Hair Transplant Surgery – What You Need To Know
Bioscor is not a hair transplant clinic but this page will provide you with a lot of useful information on hair transplant surgery. We offer hair regrowth treatments that in many cases can be more effective and suitable than a hair transplant.
Hair Transplant vs Hair Regrowth Treatments
There are many treatment options for male and female pattern hair loss available today. There are two main ways to treat hair loss effectively: hair transplant surgery and hair regrowth treatments. As the name suggests, hair transplant surgery involves taking hair from the back of your head, and surgically placing them in the affected areas. Whilst hair regrowth treatment involves using clinically-proven medications/treatments to prevent hair loss and even grow back some hair.
Many of our product users have had hair transplants and have shared their experience with us. We will go over each option below and compare factors such as cost, effectiveness and the risks involved. Whichever treatment you may choose in the end, it is important to do your research and discuss the options your doctor.
Cost
The cost of a hair transplant can vary depending on a few factors. Most clinics will charge based on the technique, the amount of grafts harvested and transplanted. The two techniques that exist today are FUT (Follicular Unit Transplant) or FUE (Follicular Unit Extraction), the latter being the more expensive option. Location is also a factor too, with procedures in Turkey starting from $2,000USD to around $15,000-20,000AUD in Australia. The procedure is usually a once-off cost. However, it is common for patients to have a second or even a third hair transplant procedure later down the track. Additionally, almost all hair transplant patients are advised by their surgeon to start Minoxidil and/or Finasteride treatment to prevent hair loss in other areas, so this will be another monthly cost on top to consider.
For hair regrowth treatment, this usually involves purchasing products/medications on usually a monthly basis. A typical natural hair regrowth treatment regime usually consists of a minoxidil-based solution, oral finasteride and supplements, altogether costing no more than a couple of hundred bucks a month. Natural hair regrowth however, is not only limited to products and medications purchased monthly, but also includes treatments such as micro-needling and laser cap devices. These devices are a once-off purchase that can be reused multiple times on a regular basis.
Amount of Growth
For hair transplants, the amount of growth depends on a multitude of factors. Firstly, not everyone is suitable candidate – for example, you must have enough viable hairs in the donor area, if there are not enough then there is a risk that scarring at the back of the head will be very obvious as the hair density is too low. Another factor is the the skill of the surgeon. There are many cases of transplanted hairs not surviving due to the donor hairs not being suitable, or poor handling of the grafts before transplantation.
The amount of new hairs grown from an effective hair regrowth treatment regime, on the other hand, can vary immensely. There are some who do not respond at all to some or any of the clinically-proven treatments, whilst others regain most of their hair back to the point where no one would ever suspect they have hair loss in the first place. Everybody is different and will need to keep this in mind when beginning any treatment. Generally, it is not possible to have the head of hair or hair line you had when you were 12 years old, so it is important to have a reasonable set of expectations.
Speed of Growth, Downtime
In our experience, visible results with hair regrowth treatment are seen any between 2-4 months. By “visible”, we mean results that can be easily seen in a comparison “before & after” photo such as those in our photo gallery. Miniaturisation of the hair follicles due to androgenetic alopecia occurs over a long period of time, hence rejuvenation of the follicles is not a quick process. If the treatment is working for you, the new thicker hairs will push out the weaker, thinner hairs. Because of this, temporary shedding of hair may occur in the first 2-6 weeks of treatment and will stop within a couple of weeks when the new hairs grow out.
For hair transplants, your scalp may be sore after surgery. You may need to take medications following hair transplant surgery, such as: pain medication, antibiotics, and anti-inflammatory medications. Most people can return to work several days after surgery. It’s normal for the transplanted hair to fall out 2-3 weeks after the procedure, as this makes way for new hair growth. Most patients see results between 6-9 months after surgery. At the one-year mark, you will generally be able to see a very close final result. The reason for this relatively long timeline is because: some transplanted hairs will not begin growing immediately; and at the beginning of their growth they do not have their full thickness.
Aesthetic Result
Aesthetic results for a hair transplant will also vary depending on many factors ranging from: type of procedure, new hair line design, hair transplant density, direction of transplanted hairs, placement of single follicular units vs multiple follicular units, survival of transplanted hairs, visibility of scarring, and potential for further thinning in other areas of the scalp. Most of these factors will generally be dictated by the skills of the surgeon and can significantly affect the outcome of the result. A bad result is not uncommon, leaving many dissatisfied and regretful about having the surgery in the first place.
For hair regrowth treatments, the results can also range from little to no growth, or a lot of growth. For those with a lot of growth, the results will of course appear natural, as hair regrowth will be regrowing their hair back to a previous fuller state. Whatever the option you choose, it is important to have a realistic set of expectations.
Risk
Apart from unpleasing or unnatural aesthetic results, or lack of growth, hair transplants carry risks such as infection, bleeding, allergy (to anaesthetic), nerve damage, tissue death and severe scarring. Another factor is that hair transplants are not fully reversible procedures, which is why many resort to having a second or third procedure as they are not fully content with the first procedure. Because of these risks, it is preferable to have the procedure done by a reputable professional who is specially trained to perform hair transplant surgery and has a lot of experience in carrying out this type of operation.
The main hair regrowth treatments also carry their fair share of risks. Minoxidil topical solutions are known to cause skin allergy in approximately 10% of users due to the presence of Propylene Glycol (our products do not contain this ingredient). Other side effects include, and are not limited to: head aches, dizziness, hypertrichosis (excessive facial hair), or low blood pressure. In our experience, the chances of side effects are low for topical minoxidil. Finasteride, on the other hand, have side effects relating to sexual events such as loss of libido, which is usually the main reason why young males are adverse to taking this medication. According to studies, the events only occurred in a very low number of subjects. Whilst the above side effects of minoxidil and finasteride may be exhaustive, these side effects are not permanent once treatment is stopped.
Maintenance
There is a big misconception that a hair transplant will mean that you will never need to worry about hair loss again. A hair transplant does not prevent further hair thinning/loss in other areas of your head as you age. After surgery, almost all hair transplant patients are advised to use topical Minoxidil or oral Finasteride in order to prevent further hair loss.
As there is no cure for Androgenetic Alopecia, maintenance is required no matter which option you choose. Both options will require the continued use of hair loss treatments such as Minoxidil or Finasteride*.
This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. The information contained herein is not a substitute for and should never be relied upon for professional medical advice. Always talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of any treatment.
Why Choose Us
With more than 30 years of experience in hair loss treatment in Australia and overseas, we can say with confidence that our program yields results. Our program is medically-supervised, ensuring that we will go through the necessary health checks and discuss with you the best treatment for your hair.
We understand that hair loss is a cause for distress and anxiety for many people which is why there are NO lock-in contracts or large start-up fees. You purchase your hair growth products as you need them. Your results and overall satisfaction are what matters most to us.
*Currently not available in Perth
Our Results
Our patients with Androgenetic Alopecia usually achieve visible results within the first 3-4 months of treatment. The process of follicular miniaturisation occurs over the course of many years, thus rejuvenation of the follicles is not a quick process. How quickly you attain results will depend on a few factors such as age, severity, genetic predisposition to hair loss, treatment dosage, scalp condition and other external factors. Generally speaking, the earlier treatment is begun, the faster and more effective the results are.
*Results may vary amongst individuals
This page is only intended to provide factual information to educate individuals who are interested in learning more about the treatment. Our clinic offers a health-practitioner-led consultation. Depending on the outcome of the consultation, this may or may not lead to the provision of a prescription.