One of the most appealing options for fixing hair loss is the hair transplant procedure. However, before you choose this or any other option for hair restoration, it is always a good idea to consider every option you have. There are many ways to treat hair loss, and the most important aspect is choosing the option that suits your needs. Essentially, all hair restoration treatments are either chemical or surgical. Hair transplants fall into the surgical category, which means it is a serious procedure. You should always speak with a dermatologist to get more information about what options are the most viable.
The Advantages of a Hair Transplant
The biggest advantage a hair transplant offers is its effectiveness. It is one of the most successful types of hair restoration. Hair loss usually occurs on a follicle-by-follicle basis. Even men and women who suffer from extensive hair loss almost always have some hairs that are growing healthily. These follicles are transplanted to the area suffering hair loss. This means you are not trying to get failing follicles to recover, but rather moving the follicles that are succeeding to where you want them. This also reveals another huge benefit of the hair transplant procedure: it is your own, natural hair. Additionally, you have control over the thickness, direction, style, and location of the hair growth. While it is not a guarantee that a hair transplant will result in continued hair growth, the chances of success are much higher than chemical options.
The Disadvantages of a Hair Transplant
Remember that hair transplant is a surgery, which means it is not a procedure to be taken lightly. It has all the same risks as other minor surgeries, as well as several disadvantages when compared to other options:
- Hair transplants are a very expensive option, usually costing thousands of dollars.
- Only people with enough healthy hair can receive a hair transplant. The donor hair cannot be in the process of thinning or falling out.
- Hair transplants require a recovery time of about a week.
- The procedure takes multiple hours. Luckily, the procedure involves little or no pain.
- Hair transplants usually create minor scars at the donor location, although scaring can be masked or minimized.
Ultimately, hair transplants create some of the most natural looking hair restoration results and have the highest levels of success, but there are disadvantages you need to consider as well. A good hair transplant doctor, like Dr. Robin Unger, can tell you more about risks and concerns, and evaluate your particular situation.