FUHT Hair Transplant in Delhi

FUT hair transplant in Delhi involves the extraction of a graft from the donor area, which is generally the back and sides of the scalp. This area is taken as the donor area because it is a permanent hair-bearing area, as the follicles in this area are quite resistant to the effect of DHT. The difference in both the techniques (FUE and FUT) is the method of extraction of follicles, the method of placing the follicles into the recipient area is the same.

Procedure:
When the patient arrives at our clinic, the patient is given some medicines after doing the relevant and necessary paperwork. Informed consent is taken from the patient. The patient is taken to the Procedure room after putting on the procedure room clothes. We use the sterile, disposable dress for all our patients as we maintain strict sterilization and disinfection protocols.

The scalp is made numb by injecting local anesthesia while monitoring the vitals of the patient is being done. The surgeon harvests the strip of skin of adequate size and depth. The number of grafts required for the procedure determines the size of the strip. After harvesting the area is sutured in layers so that proper approximation is achieved without creating any undue stretch or tension on the stitch line. At our clinic, all the suturing of the FUT cases is done by trichophytic method only so that the scar is minimal or is not visible. The hair follicles in their naturally occurring groups of hair are then taken out from the skin strip by dissecting them under magnification. These follicles are kept in a proper holding solution. Meanwhile, the surgeon creates the recipient slits according to the natural direction and angle of the existing hair.

At the completion of the procedure, all grafts are checked again for their proper placement and the sterile antiseptic bandage is done. After explaining and providing the postoperative instruction and medicines, the patient goes back home.

Feel free to contact us with any questions you may have about Hair & Senses or if you would like to Schedule an appointment!

Source - https://hairnsenses.co.in/FUHT-Hair-Transplant.php

FUE hair transplant in Delhi

FUE hair transplant in Delhi is one of the techniques for extracting the follicles from the donor area, the other technique being FUT. This technique has increased the spectrum of surgeries done in hair transplant procedures. With this technique, grafts from other body areas like the beard, upper chest, and upper back are possible, so a body-to-scalp hair transplant can be done.

This technique has evolved over some time and has reached to present day and it is very difficult to make out whether one has undergone a hair transplant. The grafts are extracted using the micro punch so the area of the follicle which is inside the skin is not directly visible, so one needs a good understanding of the hair anatomy and also a good experience to achieve a very low graft transection rate. The direction and the angle of the follicle may change on coming out of the skin posing a challenge for the surgeon. So, the surgeon must use proper magnification and illumination so that the orientation of the naturally emerging hair can be properly observed and the punch can be properly placed over them. This will avoid unnecessary transactions and will reduce the chances of improper grafts thereby ensuring good results.

• Candidacy for FUE Hair Transplant:
• The patient has male pattern baldness, generally more than Norwood stage2.
• The patients who want to have short haircuts.
• Repair or correction of previously done surgery.
• Patients who may require the body for a scalp hair transplant.
• Who have already undergone a FUT hair transplant and have tight scalps.
• To cover the scar from previous surgery, injury, or burn.

FUE Hair Transplant Procedure
After all the initial check-ups and paperwork, the patient is given pre-medication. Once the hypersensitivity to drugs is checked, the patient is taken to the procedure room after changing into an OT dress.

Local anesthesia It blocks the pain and makes the area numb where it is given. It is infiltrated into the scalp or any area where one needs to do the procedure. One can use topical cream sometimes before the injections so that the prick of the injections is also not fully felt.


Making of the recipient slits: Recipient slits are the spaces made by the doctor keeping in mind the direction and angle of the natural existing hair in that region. The density of the transplanted hair also depends on this stage of the surgery. It is very important that the operating doctor has a good amount of experience in the procedure otherwise whole procedure may become a problem.


Graft extraction: Extraction of grafts is done in a way so that quality grafts are harvested. This is the step where the experience of the doctor counts as only an expert can harvest grafts without much wastage and without transection.


