As risk factors that contribute to 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 contributing to hair loss among younger people. 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.
A hair transplant is a treatment that can be considered for severe hair loss where further improvement is difficult to expect from medication or other therapies. Taking hair loss medication can slow the progression of hair loss, but it cannot restore areas where hair has already been lost. Therefore, to address this fundamentally, a hair transplant should be performed together with hair loss medication.
Hair transplant surgery is a precise treatment that requires consideration of various aspects, including the type of hair loss as well as each patient's scalp condition, hair thickness, direction, and design. For this reason, choosing a medical team with expertise is regarded as a key to 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 how hair follicles are harvested. The incision method involves making an incision in the scalp at the back of the head and then separating the hair follicles for transplantation. The non-incision method involves shaving the hair at the back of the head without incising the scalp and then harvesting and transplanting the hair in follicular units.
The key to choosing hair transplant surgery is the graft survival rate. When hair follicle cells are located at the back of the head, they receive blood from capillaries and carry out their normal functions. If they are forcibly removed for a hair transplant, the nutrient supply from the blood vessels is cut off. Above all, even when they are newly transplanted into the hair loss area, it inevitably takes a certain amount of time for blood vessels to reconnect. Successfully withstanding this process and having the blood vessels reconnect is called graft survival (engraftment).
Ultimately, the most important factor determining hair follicle survival is the skill of the medical team. If cells are damaged during follicle separation, or if mistakes are made during implantation, the follicle survival rate will inevitably decrease. Establishing systems such as real-time microscope monitoring, the use of special preservation solutions used in organ transplantation, and low-temperature moisture devices can also be factors that help increase the survival rate.
Director Yoo Hwa-jung of Modi Hair Plant Clinic advised, "It is true that when the graft survival rate is high in hair transplant surgery, the procedure is correspondingly more efficient and the likelihood of revision surgery is reduced, making it much more advantageous in terms of cost as well," adding, "The survival rate of a hair transplant can vary depending on various factors, including not only hair transplant technology but also the medical team's expertise, the surgical environment, and aftercare."
Source: Segye Biz │ Published 2021.01.18