There is one myth that you can hear all the time in all parts of the world. People will tell you that only the young male population wants to look nice. However, that is far away from the truth. Men of all ages are desperate to find solutions to look attractive. It doesn’t truly how old you are, where you live, or whether you are married or not. Just like women, men want to look attractive.
For reaching that goal, the male population uses different methods. Some people would decide on going to the gym and expercising regularly. They believe that being in a good fit will make them look more attractive. On the other hand, some people would try to grab the attention of others by purchasing attractive clothes. They will invest extra effort to find a way to look unique and split from the masses.
Yet, one of the problems that the big number of men are dealing with is hair loss. In that case, the gym and following fashion trends won’t be helpful a lot. There are three different options that you have. The first option is the easier one; you can shave baldly because no hair means no problem. However, not all men look nice without hair.
Despite that, you can hire a highly professional stylist and do a hairstyle. However, the lack of hair probably limits the number of options you have. In the end, the most effective way to solve the problem of this type is by transplanting hair follicles.
Still, many men are afraid to decide on this move. The main reason for this is the lack of quality information. Fortunately, you came to the right place to find out how hair transplantation works in men.
Causes of Hair Loss
Many men usually don’t understand the reason why they lose hair. In most cases, they would believe that a specific reason for their condition doesn’t even exist. Unfortunately, some reason always exists and it would be good to find it out as soon as possible. We will highlight here some of the most common reasons you should know about.
Heredity
The quality of our hair is sometimes a matter of luck. Family history or heredity is usually the main reason for the problem you have. It becomes more and more visible with aging. The condition almost always occurs gradually and in predictable patterns. When we talk about men, a receding hairline and bald spots are usually the first visible traces.
Hormonal Changes and Overall Health
Depending on your hormonal changes and overall health, your hair loss can be temporary and perminent. For instance, when we talk about women, these hormonal changes happen due to childbirth, pregnancy, and menopause. On the other hand, hair loss in men is usually associated with their immune system. The weak immune system can cause different hair-pulling disorders.
Medications We Consume
We don’t want to say that medications are a bad thing. They can truly help you solve certain health issues. However, as you know, many of them have certain side effects. Medicines that people consume for depression, high blood pressure, and different heart problems usually lead to hair loss.
Who Invented Hair Transplant?
Japanese surgeon Suji Okuda, a doctor in the Kwantung Army, became interested in the topic in the 1930s. In 1939 his work “Clinical and Experimental Hair Transplantation” was published. Before that, hair was not transplanted – they wore wigs.
Okuda conducted more than 200 operations on military volunteers. Hair transplantation hid scars and burns received during the war. For a hair transplant, Okuda used a hammer drill. Miniature, of course – a circular metal trephine with a diameter of 4 mm. Little has changed since then.
With a puncher, the surgeon drilled grafts (pieces of skin with hair follicles) from the back of the head and then inserted them into the right places. However, in the 60s, scientists began to extract one hair at a time so that the result of the transplantation was more natural. And only 15 years ago, surgeons realized that it is more effective to transplant natural hair micro bunches. Such bundles have a common blood supply channel and a common sebaceous gland. The process is complex and time-consuming, but the result is impressive.
What Methods are Used now?
All techniques are divided into two groups – seamless (FUE) and suture (FUT). There are theoretically other experimental methods, but the ISHRS (International Society for Hair Restoration Surgery) only recognizes these two.
Both groups have their own advantages and disadvantages. The number of FUE and FUT Strip operations is approximately the same. Recently, they have also started using HFE and DHI – advanced seamless transplant options. In it, the grafts are smaller, the scars are not so visible.
A common drawback of all methods is that before removing grafts, the hair in this area is shaved. But if you’re already used to shaving to cover up baldness, that’s not a problem. Shaving is only possible if you need to transplant a few follicles. For example, mask a scar or make new eyebrows. If you need to transplant a lot of hair, but you cannot shave, pieces of hair are cut off. But for the doctor it is not so convenient, the effectiveness of the procedure decreases. The operation itself is not difficult for the patient. You can watch TV, read a book, or play. If necessary, you can stop at any time to walk or eat.
Seamless (FUE) Transplant
FUE is the extraction of follicular associations. Groups of 1-4 follicles are called grafts.
Hair is transplanted in three stages:
- Under local anesthesia, grafts are drilled from the skin with a special tool – punch. This is a metal handle with a beveled tube with a diameter of 0.5-0.9 mm inside.
- Canals are made in the baldness zone. These are shallow cuts and will not need to be sewn up.
- The grafts are placed in the channels with tweezers in a checkerboard pattern. So it turns out more natural – so that there is no “doll effect”.
Suture (FUT) Transplant
If the baldness is severe, stitches are indispensable. The doctor will have to take a whole flap of skin and cut it into grafts. There are three main stages:
- Strips of skin are cut with a scalpel from the back of the head and divided into grafts.
- The surgeon tightens the edges of the wounds with sutures so that the scars are not so noticeable.
- After that, the grafts are transplanted to the desired place manually or with an implant. The surgeon takes into account the direction of hair growth in order to achieve naturalness.
If you are unsure about hair transplantation, you can visit www.numan.com for free online consultation.