Implanting the grafts: The harvested grafts are placed in the slits which were made by the doctor. The key is delicate handling of the grafts while placing them.

What are Recipient sites and How these recipient sites are created?
These are numerous small incisions, which are created by surgeons in the area of hair loss where the extracted donor grafts are then placed.

The outcome of a hair transplant significantly depends on how these recipient sites are created.

The recipient sites are made in such a way that the transplanted hair grows in the same direction and angle as that of the existing natural hair. The spacing and the size of the slit should be such that the graft should not pop out and the graft should fit in properly to ensure good nutritional and oxygen supply to the transplanted follicle.

We at Hair & Senses generally make lateral slit (horizontal slits) as this provide better coverage and also have proper control over the angle at which the hair will grow. With lateral slit, acute angulations, which are required in the crown and temporal region, can be better achieved.

Preparation of Donor area in FUE hair transplant
The area from where grafts/ follicles are harvested to be transplanted to the area of baldness is called the donor area. The primary site of the donor area is the back and sides of the scalp as the hair roots in this area are not prone to the effect of DHT. But when the scalp donor area is not sufficient then other areas like the beard and upper chest can be used as donor areas in FUE Hair Transplant.

In the case of the scalp being used as a donor, the area is shaved by one of our team members depending on the number of grafts needed. The shaving is done mainly using the ‘0’ number trimmer setting.

In the case of the beard being also used as a donor area then the patient is asked not to shave the beard for 3 days before the procedure and for the chest, the shaving should not be done for at least 4-5 days by the patient so that proper visualization and extraction of the donor grafts can be done. The trimming of the area is done at our center according to the need.

After the patient is taken into the procedure room, the area is cleaned with an antiseptic solution, and the area is anesthetized by infiltrating with local anesthesia. Then the extraction is done by using small punches of around 0.8mm or 0.9mm punches and still finer punches for the beard and chest area. During the extraction, we particularly take care that it is done randomly and diffusely to avoid over-harvesting in one particular area. Dr. Sangay takes special care to avoid transactions and hence graft wastage during the donor harvesting process.

Points to remember while placing the grafts
Graft placements are one of the crucial steps in hair transplant surgery which directly affects the result of the procedure.

One of the common problems is desiccation and dehydration of the grafts. So this should be avoided by placing the grafts in saline/ ringer lactate solution or other holding solution and by taking a limited number of grafts while placing.

The angle of exit of the hair from the scalp should be kept in mind and the grafts are placed to achieve this proper orientation and angulation.

Another problem while placing the grafts is popping out of grafts. Achieving the proper depth and creating a recipient site with proper spacing decrease the chances of graft popping out. The recipient site which is made too close to each other and where the sites are shallow increase the chances of graft pop-outs.

Advantages of FUE Hair Transplant:
• No incision so no stitches
• No linear scar
• Less discomfort postoperatively
• Faster Healing
• Return to normal routine early
• Body-to-scalp hair transplant can be done through this

Cost of FUE hair transplant

FUE Hair Transplant has become popular among patients as it allows early healing and also has the freedom of styling hair even if they want to sport short hair. As this is technically an advanced procedure so it is comparatively expensive in comparison to the FUT procedure.

The cost mainly depends on:

- The skill and experience of the doctor: FUE hair transplant is majorly dependent on the doctor as in every step of the surgery doctor plays a key role be it recipient slits creation, extraction of the follicle, or the placement of the graft follicles. So the experience of the doctor is one of the factors that play a part in deciding the cost.

- Infrastructure of the center: The infrastructure of the place including the instruments used, hygiene protocols, and proper set up all add to the cost of the procedure.

- Number of grafts to be transplanted: The cost majorly depends on the number of grafts to be transplanted. At our center, we count only the high-quality grafts that are transplanted. This counting is done at every step counting is done when slits are made, and counting is when grafts are extracted. These grafts are then examined and only good-quality grafts are transplanted.

