Hair transplant surgery
Ultra-Refined Follicular Unit Transplantation
Hair transplantation is the only method that can be guaranteed to overcome hair loss and regain a head of your own growing hair.
Ultra-Refined Follicular Unit Transplantation, using stereoscopic dissecting microscopes, is the refined and ultimate form of hair transplant surgery. It involves taking hair roots from a ‘donor’ area at the back or sides of the scalp, where the hair generally continues to grow throughout one’s lifetime, and relocating them to the bald or thinning areas at the top the head.
Here it grows as normal on a permanent or at least long-term basis. Follicular Units are the natural groupings of the hairs intheir original habitat. This ranges from 1-4 hairs per unit with the average being 2.2. Keeping these Follicular Units intact when transferring them to the recipient site undoubtedly results in better survival of the hairs and a more natural-looking result.
When it comes to the hairline, individual hairs are placed avoiding a particular pattern but following the direction and angle of the natural growth of the hair, to form a totally realistic look. The result is hair that performs in the same way as the hair you used to have. Only you, and the people you choose to tell, need ever know about the treatment.
Using injected local anaesthetic, the site from which donor hair is to be taken is numbed. A thin strip of scalp containing hair roots which are genetically programmed to grow for the rest of your life is removed. With the aid of stereoscopic dissecting microscopes, the strip is then divided into the individual follicular unit grafts each measuring approx. 1mm in width (see photo on the left). Click for 1st step slivering video. By using microscopes about 30% more hair is visualised and can be harvested than with older techniques. Click for 2nd step graft dissection video.
The follicular unit grafts are individually inserted into micro slits in the recipient scalp made with a variety of needles or tiny blades measuring 0.7 – 1.1 mm. The grafts are blended in amongst the thinning or balding areas in such a way as to match all the original growth characteristics of your original hair. Drs Farjo prefer to densely pack at a rate of 35-50 grafts or 80-110 hairs per square centimetre per operation. The combined criteria described above in operations of 2500 grafts or more are what is referred to as ultra-refined follicular unit transplantation. Photo on the right showing recipient bald scalp typical appearance immediately after surgery. Click here to see video of grafts being placed.
The site from where the donor strip was taken is closed with dissolving stitches during the treatment and immediately covered by your surrounding hair. It normally heals in a fine line scar in amongst your permanent hair. Drs Farjo routinely use the method of Trichophytic closure (click to download file). This entails trimming one edge of the cut prior to closure. When the opposing edge of the cut is joined to the trimmed edge, hairs from the trimmed edge grow through the resulting scar effectively camouflaging its appearance. Due to variations in people’s healing, the scar may still be noticeable if you decide to shave your entire scalp or have a number 1 hair cut at any point in the future.
The procedure is very clean and no dressings or bandages are required. Within half an hour of the end of the treatment session you can be on your way home. The follicular units stay securely in the slits and heal naturally.
Each hair transplant treatment normally takes 4-12 hours depending on the number of grafts or hairs being transferred. Currently we are able to transfer from as little as 500 to as many as 5000 grafts (12,500 hairs) in one day. To aid the survival of these minute grafts this long outside the body, we store them in a manner to maintain their integrity and hydration to optimise survival. The hair transplant procedure in principle is simple and involves only short-lived discomfort when applying the anaesthetic. The rest of the hair transplant procedure is painless.
Each aspect of your treatment is dealt with utilising the skill of our vastly experienced team. The technique requires surgical expertise and artistry in equal measure and this demands patience and perfectionism on the part of the surgeon and the team. In expert hands, undetectable results can be created even under the closest inspection.
From the day of the treatment it takes approximately 4 months for your new hair to start to grow and then it simply carries on growing at your natural rate (normally 1/2 inch or 1cm per month). Hence it could take at least 8 months after the procedure before you have substantial amounts of hair resulting in a gradual change of appearance that could properly be assessed. As a matter of fact, your new hair continues to mature in colour, body and texture for up to 18 months after surgery. For most people with significant hair loss, 1-2 operations per bald area can give a natural looking head of hair of reasonable density.
Our current all-inclusive price structure for the above procedure is as follows:
£5 per graft for the 1st 1000 grafts
£2.50 per graft for the next 1000, and
£2 per graft thereafter
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