Hair loss can usher in mixed emotions and damper your self-esteem, whether or not you were expecting the day. Fortunately, hair plugs or grafts can provide patients with a full head of their natural hair. If thinning or balding is something you are experiencing right now, help is available at our Schaumburg office. First, review this quick guide to hair plugs to garner a foundation of understanding of the procedure.
Hair loss or thinning can result from general aging, genetics, medical conditions, medications, and hormone changes. It is worth mentioning that when a generally healthy person begins showing signs of baldness, it is most commonly a result of genetics or aging. Also called alopecia, hair loss can be permanent or temporary and can affect anyone, though primarily seen in those assigned male at birth (e.g., male pattern baldness).
Hair loss does not always start the same way in every individual. Symptoms can manifest in the following ways:
A formal diagnosis of the type or cause of hair loss will require a series of tests. These include blood tests, pull tests, scalp biopsy, and light microscopy. Blood tests reveal possible medical conditions causing hair loss. Pull tests involve gently pulling several dozen hair strands to determine their strength and the severity of shedding. Scalp biopsies uncover possible infections by scraping part of the scalp and examining the sample under a microscope. Light microscopy uncovers disorders within the hair shaft and involves examining their trimmed base.
The doctor may employ two methods for hair plugs: follicular unit strip surgery (FUSS) or follicular unit extraction (FUE). The FUSS hair plug procedure involves removing a six- to 10-inch strip of skin from the back of the patient's scalp. Then, the doctor sets it aside and sutures the newly opened area so the hair will close around it. The strip is then divided into smaller grafts, between 500 and 2000, each with single or multiple hairs. They will then insert these hair plugs into the areas that are balding.
The FUE hair plug procedure is less invasive. It involves the doctor shaving the back of the patient's scalp and carefully removing individual hair follicles. Healing in this area will look like tiny dots but requires no sutures, and existing hair will cover it. From here, the doctor will plug the harvested hair follicles into the thinning area of the head.
For both procedures, inserting the hair plugs will go as follows:
It is worth noting that each procedure can take four to eight hours, depending on the graft size.
Patients should consider taking a few days off from normal activities and devote time to resting after the procedure—most can return to work within five days. Their scalps will be sore and wrapped in bandages for up to 72 hours or until the doctor gives a more specific time. They will take an antibiotic to reduce the chances of infection and a pain medication to reduce discomfort.
Patients will notice their hair plugs falling out in the first three weeks; this is normal. It means the graft is starting to produce natural hair from within. Patients can expect to see a full head of hair within nine months following the surgery.
Hair plugs can help restore a full head of hair. If you are experiencing hair thinning or baldness, contact our office and schedule a consultation. We can walk you through each step of the process.
Request an appointment here: https://dillonhair.com or call Dillon Hair Restoration at (847) 241-2132 for an appointment in our Schaumburg office.
Check out what others are saying about our services on Yelp: Hair Plugs in Schaumburg, IL.
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