Are There Any Limitations in Hair Transplantation?

Are There Any Limitations in Hair Transplantation?

Hair transplantation may seem like the best solution for people who have lost their hair. For some, it can be a great disappointment due to an incorrectly designed hairline or remaining scars.

According to the International Society for Hair Restoration Surgery (ISHRS) application count, 64% of men who have had hair transplantation say that they are disappointed with the hair density after the procedure, that they cannot achieve the results they want, and that they have to go to expensive re-sessions.

This brings to mind that the right patient and the right treatment are not applied.

We asked Emphair Hair Transplantation Center if there is any limitation in hair transplantation:

“Of course, there are some limits in hair transplantation. For example:

• If there is a limited number of hair genetically resistant to hair loss in the donor area
• The patient's area to be transplanted is very large, but if there is not enough donor area

These are limitations for us.

Now let's look at the limitations that cause individual patients to be unhappy.

Hair Transplant Surgery Doesn't Stop Ongoing Hair Thinning and Hair Loss

Perhaps the biggest problem that hair transplantation does not solve is that the procedure does not actually treat the cause of the hair loss. Hair loss is not a result of sudden hair loss.

It first manifests itself in the form of thinning of the hair every time the hair falls out and enters the growth phase.

With each cycle, the hair continues to miniaturize and then disappear, never coming back.

One factor known to be responsible for male pattern baldness that leads to hair loss is the conversion of the testosterone hormone to dihydrotestosterone (DHT).

Although the primary cause of female pattern hair loss is not yet fully known, inflammation leading to dysfunction of the hair follicle is considered a factor responsible for hair thinning in women.

Because hair transplants do not have any effect on hormones or the cells and signals that trigger hair growth, they do not treat the cause of hair thinning that causes hair loss.

Unfortunately, this means that the benefits of hair transplantation may be limited depending on your hair loss pattern.

Evidence That It Doesn't Stop Hair Loss

The most obvious sign of bad hair growth is usually when there are small concentrations of hair coming out of the bald scalp. This phenomenon is often referred to as “hair plugs” or “clogged appearance”.

This undesirable appearance is actually not due to the hair transplant process itself, but rather to the continuous loss of natural hair.

Essentially, as the transplanted hair continues to grow, the natural hair around it continues to thin, miniaturize and eventually disappear.

Therefore, even a successful hair transplant cannot stop the thinning and eventual loss of natural hair.

Limitations of the Donor Site

Hair that is genetically resistant to hair loss only grows in a limited area on the back of the head.

Any hair taken above or below this area is susceptible to shedding after transplantation or as part of progressive hair loss.

Spreading a limited amount of hair means sacrificing natural-looking hair density, given that hair from a small area must cover such a large area of ​​baldness at the front of the scalp and at the crown.

We can only get 2500-4000 hair strands from the donor area.

A Natural-Looking Hair Transplant Density May not be Achieved in a Single Session

Patients who insist on density results cause hair to be collected outside the safe donor area, which is prone to thinning and shedding.

People who experience hair loss want to have natural hair density during transplantation and most of them want hair transplantation to be done in one session.

However, only a limited amount of hair per square centimeter of scalp can be transplanted safely and effectively.

The transplanted hair also consists of the shaft and the entire follicular unit, including the dermal papilla and other soft tissue.

For the follicular unit to survive and grow, it will need space on the scalp for an adequate supply of blood and nutrients from the body.

The Excess of Transplanted Hair Puts The Transplanted Hair and Natural Hair at Risk

Planting too much hair per square centimeter limits the amount of blood needed for hair grafts to survive and thrive. Hair transplantation also causes trauma to existing natural hair.

In short, exceeding a safe transplantation density may not only result in an ineffective hair transplantation, but also cause you to have less hair than before transplantation, as natural hair may also be lost.”