Completely natural, life long hair transplanting is now available with the development of current, state-of-the-art techniques such as micrografting. The tufted, "pluggy look" or "doll's hair" surgery is now totally obsolete. Available procedures today which include the feathering of the hairline, are so natural, that your hairdresser will not even notice that you have had a hair transplant.

Micrografting techniques involve the transfer of small slivers of skin grafts, containing from 1-3 hairs each, from the lower, permanent hair-bearing scalp (the donor area) to the balding scalp region. It is performed under local anaesthetic, with minor sedation. Initially, a strip of skin with scalp hair is removed. This donor area is then closed with sutures.

Once closed, the hair above and the hair below the removed strip will cover this site. As a rule, not even the sutures will show. The strip is dissected into small slivers and then meticulously planted into the bald or thinning areas of the scalp (recipient area). The creation of very small micrografts (sometimes called follicular units) allows very natural, feathered hairlines to be created, avoiding the abrupt hairline of previous techniques.

 

Minigrafts, containing 3-4 hairs, can in some cases be used behind the hairline, the top of the scalp and crown regions for added density. The number of grafts used depends on the size of the area to be transplanted and density required by the patient. It usually varies between 1500 and 2,000 grafts per procedure.

Most patients require only the one procedure (MEGA SESSION) to achieve satisfactory density. In some cases that involve continued hair loss, more procedures can be performed later (depending on the amount of remaining donor hair).

Within 24 hours of the procedure, small crusts form on each graft. These will shed in approximately 7-10 days. Bandaging is usually not required. The grafted hairs usually will commence growing in 12-15 weeks. They will grow at the normal rate of approximately 1 to 2 cm per month.

The success rate is extremely high, with more than 99% survival of grafted hairs. These transplanted hairs will never permanently fall out because of their genetic programming and insensitivity to DHT. In addition to medical skill, the artistic ability of the surgeon is vital in determining the placement and angling of the grafts to achieve the most natural result. The positioning and shaping of the hairline is crucial and is decided by mutual agreement between the patient and surgeon at the time of the procedure.

A hair transplant procedure generally takes from 4-6 hours and is performed using local anaesthesia like the dentist uses and a mild sedative. The patient can go home the same day. Because of the medications used, one cannot drive a car home on the day of the procedure or operate any machinery at home or at work.

During the actual surgical procedure, once the area is anesthetised, there is no discomfort at all. No bandage is required. The donor area, where permanent grafts are taken, is closed with sutures (stitches) and these can painlessly and easily be removed, at the follow up two week check-up.