- Repair procedure: This also contributes to the cost significantly. The repair transplant requires an experienced surgeon who can handle these situations correctly. So these are technically more demanding.

Frequently Asked Questions about FUE Hair Transplant

• Is a FUE hair transplant right for you?
• Can FUE hair transplant be done with less donor area?

Are there any risks or side effects of FUE Hair Transplant?

The complications or side effects are very less and not so commonly encountered.

Common complaints after surgery:

These are the common general problems that are experienced by patients after the FUE hair transplant. These can be considered more or less like a sequel of the procedure.

Pain: This is generally not a problem and can be easily taken care of by analgesics or painkillers.
Bleeding: Minimal bleeding may occur after hair transplant and this is more common in donor. Applying firm pressure using sterile cotton or a gauze piece is enough to control the bleeding.
Swelling on the forehead: It generally manifests after 3-5 days of the surgery and subsides within 5-7 days. Sleeping or resting with a slight head-up position may help in reducing the swelling. Gentle forehead massage and applying cold packs may also help in decreasing swelling.
Itching: One may require antihistaminics or sometimes steroid cream may also help in reducing the itching.
Numbness of the scalp: This generally takes around 2-3 months to go away.

A complication that occurs in the donor area:

Visible scarring: In FUE hair transplant problematic visible scarring occurs when over-harvesting is done otherwise only tiny dots are there which are generally unnoticeable. Overharvesting is generally not a problem in skilled and experienced hands.
Donor effluvium or shedding in donor area: It occurs after 6 weeks of the procedure and is like a diffuse hair loss in an FUE hair transplant. This generally resolves on its own in 3-4 months but the application of minoxidil may help.
Buried grafts: This occur if improper punches are used and if the alignment of the punch is not along the graft.

Complications that occur in the recipient area:

Folliculitis: This may need antibiotic ointment and may require antibiotics for 5-7 days to subside.
Poor density: This can occur due to poor graft survival or due to improper graft distribution.
Poor hairline: This may be due to poor design and may be due to poor angulation of the grafts that are placed.
Cobblestoning: when the grafts are placed at improper depth

What to expect after an FUE hair transplant?

FUE hair transplant is a procedure that has now gained much popularity in regard to hair transplant owing to its potential advantages. These help the patients to resume work early as this has a faster healing time. Healing of the donor area generally is achieved in 5-7 days

Once the transplant is done using the FUE technique, there will antiseptic dressing and bandage on the scalp. This will be removed after 48 hours and the first head wash will be given at the clinic itself. All the necessary instructions about the subsequent head wash will be explained by the doctor. We prefer to clean the scabs at our clinic after 10 days of surgery but if the patient is not in the station then all the instructions are given regarding how to gently rub the scabs and remove them without damaging the transplanted grafts. There may be some swelling in the forehead which generally subsides in 3-5 days.

In the postoperative period patients generally experience shedding that may start 3-4 weeks after the procedure and may continue for 3 months. The hair growth starts from around the 4th month onwards and full results are achieved in 10-12 months depending on patient to patient

Why Hair & Senses for FUE hair transplant?

• Hair & Senses has a team of well-experienced and highly skilled doctors with highly experienced and professional staff.
• Detailed consultation and clinical examination is done by the doctor so that proper assessment and diagnosis can be reached.
• We do proper planning for each and every patient keeping in mind about the patient's age, hair characteristics, and availability of donor grafts.
• Proper strategy is made regarding the distribution of the grafts over the recipient area.
• Experience at Hair & Senses is essentially pain-free, comfortable, smooth, coordinated, and hassle-free.
• All the essential steps like infiltrating local anesthesia, making the recipient slits, and extraction of the grafts are done by the doctor itself with some support from her team, and graft placement is done by the doctor with her highly trained team
• We have a minimal transaction rate.
• At Hair & Senses, we follow all the standard sterilization and disinfection protocols so the chances of infection are minimal and one does not have to worry about hygiene and cleanliness.
• We are always there for our patients in this journey of hair transplant giving and reminding them about the dos and don’ts after the procedure and answering any queries of the patients.

