Averagely, you should shed about fifty to one hundred and fifty strands of hair daily. This can be when you brush or comb your hair, wash it, put it in a ponytail, or even run your fingers through it. You have about 100,000 to 150,000 strands altogether, so losing this amount daily won’t be noticeable.
However, when you have a condition called alopecia, your hair loss becomes noticeable. It may start at the crown or edge of your head. Hair loss can be genetic, as in androgenic alopecia, male pattern baldness.
It can also be an immune system dysfunction, where hair follicles are seen as the enemy. The immune system focuses on eliminating them when they grow, and when your body can’t keep up with the consistent hair loss, it can result in baldness. This condition is called alopecia areata.
With wigs, you can care for some hair loss conditions, but many people see this as a temporary solution. For a more lasting and natural result, look into hair transplants.
It entails transplanting hair from the donor site at the recipient area, and a common question people ask is, does the donor area grow back after a transplant? Keep reading to find out more about hair transplants.
What is a Hair Transplant?
A hair transplant is the surgical transfer of hair follicles from one area with high density to a place experiencing baldness or hair thinning. It’s a more permanent solution and one that many people opt for; yearly, about 650,000 men and women get a hair transplant.
There are two types of hair transplants, and you and your doctor will determine which best suits your condition. The first type is follicular unit extraction, a modern method of transplanting hairs. It entails removing individual hair strands from the donor site and introducing them to the recipient area.
This method allows more range – the donor and recipient areas aren’t limited. You can get an eyebrow transplant, beards or mustache transplant, and even a chest hair transplant.
On the other hand, follicular unit transplants limit the donor and recipient areas to the scalp. The hair is harvested in strips from the back of the scalp then transplanted at the recipient area.
What is the donor area?
The donor area is the part of the body where the hair follicles for a transplant are extracted from. The hair in this area needs to be healthy and dense.
Now, the donor area can be any part of the body. It depends on the hair transplant method you’re opting for. If you choose the follicular unit extraction, the donor area can be any part of your body.
Alternatively, the follicular unit transplant method restricts the donor area to your scalp, preferably the back of your skull.
Does the Donor Area Grow Back After a Transplant?
When grafting hair for a hair transplant, if your surgeon uses the follicular unit extraction method, they’ll graft hairs in groups of 1s to 4s. The result is barely noticeable, and doctors do this because the hair doesn’t always grow back in some people. They also make sure they harvest the hair from a dense area.
In follicular unit transplant, the surgeon will remove long and thin hair strips from the donor area, usually the scalp. The incisions may scar, causing the hair to grow around it. However, it’s barely noticeable, and with time, the hair will grow around it and cover it.
Your hair may also grow through the incision scars and cover them up after a while.
What are the Conditions a Hair Restoration Surgery Can Remedy?
Although hair loss is a fairly common occurrence, not everyone resorts to hair transplants. However, a hair transplant may be the most suitable solution for the following conditions:
Androgenic alopecia
Androgenic alopecia is a hereditary condition that pertains to the hair. It’s also known as male pattern baldness, and it occurs when your hair falls out following a pattern. Scientists don’t exactly know what causes this hair loss condition, but we have the certainty that it’s incurable. If a family member experiences male pattern baldness, you likely will too.
It can happen to any man from any age group, even teenagers. A hair transplant is a way to regain confidence if you’ve lost your hair to this condition.
Hormonal imbalance
A hormonal imbalance can cause your hair to thin or even fall out. You’ll be shedding hair at a faster rate, sometimes faster than your body can keep up with. A hair transplant allows you to extract hair from other areas and fill these balding spots with them.
Burns
A burn can stunt the growth of the hair follicles in the affected area. The effects can be traumatizing; add the apparent scars to the bald spots, and don’t act surprised when there’s a massive dent in confidence levels.
Consider a hair transplant in this scenario, and discuss the possibility of this being a viable solution with your healthcare practitioner.
Traction alopecia
Traction alopecia is the loss of hair at the edges of the head. It’s caused by applying too much pressure on them, causing them to pull out one after the other until the loss becomes apparent.
You can fill up those scanty areas with a hair transplant.
Can someone else donate hair to me?
One of the conditions for getting a hair transplant is that you have dense areas of hair growth at the donor area. You may wonder if someone else can donate their hair, especially if you don’t meet this requirement.
The short answer is no. Our bodies have been engineered so that we can only accept hair follicles that our system recognizes as ours. As such, any transplanted hair from an external source will be rejected – the strands will fall out. Someone else can’t donate hair for you when you’re considering a transplant.
If you can’t seem to find a dense supply of hair on your scalp, opt for the follicular unit extraction method instead. This procedure expands your donor area to your entire body, as long as there’s a dense supply of hair.