The Science Behind Hair Transplants: How Do They Really Work?
Hair Follicle Basics: Hair grows from small structures in the skin called follicles. In transplants, healthy follicles are moved to thinning or bald areas.
Donor Area: Typically, hair is taken from the back or sides of the scalp. These areas are genetically resistant to hair loss.
Types of Procedures: The two main techniques are FUT (Follicular Unit Transplantation) and FUE (Follicular Unit Extraction).
FUT Method: A strip of scalp is removed from the donor area, and individual follicular units are separated under a microscope.
Graft Preparation: The collected hair follicles (called grafts) are carefully prepared to ensure their survival when transplanted.
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Creating Recipient Sites: The surgeon makes tiny incisions in the bald or thinning area to place the grafts naturally.
Implantation: Grafts are inserted into the incisions, with attention to the natural angle, direction, and density of existing hair.
Healing and Growth: Transplanted hair falls out after a few weeks (a normal "shock loss") and new growth begins in 3–4 months.