We invite you to browse through our website to learn more about our practice. Feel free to contact us with any questions you may have about Hair Transplant or Hair & Senses or if you would like to Schedule an appointment!

Source -  https://hairnsenses.co.in/FUE-Hair-Transplant.php

Hair Transplant in Delhi

Hair loss has become one of the issues, which has been a cause of concern as far as the appearance, personality, and psychology of the person are in question. A significant portion of the population is having the problem irrespective of gender. Earlier it was known as a problem affecting strictly the male population but females are also affected in significant numbers and it causes psychological trauma more in females.

Apart from androgenic alopecia which is a common cause of baldness, there are other medical causes like autoimmune disorders, endocrine or hormonal disorders, trauma or scar, traction alopecia, nutritional deficiencies, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy to mention a few.

Once considered a sign of aging, hair loss is now occurring in many age groups across the spectrum. The involvement of younger age groups in addition to genetic predisposition can be attributed to stress, crash dieting, environmental pollution, smoking, and unhealthy hair care habits.

Conservative, as well as surgical options for the treatment of hair loss, are available depending on the stage of hair loss. In androgenic alopecia hair transplant offers a permanent solution to the problem if one is the candidate for it.

In view of the rising problem, hair transplant in Delhi has picked up a lot due to many advantages and affordability, which the centers in Delhi provide without compromising the quality.

What is Hair Transplant?

A hair transplant is a surgical procedure in which hair follicles from the donor area are transplanted into the recipient area. The donor area is an area that is also considered a permanent hair-bearing area as the follicles here are resistant to the effect of the DHT hormone. The donor area is typically the back and the sides of the scalp area but other areas can also be used for this purpose like the beard, chest, upper back, etc. The recipient area is the area where hair loss or baldness has occurred. The dimension of this area depends on the stage of baldness. The Hair transplant can be scalp to scalp, it can be body hair to scalp transplant or it can be a facial Hair transplant.

There may be certain factors that may affect the decision and planning of the procedure:

• Degree of baldness
• Medical health
• Diagnosis
• Hair characteristics like hair diameter, hair color
• Patients expectation
• Donor area
• Age of the patient
• Family history of baldness

Techniques of Hair Transplant

There are two basic techniques based on the follicular unit principle. The difference in these techniques is the method of harvesting the hair follicle whereas other steps of surgery essentially remain the same.

The two commonly used techniques are follicular unit transplant (FUT) and follicular unit excision (FUE).

In FUT a calculated length of skin strip from the scalp is harvested. This strip is then prepared and dissected into vertical segments of follicular unit thickness. These units are then placed in a preservative or holding solution and are placed in the recipient sites.

In FUE very small punches are used for extraction and these follicles are then removed with the help of fine delicate forceps in order to prevent any damage to the follicle.

There are many types of FUE variations available but the basic technique remains the same.

• Manual FUE where the punches are used manually by rotating around the follicle.
• Powered FUE using the micromotor and powered hand with small micro-punches.
• Vacuum apparatus along with powered FUE for extraction.
• Robotic FUE

Nowadays FUE has gained much popularity due to the advantages provided like

• Since scarring is less visible, styling the hair is not an issue
• Donor site laxity and density are not a significant deterrent
• Postoperative pain and discomfort are less
• Postoperative healing time is less.
• Follicular groups of specific size and diameter can be specifically targeted by the doctor.
• Extended donor areas can be targeted for harvesting the follicles if required like beard, chest, back, etc.

Hair transplant in Delhi is offered by many centers which provide good services and excellent results but all the centers may not be as good as you want them to be. So, one should select the center based on their experience of consultation, research the reviews, talk to previous patients and study their portfolio.

Steps of Hair Transplant Surgery

After all the initial check-ups and paperwork, the patient is given pre-medication. Once the hypersensitivity to drugs is checked, the patient is taken to the procedure room after changing into an OT dress.

