For a long time, the hair transplant was the kind of procedure guys only talked about in hushed tones, but thing have changed; here’s what you need to know about hair transplants today.
Some of the most famous celebrities and athletes in the world, from LeBron James to Lewis Hamilton, are thought to have had the process done. Wayne Rooney even straight up admitted it, and to this day, all boast truly enviable barnets. But the topic remains something of a taboo for everyday blokes. If you’re losing your hair, you either resort to a course of supplementation, take up treatments like Minoxidil, or simply suck it up and shave the rest of your locks off. But it doesn’t have to be like that. Recent advancements in hair transplant technology mean that, if you can afford it, it’s possible to restore your crowning glory, and then some. But to give you a proper rundown on how it all works, we consulted Sydney hair transplant specialist Dr Michael Zacharia on the process, advancements and—crucially—price, of going under the figurative needle.
DS: How far has hair transplant technology come since say, a decade ago?
Dr Michael Zacharia: The latest trend in hair transplant is called FUE or Follicular Unit Extraction. What we are doing with FUE is taking grafts individually from the back of the head and then repositioning them to the front of the head or wherever they need to be replaced. That way there is no scarring.
What was done previously?
The old method, which was FUT (Follicular Unit Transplantation) was taking a strip of hair from behind the head, cutting that out and then under a microscope, dividing it up so that we could see all the follicular and then we would transplant those into where we needed to place them. The difference is a big scar across the back of the head and that’s the FUT 10 years ago and FUE now is just tiny little scars that you can hardly see.
Does one follicle equal one hair?
Any graft or follicle can have anywhere from one to six hairs coming out of it. The key point being that the transplanted hairs have the best chance of growing naturally as they are already a part of your body.
Can you run us through the basics of the process of hair transplants?
MZ: Essentially there are two steps: harvesting and transplanting. What people should know is that it’s a long procedure. On average we’ll be looking at doing 2000 grafts, each of which will have three, four or five hairs.
What does harvesting involve?
A patient lies face down on an operating type of chair, we shave the back of their head where we’re going to take the follicles of the grafts from and then inject local anaesthetic into that area so that they’re completely numb. I use a machine called a NeoGraft which takes each graft individual through a suction device – one advantage of which is that you can two people harvesting at the same time to speed up the process. This will take two to four hours.
Then it’s on to transplanting?
After a break, the patient then lies on his back and we start by making a number of transplanting holes that the hair follicles will go. These are placed in a way so that the hairs grow in a direction that matches the rest of the head for a seamless, natural look. Again, this takes time – you’re looking at around eight and a half hours to get two and half thousand follicles transplanted.
Does it hurt once the anaesthetic wears off?
MZ: Afterwards it’s a bit uncomfortable, but it’s not particularly painful. Most of the hair transplants I’ve done to the hairline at the front and to the crown and so they can get a bit of swelling in the 24 hours post the transplant. But we generally deal with this through cortisone tablets.
At what point can you start washing and styling it?
First the first couple of days, you need to leave the hair transplant alone. You don’t want to move those follicles or lose them. Twenty four hours later you can lightly allow water to go through the hair, but you don’t want to scrub it or anything like that.
Is the effect instant?
No. This is one of the major misconceptions. In fact, shortly afterwards you may notice a few hairs actually falling out. This is normal but what matters is that the follicles are in place. The new hair can take anywhere from two to six months to start growing.
What about post-operative care?
We have regular follow up consultations but it’s important that patients are as gentle as possible while these new follicles take root. For example, when you wash the hair, don’t rub it dry dab.
How do you track progress after the procedure?
In the days after the procedure, we are in daily phone contact with patients leading up to in-person consultation after a week. Then usually see them at a month after surgery and then at three months. There’s a lot of hand holding, but that’s pre-empted by giving them a lot of information before having the procedure so that they really know what to expect.
Million-dollar question, how much will hair transplants cost?
In my practice, it’s between $10,000 and $20,000 depending on the procedure itself. In terms of an average, you’re looking at $10,000 to $15,000.
What advice would you give to those thinking of going to a different country to get the treatment done cheaper?
You can, but as much as these patients may go to a reputable place, even surgeries conducted by the best surgeons can have post-op complications. What you’re losing is the access to immediate after care. It’s also harder to know exactly what you’re paying for, who’s treating you, and where they qualified.
We understand you recently did a hair transplant on your own son. Is he happy with the result? Still talking to you?
Yes, to both questions. But he’s also a great example of how little downtime is involved post procedure. He is a personal trainer, and we did him on a Saturday and by the Monday he was back training clients.
Final question: this is no magic bullet, right? Not everyone who wants a hair transplant is eligible.
Absolutely. There are definitely patients that come in and I look at them and say, “You’re not suitable for it, you’re not going to get a great result. Don’t waste your money.”
Read a related article: How to make your hair grow faster, longer & stronger
