Considering that a hair transplant is literally performed to replace hair that has fallen out, it’s no surprise that one of the most commonly asked questions for everyone who is contemplating surgery is “how long does a hair transplant last?” Well, the good news is that your transplanted hair is completely permanent, but there are a number of things that can affect your newly transplanted hair that you should be aware of.
Hair transplant surgery is something that is popular across both men and women, regardless of age and race, as anyone can be susceptible to hair loss at any point in their lives. It could be down to stress and health conditions or it could be hereditary and follow patterns from your parents and grandparents, whatever the cause for your loss, a hair transplant is the answer to your questions.
Since the 1950’s, hair transplant surgery has become more and more popular until recent years where there is much less stigma attached to having a surgery performed. Many celebrities and sportspeople have openly undergone surgery themselves to improve their confidence or help with their career chances, which in turn has opened the door for others to open up and change their lives.
There are two major types of hair transplant surgery, these are FUE (follicular unit extraction) and FUT (follicular unit transplantation). Both methods provide natural looking results, but the steps they take to get there are different. The FUE transplantation method involves taking individual follicles from the rear of the scalp and transplanting them into the affected area to provide renewed growth. Of the two methods, this is the more modern method and is the most popular method of hair transplantation with our patients. The FUT transplantation method is also known as the “strip farming method” and the main difference is the way in which the follicles are extracted from the scalp. As the name “strip farming” suggests, a strip of hair follicles is extracted from the scalp and the follicles are prepared to be transplanted into the affected area. This method is considered to be more traditional and is performed less frequently than its counterpart.
Following a hair transplant, the new outline will be visible instantly and you will be able to see what the improved hairline will look like. One thing that causes people to worry and ask the question of how long will their hair transplant last is that after the initial growth period, the newly transplanted follicles go through a period of shedding and will fall out but this is completely normal and isn’t anything to worry about. After the initial shedding period, the hair will begin to grow through as normal and the complete results are normally visible a few months to a year later.
Because the follicles used during transplantation are generally taken from areas of the scalp that are genetically programmed to grow, even during hair loss on other areas of the scalp, they retain the characteristics of hair follicles from the area that they originated and will continue to grow permanently. What this means is that as long as you utilise the correct aftercare, your newly transplanted can last a lifetime.
It’s important to note that although these methods can provide permanent solutions to hair loss, every patient is different and depending on the reasons for your hair loss it’s entirely possible that more than on procedure may be required during your hair restoration journey.
Alternatively, there are other solutions to hair loss that are completely permanent although they don’t actually revolve around the transplantation of hair follicles. Instead, the process is known as scalp micropigmentation and is much more similar to a tattoo. If your hair loss is too severe that it can be combatted via a hair transplant, then scalp micropigmentation could be the perfect solution for you.
For men (and some women), hundreds of tiny dots of pigment are injected into the scalp to create the appearance of hair follicles that are just beginning to grow through. This gives the head a “freshly shaved” appearance with minimal maintenance required, all you need to do is ensure you keep the length of your hair short enough that it looks natural. For women (and men who like to have longer hair), the procedure is generally different and instead is used to create the illusion of shadow and depth on the scalp by filling in any balding areas.
There isn’t really an overall answer to how long a hair transplant will last, but as long as your donor hair is in good condition and is unaffected by hair loss already, you should see results that could last a lifetime. Hair transplant surgery is considered to be the only permanent solution to hair loss and as long as you understand the risks and benefits going into it, as well as what you need to do to maintain your new hair, you should see that your results will last you into old age.