Local anesthesia: It blocks the pain and makes the area numb where it is given. It is infiltrated into the scalp or any area where one needs to do the procedure. One can use topical cream sometimes before the injections so that the prick of the injections is also not fully felt.

Making of the recipient slits: Recipient slits are the spaces made by the doctor keeping in mind the direction and angle of the natural existing hair in that region. The density of the transplanted hair also depends on this stage of the surgery. It is very important that the operating doctor has a good amount of experience in the procedure otherwise the whole procedure may become a problem.

Graft extraction: Extraction of grafts is done in a way so that quality grafts are harvested. This is the step where the experience of the doctor counts as only an expert can harvest grafts without much wastage and without transection.

Implanting the grafts: The harvested grafts are placed in the slits which were made by the doctor. The key is the delicate handling of the grafts while placing them.

Hair Transplant in Delhi Result

The actual result of the hair transplant in Delhi is evident in 10-12 months, depending on the patient.

The result of a hair transplant depends on many factors. So it is very important to assess each patient carefully to determine the candidacy and also to counsel the patient about realistic expectations.

General patient factors: These factors indicate the overall health of the patient. The presence of co-morbidities like diabetes, hypertension, or another chronic disease may affect the overall result. Cigarette smoking is also a risk factor for a poor outcomes. The age of the patient is one 

of the important factors while counseling and marking the areas for transplant. There will be a difference in the hairline design of a young patient and that of a comparatively older patient. In young patients, one important factor is the anticipated further hair loss which the surgeon should keep in mind while planning hair transplants in a comparatively younger age group.

Donor Area Factors: The level of miniaturization of follicles and its effect on the donor area is one of the points that determine the availability of donor grafts and their characteristics if the donor's hair is fine, thin, or weak, then it will adversely affect the result. Other factors that contribute are the density of hair in the donor area, donor hair diameter, hair-to-skin color contrast, and the texture of the hair.

Factors during surgery: These are the factors where the experience of the surgical team, including the assistants, comes into play.
Hairline designing and hairline creation are some of the factors which decide the cosmetic result of the procedure. The experience and knowledge of the doctor will come into play in this part.

Graft handling: The blunt trauma to the bulb area, transection of the grafts, and dehydration of the grafts are common types of injury that may take place during harvesting and handling of the grafts. These can result in poor graft survival and hence the poor result.

Hair Transplant Recovery

Recovery time after FUE hair transplant is comparatively faster as compared to FUT.
After the surgery, antibiotics and analgesics may be prescribed to prevent any infection and to make the patient comfortable with any discomfort. One may experience some swelling on the forehead 2-3 days after the procedure, which may take 4-5 days to subside. So. It is better to take a few days off from the office if swelling occurs.

Some patients may have mild itching during the healing period, which is generally not problematic, but if it is bothersome, then you should contact your doctor. Your doctor may prescribe some antihistamines. These medications should only be taken after consulting your treating doctor. There may be some redness and discoloration on the recipient area, which generally fades over a period of time.

There may be a period of temporary shedding which starts 3-4 weeks after the surgery and may continue for 10-12 weeks. This shedding may be complete, or it may be there in some areas. Generally, after the shedding, transplanted follicles start to grow.

Sources - https://hairnsenses.co.in/

Hair Transplant in India

Hair Transplant in India

Reports suggest that India received almost half a million medical tourists last year! The industry itself is going to be worth about $20 million by 2020. Now, those are some staggering figures. Not to mention, these numbers also tell us how many patients from around the world trust doctors in India (Hair Transplant in India) with their lives and the lives of their loved ones. Various factors have led to the recent increase in the popularity of healthcare tourism in India. 

