Except for those who save their heads bald, everyone has a head of hair, and most people take great pride in what their hair looks like. Men and women alike base a large part of their self-image, or even part of their self-esteem, on the condition and appearance of their hair. This makes for a huge hair care industry ranging from hair dyes to curling irons to hair gels and specialized shampoos. Many different hairstyles have gone in and out of fashion over the decades, but one constant has been natural hair loss. It is normal for an adult to have hair fall out of their head, and a few will fall out each day. But more serious balding and hair loss may happen later in adulthood, primarily in men that can result in noticeably thinned hair or even bald spots. No one likes having their hair fall out, so medical procedures from a hair specialist, such as a FUE hair transplant, can be done. What does an FUE hair transplant entail? What can be expected at a hair clinic today?
Losing Your Hair
As mentioned above, most men and some women will start to lose their hair as they age, and no one enjoys this. Often, thinning hair or bald spots are considered unattractive and an unflattering symptom of age, and for this reason, many Americans today turn to hair clinics for an FUE hair transplant or other procedure to correct this inconsistency in their hair. How often does this happen?
It has been determined that at any time in the United States, nearly 35 million men are going through hair loss, and around 21 million women are experiencing something similar. Male pattern baldness is a common culprit, and it affects nearly 95% of all men. Often, by age 35, two in three men have experienced some extent of appreciable hair loss, and by age 50, 85% of men have significantly thinning hair. This can result in thin patches of hair or even bald spots somewhere on their head. Some women will experience this as well, and they don’t like it, either. In fact, many American adults have been surveyed about their hair loss, and the results show just how much people care about their hair. The survey found that nearly half of respondents would spend their entire life savings if it meant fully restoring their hair. Similarly, about 60% of respondents said that they would rather have all their hair back than have money or friends, showing just how central hair can be to one’s self-esteem and image. And while there’s no magic potion to restore all of a person’s lost hair, there are some medical procedures, such as an FUE hair transplant, that can provide desirable results. Many adults today turn to hair clinics, and the specialists there, to fix thinning hair or bald spots.
An FUE Hair Transplant
An FUE hair transplant, or follicular unit extraction, makes use of how hair naturally grows on the human head. Hair on the human head grows in small units of follicles, and these units may range from just one to six or eight hair follicles. A person who visits a hair clinic will have minimally invasive surgery done to relocate these natural hair follicles to fill out bald spots or thinning patches. During surgery, the hair specialists will carefully remove thin patches of the patient’s scalp that contain one to four hair follicles each, and these patches are placed on bald spots or in thinning patches. These follicle units will be oriented so that the hairs grow in the same direction as existing hair to make for a more natural look.
This process may take a few hours or so, and while FUE hair transplants don’t actually add more hair to a person’s head, it can fill out bald spots or thinning patches. This often produces results that patients are happy with, and they may expect only minimal side effects. Their scalp may itch or have mild bleeding for a short time after the procedure. In rare cases, there may be heavier bleeding, and the patient may return to get this taken care of right away.