|
| |
Basics about baldness
The most frequent form of baldness is the so called male pattern baldness, medically referred to as alopecia androgenetica. Alopecia means baldness, the word androgen shows the hormonal origin of the process. This kind of baldness is genetically inherited, not only from father to son but from distant or female relatives also.
Alopecia androgenetica is characterised by its development: most frequently starts at both temples in a triangular fashion, causing receding of the frontal hairline slowly. Meanwhile sheding at the vertex region is increasing permanently, and the two area contact to each other at the top of the head. Male pattern baldness can occur in females mostly in quadratic manner, diffusely.
By our contamporary knowledge this process can not be influenced definitely, the time and form of its development varies greatly and individually. The only known natural and permanent treatment is the hair restoration plastic surgery, and its mostly developed and modern technique: Hair transplantation with follicular units (FUT).
Aquired baldness can develop as the result of surgery, medical treatment, trauma, burn injuries or different deaseses. Hair transplant surgery can be performed succesfully in these cases too. Special modificiation should be utilized in some cases. So hair, eye-lash or eyebrow can be reconstructed after burn injuries.
|
Best candidates for hair transplant surgery
Degree and form of sheding and sparsing varies greatly individually. In general, everybody has their own judgement about their problem. Smaller sparsing of the hairy scalp can be a great problem for someone, while the same condition does not bother the other.
Hair transplant surgery is offered to those patients who are disturbed by their sheding, and their condition is detectable. Surgery is also advised when smaller areas (e.g. at temple or vertex region ) are effected or diffuse sheding is reported as with females. The indication is based on the patient’s decision. When sheding is in process, hair transplants can maintain hairy appearence despite of continous hair loss, and baldness will never be obvious.
Most people try hundreds of treatments to stop their hair loss. They visit several doctors in years but with male pattern baldness they could not see any definitive progress. Medical treatments can only slow down or stagnate the process but are not able to stop it. Hair transplant surgery, if performed in right time, can shorten this period and increase the patient’s appearence greatly.
To establish the operative indication and the expected result, we must take several facts and conditions into consideration. The most usual are:
- Origin of baldness
- Form and degree of baldness
- Patient’s anamnesis (formal interventions on the scalp, family heritage)
- Hair and scalp characteristics
- Patient’s requests, expectations
These factors must be judged individually, and knowing them, in form of a personal consultation, the operation plan is established together with the patient. This plan concerns not only the actual surgical treatment but involves the possibility of any next operation due to further hair loss.
Our candidates are examined and informed in detail. We establish the origin, form and degree of the patient baldness, and evaluate the attributes of the donor site given. We ask for previous medical treatments, surgeries, illnesses, allergie to medicaments etc. Clearing up the patient’s expectation and informing them about the details of the procedure, we concludes to the possible operative solution. Our candidates have the choice to see our previous patients’ results in photos or get in touch with some of them to have personal informations.
|
Explanation of follicular unit transplant (FUT) method
The basic of this intervention is the fact that hair follicules at the occipital and fringe regions are not sensitive against hormons, so those who are going to be bald, even in great extension, have their remaining hair at those areas. According to the principle of the so called „ donor dominance” follicules transplantated from these areas, bring and maintain this feature at the recipient site, so from the follicules transplants hair grows normally and does not shed later.
Formally utilized types of surgeries with bigger skin-islands, containing 6-10 or more hairs or 300-400 grafts, are not justified anymore in our modern era.
The contemporary microfollicular hair transplant surgery with follicular units gives much more: entirely natural appearence, no more „brush like” disturbing hair knots or heavy scars. Our method gives acceptable density, and even from short distance, no one can see that the new hair is transplanted.
Close investigation of the hairy scalp shows hairs growing in special groups. This anatomical – physiological bundles are called follicular units. Each of this unit contains 1-2-3-4 hair follicules. During the later mentioned graft preparation and transplant procedures we put emphasis to maintain these units in the best quality and quantity of grafts, in order of the most natural appearance, reminding of the original state.
|
Description of hair transplant surgery with FUT method
Donor area is the occipital region of the scalp. We remove a long, narrow strip of the hair-bearing skin, in horizontal direction. The edges of this wound are closed, so there is no lack of hair, only a narrow, soft scar-line that is invisible in the hair. This strip is then sliced into slivers, and from this, very small skin islands are cut, containing only 1-2, or 3-4 hair follicules ( follicular units). These are called follicular unit grafts.
The preparation and slicing off the grafts from the strip is an extremely precise and meticulous work, survival of the grafts depends greatly upon the technique used. Once the follicular unit grafts are separated, we make small incisions on the area where the hair needs to go, and the grafts are positioned one by one.
Transplants are done by 1-2 hairs micrografts at the frontal hairline, while the rest of the scalp is covered with mixed-type (micro-mini) grafts. No scar is detectable around the transplanted grafts, the direction and the nature of hair growth will be natural.
Surgery is performed under local anasthesia, with some pain and discomfort for 3-4 minutes, but there is no pain afterwards. The operation lasts for 5-6 hours, patients are resting, sleeping or chating during this time in comfort. This is an outpatient procedure, patients can leave the office after some rest following surgery. There is no pain afterwards, small tension at the donor site is possible, but it disappears gradually. The patient leaves the surgery with a headbandage on his scalp. This is to be removed in 24 hours. After taking off the bandage, a gentle daily headwash is necessary the first 10-14 days, to eliminate the crusts around the incisions.
This method and its smaller modifications are considered as the most contemporary one and its popularity is well known all over the world. The procedure is not troublesome for the patient, goes with little discomfort. The method offers a reliable and permanent solutions to those who suffer or are disturbed by their baldness or hair loss.
|
Possible complications
Hair transplant surgery is a surgical procedure so complications can occur. Complications however are very rare. Considering the remarkable vascularity of the scalp, inflammations almost never occur. Ejection or death of transplanted grafts can be avoided applying the above mentioned atraumatic technique. The experience of the surgeon is crucial, especially creating the natural appereance at the frontal hairline. The effect of an unnatural hairline is very disturbing.
|
Dr Sikos and his trained team
Sikos Plastic Surgery is specialized in hair transplant surgery, FUT, the state-of-art follicular unit transplant technique. Dr Sikos and his team have experience with a great number of patients and been practicing this for more than 12 years in this field. Dr.Sikos and his specially trained assistancy team have accomplished trainings, courses and congresses in the USA ( FUT course in Los Angeles 1998, FUE course in Denver 2006 and several other appearences) and in other countries. Dr Sikos is the member of the International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery ( ISHRS) and the Formal General- Secretary of the European Society of Hair Restoration Surgery ( ESHRS).
|
|
|