As a destination for medical tourism, India is also not just a spot for patients from underdeveloped or developing countries, whose medical infrastructure is not very sound. But we are talking about patients from pretty much all parts of the globe, including Europe, America, the Middle East, and Africa. For all these patients, India is not just important for the affordability of procedures, but also the fact that it has qualified, experienced, and reputed doctors, comparable to their counterparts in most developed countries. Added to that are the well-equipped clinics and hospitals; the availability of the latest, cutting-edge technology in medical equipment; and the easy availability of all essential facilities. India has today become a destination of choice for different kinds of surgeries like orthopedics, IVF, hair transplant, gastrointestinal surgery, urology, cardiothoracic surgery, and obesity surgery. Ayurveda and other modalities of alternative medicine have also contributed to the aspects of health care and wellness tourism. 

A portion of these medical tourists in India today come for hair transplants. Hair transplant in India: Procedures by Indian surgeons are extremely popular. Hair transplants in India are more affordable compared to countries like the U.S., the UK, or Australia (hair transplants in India are almost one-fourth or one-fifth of the cost compared to these countries). When we compare the cost and pricing of doing a treatment or surgery in India to that abroad, we can safely say that the combined cost of treatment and leisure tourism is roughly equal to, if not less than, the cost of treatment alone abroad. World-class treatment is offered at a substantially lower cost as compared to those in developed countries with the use of the same technology and level of skill and competence. 

Here’s how: While a hair transplant in India is a very serious surgery, it also has a short recovery time. It is done under local anesthesia, which means the effect wears off in a day and the patient does not have to stay in the clinic. This means that while the patient wants the redness and minor swelling from the surgery to wear off before going back to work or just regular everyday life, meeting family and friends, they can just put on a hat and tour around the country. 

Leisure tourism is already very much in demand in India as it offers a diverse tourist destination with cultural heritage and scenic beauty. Hospitality in Indian culture is well known by the saying "Atithi Devo Bhava". India offers a wide variety of climates, geographies, and cuisines; it is more like a little continent in itself. There are the Himalayas in the north for those who enjoy mountains; states such as Kerala, Goa, Orissa, and others for those who enjoy sun and sand; and the lush, untouched hills and mountains in the north-east for those who want to explore the unexplored. 

India is also very well connected to most big cities in the world, and there are many flight options for all kinds of travelers. Most big cities in the country, like Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Chennai, all have modern facilities and good hotels and guesthouses to stay at.

Most importantly, the clinics here offer Two types of hair transplants in India are

FUE, or Follicular Unit Extraction, 

A modern, minimally invasive technique, FUE hair transplant involves removing one follicle at a time from the donor site on the scalp, which is the back and sides of the head, using micro punches, and replanting them onto the bald spots. FUE offers natural-looking results and leaves very small dot-like scars, which disappear over a period of time. For patients who don’t have enough donor hair on their scalp, there is Body Hair Transplant or BHT. BHT involves using the legs, chest, arms, back, etc. as donor areas for extracting grafts and using them to fill in the thin or bald spots on the scalp. In this case, as well, the FUE method is used for extraction. 

FUT stands for Follicular Unit Transplantation. 

FUT hair transplant is a strip method. It involves extracting a strip of follicles from the donor area, dissecting it into individual grafts, and then replanting the grafts onto the recipient area. FUT leaves a thin, linear scar, which can be easily hidden by keeping the hair around it longer. 

India is a great option for tourists who want hair transplants done as well as a vacation to be planned on an affordable budget. It is for people who are ready to fight the emotional and mental trauma that hair loss can cause. However, they must be careful about choosing the right clinic and a good surgeon by doing thorough research, shortlisting clinics, and picking one by comparing their before and after photos, checking the location of the clinic, and the experience of the doctor.

Hair & Senses vs. Other Clinics for Hair Transplant in India

Hair & Senses provides one of the best hair transplants in India. We provide you with the most cost-effective treatment solutions along with assured results.

