using the FUE technology, which is now used as a technically established technique by undergoing a radical change especially within the last 10 years. Successful and natural results obtained with FUE hair transplantation have led to improvements to increase patients’ comfort. Such that, patients can spend time watching television or reading book without feeling any pain during the procedure. What makes this comfort possible is both developed techniques and groundbreaking needle-free and painless local anesthesia in hair transplantation. Before the operation, the area where the hair follicles will be taken and then, the area where the transplantation will be performed are numbed by the administration of local anesthesia. Generally, in a hair transplantation procedure, no pain is felt after local anesthetia has begun to take effect. In conventional hair transplantation techniques, anesthetic agents are injected into the scalp using needles. It is inevitable for the patient to feel some pain during this procedure. This procedure may be worrying for those who are thinking about having hair transplantation, but have needle phobia. However, using special anesthesia devices, hair transplantation operation can be carried out without needles, as well as without pain. These special devices deliver anesthetic agents under the skin with a pressurized spraying process. Needle-free injection of subcutaneous anesthesia has a much faster onset of action than needle injection; therefore, it is much more comfortable. Those who have needle phobia, and therefore hesitate to have hair transplantation can easily undergo their operations with this new method.

Hair transplantation is not appropriate for those with an advanced age

One of the prejudices against hair transplantation is the thought that hair transplantation is not appropriate for those at an advanced age. First of all, the person to have hair transplantation should have sufficient amount of and healthy hair for transplantation in the nape region, also known as the donor area. Rather than age, the pattern of hair loss determines the eligibility of a person for hair transplantation. The most important criterion in which age is determinative in hair transplantation treatment is whether or not hair loss persists. Androgenetic Alopecia, also known as male-pattern hair loss, which is the most common cause of hair loss worldwide, is a type of hair loss that may last for life. However, hair loss is known to slow down especially after 35-40 years of age. People under this age range can of course have hair transplantation, but it should be noted that their hair may may continue to fall out and they may need a second or third session in the following years if they have hair transplantation.

The best results are obtained at a young age in hair transplantation procedure

Although the proverb “prevention is better than cure” is still applicable in many areas, it may not be the best solution for hair transplantation. Some people think of having hair transplantation before hairline recedes too much and hair loss progresses, stating that “the sooner, the better”. Although this is a correct approach for some people, the general idea is that having hair transplantation in later ages provides more advantages. When young people experiencing hair loss have hair transplantation in a hurry without a forward planning, it may lead to irreversible negative results. In cases where hair loss is not stabilized, it should certainly be kept in mind that the transplanted hair may fall out in the future and the donor area may be inadequate with repeated sessions. We recommend that especially young people under 20 years of age initially consult with a qualified specialist before making a wrong decision, to initiate a preventive treatment or methods at first by using drugs or lotions, and not to rush into hair transplantation.

Those who have hair transplantation can immediately attain the results

People who have hair transplantation naturally want to see the results of the procedure immediately. Following hair transplantation, the healing process and healthy growth of hair occur in a period of about 12 months. Most of the patients go through a phase 2 to 3 weeks after the operation, defined as shock loss in which hair suddenly falls out. This is a natural process that almost all patients experience after the operation. It is not a case to worry about. Following temporary shock loss, hair follicles will then enter the regeneration process.
Approximately within 2-2.5 months, hair grows about 1.5 cm a month, entering the normal growth cycle. From the 9th month, the transplanted hair will begin to gain their own form, and at the end of 1 year, it will get a thicker and voluminous look by integrating with the person’s own natural hair structure.

Hair transplantation is a very expensive treatment method

Today, most people experiencing hair loss can spend a serious amount of money to regain their old hair. The haircare sector, which grows more and more every day, also confirms this fact. Considering the amount spent on wig-like artificial hair prostheses and annual care costs, the price of a permanent treatment such as hair transplantation will be affordable contrary to what is believed. Especially in Turkey, we can see that the prices are extremely affordable without sacrificing quality, and that best service is provided to patients. As a leading country in hair transplantation, increasing competition is inevitable. However this directs the hair transplant centers in Turkey to provide more quality services, to develop a lot and improve the conditions.
However, it should be noted that preferring a hair transplantation center due to cheap price may lead to irreversible results. Therefore, we recommend you to stay away from the clinics that perform these procedures very cheaply.

Hair transplantation can be performed using hair follicles taken from someone else

One of the common misconceptions about hair transplantation is the thought that hair transplantation will be performed using hair follicles taken from someone else. The most important factor that makes a hair transplantation operation possible is that the hair follicles to be transplanted are the person’s own hair follicles. Although hair transplantation is expressed as harvesting hair follicles from the scalp and transplanting them to the required areas, this procedure should certainly not be considered as an organ transplantation. When the hair follicles harvested from the area resistant to fall out, called the donor area, and transplanted to the area where hair is falling out, the body of the person perceives that the tissue belongs to itself and hair grows where it was transplanted, carrying all the characteristics of the area where it was harvested. When the hair follicles taken from someone are transplanted to another person, except for identical twins, the body of the recipient will perceive the tissue as foreign body and reject it.

Patients’ hair is completely shaved before hair transplantation procedure

Hair transplantation techniques, which have been continuously developed with technological advances since the first years of the practice of the procedure, now allow hair transplantation to be performed without completely shaving hair. Hair transplantation without shaving is an extremely attractive procedure for women who hesitate to have hair transplantation due to the changes in their appearance, especially after the operation.

This procedure is carried out using two different techniques:

1. Hair transplantation method with invisible shaving:

It is a method in which hair follicles are taken through a small window behind the head between the two ears in those with long hair. Since this small window created by shaving will be covered by hair on the upper part after the operation, there will be no change in the appearance and it will not be recognized that the operation has been performed.

2. Hair transplantation method without shaving:

It is a hair transplantation technique in which hair transplantation is performed without shaving the donor and transplantation area. Hair transplantation method without shaving is based on the method of hair transplantation using an implanter (choi) in the existing hair with DHI (Direct Hair Implantation) technique. In case that a small area is expected to be transplanted and the transplantation is limited to a narrow area, successful results can be obtained with this method.

Hair transplantation procedure cannot provide a natural look

When a hair transplantation procedure is performed by an experienced physician and a professional team, the results will ineluctably look natural. Obtaining natural results from hair transplantation depends on correct planning. We can express correct planning as the determination of hairline so as to be in harmony with the patient’s facial lines. However, the hair quality of the patient and the hair density in the donor area are also important factors affecting the naturalness. In the first years of practice, hair transplantation procedures could result in an unnatural and non-aesthetic look, called grass head. This has unavoidably led to a negative perception about hair transplantation in people. Nowadays, hair transplantation is carried out with the FUE technique, one of the latest and most modern hair transplantation methods. The FUE technique, which has been successfully used since 2004, is now carried out using smooth and sharp Sapphire tips.

Hair grows at different angles and in different directions.

In order to obtain the naturalness, hair transplantation should be performed in a certain thickness by taking the growth angle and direction of the existing hair into account. The sapphire tips used in hair transplantation allow to obtain a more natural look by helping transplant grafts more thickly without leaving any scar. In this epoch when we can access all kind of information very easily and quickly, we advise you to question the accuracy of the information you obtain by taking sufficient care while searching.
In this article, we wanted to guide you away from the information pollution to some extent and to answer the meaningless questions in your mind.