As risk factors that promote hair loss increase, the age range of hair loss patients is also widening. Along with genetics, irregular lifestyle patterns, unbalanced eating habits, smoking, excessive drinking, and excessive stress are cited as factors that promote hair loss among the younger generation. In fact, the number of young people who experience hair loss symptoms at an early age and consider hair transplant surgery is also on the rise.
Hair transplant is a treatment that can be considered in cases of severe hair loss where further improvement is difficult to expect through drug therapy and other methods. Taking hair loss medication can slow the rate of hair loss progression, but it cannot restore areas where hair has already fallen out to their original state. Therefore, to fundamentally address this, hair transplant should be performed together with taking hair loss medication.
Hair transplant surgery is a precise treatment that requires consideration of various aspects such as the type of hair loss, as well as each patient's scalp condition, hair thickness, direction, and design. Therefore, choosing a medical team with know-how is considered a point for success.
The choice between the incision and non-incision methods is also a key point. Hair transplant surgery is divided into incision and non-incision methods depending on the method of harvesting hair follicles. The incision method works by cutting the scalp at the back of the head, then separating and transplanting the hair follicles. The non-incision method transplants hair by shaving the hair at the back of the head without incising the scalp, then harvesting the hair follicles unit by unit.
The key to selecting a hair transplant surgery is the survival rate. Hair follicle cells, when located at the back of the head, receive blood supply from capillaries and carry out their proper function. If they are forcibly removed for hair transplant, the vascular nutrient supply is cut off. Above all, even when newly transplanted to the hair loss area, it takes a certain amount of time for the blood vessels to newly connect. The process of safely enduring this and having the blood vessels reconnect is called survival (engraftment).
Ultimately, the most important point determining hair follicle survival is the skill level of the medical team. If cell damage occurs during the hair follicle separation process, or if mistakes are made during the implantation process, the hair follicle survival rate is bound to decrease. Establishing systems such as real-time microscopic monitoring, the use of special preservation solutions used in organ transplantation, and low-temperature moisture devices can also be factors that increase the survival rate.
Director Yoo Hwa-jung of Modi Hair Plant Clinic advised, "When performing hair transplant surgery, a high survival rate makes it that much more efficient and reduces the possibility of revision surgery, so in terms of cost it is indeed much more advantageous," adding, "The hair transplant survival rate can vary depending on various factors including hair transplant technical skill as well as the medical team's know-how, the surgical environment, and aftercare."
Source: Segye Biz │ Published 2021.01.18