 

The Hair & Senses is a clinic for hair transplants in India. We provide services for hair transplants in India ranging from scalp-to-scalp hair transplants in India to more advanced facial hair transplants and body-to-scalp hair transplants. Dr. Sangay Bhutia, who is highly experienced in this field, provides detailed consultation and plans the treatment according to the needs of the patient while also keeping in mind future requirements. Dr. Sangay is involved in each and every step of the hair transplant process. Whether it is the creation of the recipient site, graft extraction, graft placement, or the application of the final bandage, the doctor and her highly trained team provide support all throughout the process, be it pre-operative or post-operative care. We understand the needs and apprehensions of the patients at each and every stage of the hair transplant process, so we are there for them to discuss every query.

  

 Source - https://hairnsenses.co.in/hair-transplant-in-India.php

Body Hair Transplant

 

This term essentially means using the hairs from parts of the body other than the scalp and transplanting them on the scalp/head.

Generally, for the purpose of hair transplant, the donor is taken from the head or the scalp itself but in patients where the option of the donor from the scalp is very limited or there is not enough graft available from the head/scalp, then the donor from certain areas of the body can be used for the purpose of transplantation on the head.

Hairs most commonly are taken from the beard followed by the upper chest, upper back, abdomen, armpits, forearm, and legs.

• Indications for using body hair for hair transplant
• Hair loss is in the advance stage, where scalp donor graft follicles are inadequate for providing full coverage
• Scalp donor is used up or exhausted due to previous hair transplant surgeries, with inadequate coverage of the bald area.
• In combination with scalp donor hair where body hair is mixed with scalp hair to improve the density and provide a proper cosmetic result
• Fine body hair can be used for the temporal area, eyebrows, and for hairline
• Inadequate donor area or donor follicles are not present due to scarring alopecia or burns

• Pre-operative planning

Once the stage of baldness is determined and the number of grafts that are required is calculated then the next step is to identify the donor area sites. The doctor should have an approximate estimate of the number of grafts to be harvested from each donor site. One should plan accordingly which follicles to be transplanted in which area to have the best possible result with the body hairs. However, it is always preferable to mix hairs from different donor areas with scalp hairs to have better cosmetic results. The hairs in the recipient area should match the donor hair in terms of caliber, texture, color, and curliness.

When body hairs are to be used for a hair transplant then one needs to identify the hair in the anagen phase of the hair growth cycle. The hair in the early anagen phase or that in the telogen phase are generally not suitable as donors for transplant. The growth period for most body hair is shorter as they are in the telogen phase mainly and the anagen phase is shorter as compared to the scalp hair. We advise the patients to shave the beard 3 days before the procedure and for other body hair, we suggest they shave the donor area like the chest 5-7 days before the hair transplant. This helps in identifying the anagen phase of hair. Some surgeons also use minoxidil as a pretreatment to increase the diameter of the hair and to alter the growth cycle of the hair but this may require long-term treatment.

• Use of Body Hair Transplant:
• In combination with classic hair transplant for achieving greater density in patients having weak donor areas on the scalp
• For filling large areas of the bald patch
• For correction/ repair hair transplant

Body hair has its utility in circumstances where fine hairs are preferred like in the temple region, in the eyebrows, and in the hairline.

It is very important to understand the characteristics of the donor's hair and the recipient's area. For the hairline, we generally use scalp hair and as one goes back to the scalp the scalp donor hair follicles are mixed with donor follicles from other parts of the body to provide adequate density and coverage of the scalp.

Generally, the beard is the preferred donor after the scalp as the thickness of the hair is more favorable than the hair from other areas and the beard hair grows more consistently and longer when compared to hairs from other donor areas.

For the body hair transplant, the number of graft required may be more as the body hair follicle generally provide one hair per follicle. The patterns of growth of hair in different parts of the body are different. The growth phase is the longest in the case of scalp hair followed by the beard. Body hair donor area should be identified depending on the recipient site, for example, the finer hairs can be used in areas where soft fine hairs are required like the temporal area or hairline.

We advise the patient to come on the day of the surgery and not to shave the beard for 3 days and if the chest is to be used then not to shave it for 5 days before the surgery. This helps to identify and extract anagen hair, which improves the overall yield. The chest and back are more sensitive areas so proper and long-term local anesthetic should be infiltrated, one may use some sedation also to come the patient more comfortable. The finer diameter of punches is used for different areas of the body to harvest the donor in case of body to a scalp hair transplant. One should also know that the depth at which the hair follicle lies is also different in different parts of the body, this also is helpful in the proper extraction of follicles.

One of the important factors to know is that there are different angles and orientations of the hairs in different areas of the body so it is of importance that they are properly extracted keeping this in mind otherwise transaction may happen to lead to the wastage of the follicles. Healing of the donor area depends on which area was utilized to extract the follicles. The Beard area generally heals by the end of the first week after the surgery, and the chest area usually takes around 2 weeks to heal. Regarding the recipient area, the transplanted hairs first undergo shedding starting at 3 weeks, and then new hair growth starts around the end of the third month and results start becoming more visible by end of 5 months of hair transplant. One common problem which may be encountered after a body hair transplant is wide spots at the region from where the donor grafts are harvested. This is due to the hypopigmentation at these sites. This is more commonly seen on the chest area rather than the back.

Body hair transplant is an advanced procedure and so it is comparatively a lengthy surgery. It requires a highly experienced and skilled surgeon to perform these types of advanced hair transplant procedures. If the donor is not properly selected and it doesn’t blend with the recipient area then this may lead to a compromised result. Dr. Sangay with years of experience has been providing desired results as she knows which donor graft to be used and where and how to mix body hair with scalp hair to provide better density results.

• Procedure

Anesthesia
Infiltration of the local anesthesia is generally used once the donor area is marked and defined. A tumescence mixture of local anesthesia is used to have adequate turgor of the tissue. This also helps in harvesting over a larger area without exceeding the limit of the local anesthesia dose as the tumescent mixture is low concentration with more volume. Some surgeons prefer using longer-acting local anesthesia medicine. One can use premedication which may relieve the anxiety and also make the patient more comfortable.

Extraction
This step can be performed using either manual punches or motorized FUE instruments. For the body hairs, comparatively finer punches are used like 0.7 to 0.9 depending on the site and caliber of the hair to be harvested.

Generally, body hair follicles are single hair follicles so the number of grafts that are required may be more.

One should keep in mind that body hair generally exits at a more acute angle and they are at less depth in the dermis as compared to the scalp follicle. So, the doctor should try to match this basic anatomy while extracting to avoid the transaction of the grafts.

Implantation
The method of implantation is essentially the same as that of the scalp-to-scalp hair transplant. It is always better to mix the scalp hair with the body hair to cover the behind area of the scalp and the crown area. This provides good density, coverage, and overall results.

Once the procedure is complete the donor site of the body hair is covered with antibiotic ointment. No bandage is required on the body hair donor area.

• Complications

The general complications of the scalp-to-scalp hair transplant and the complications that can happen in the recipient area can also happen in the body hair transplant. Although these are rare the common side effects that are encountered are:


1. Hypopigmentation or light spots may occur at the site from where the follicles are extracted from the beard. This is generally more noticeable in persons with darker skin. It is always advisable to harvest the grafts from under the chin so that it is less noticeable.

2. Keloid: keloid can form in the donor sites especially if the harvesting is done in the sternal area. One should always inquire about the keloid formation during history taking and clinical examination. It is also good to avoid harvesting from the mid-chest or sternal area.

3. Other complications that are likely to occur are folliculitis and ingrowing hair due to the burying of the graft.

• Key points to remember :
•  The difference in the growth cycle of body hairs from scalp hairs
• Body hair often has a lower diameter than the hair on the scalp
• The follicular unit from the scalp may consist of 1,2,3 or 4 hairs but the follicular unit from other body parts may generally have a single hair
• Extraction of hair follicles

• Source - https://hairnsenses.co.in/Body-Hair-Transplant.php