The process of hair graft repaired often leads to the formation of a scar that is aesthetically displeasing. Professionals possess the ability to effectively address and enhance an extensive range of hair transplantation scars, encompassing those resulting from antiquated punch graft “dice” techniques, inadequately healed FUT strip surgeries, and even the application of hair transplantation onto skin grafts.
Nevertheless, patients frequently express a need for hair transplant repair when they perceive that the treatment did not yield the expected outcomes in terms of hair density, coverage, and other related factors. The need for multiple hair transplants, ranging from two to three procedures, is a rather regular occurrence. However, it is important to note that the subsequent surgeries should not be immediately classified as “repairs.” The inquiry subsequently emerges: Is it possible to rectify a hair graft?
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Why Do Hair Transplants Fail?
The following are some of the reasons why hair transplants might fail:
- A procedure that is ineffective because of the incredibly low cost or the lack of experience
- Insufficient aftercare, such as starting to smoke too soon or not shampooing correctly
- An unauthorized medical operation performed at the clinic by a doctor or other medical professional who is not fully qualified.
- A mistake in the placement of the donor’s hair.
Hair Transplant Repair
Repairing a hair transplant involves removing bigger follicular units (also known as plugs) and re-implanting them in the scalp area with no hair. The scar won’t be noticeable if you get a FUT hair transplantation or one that combines FUT and FUE.
FUT
Repairing a hair transplant frequently results in a scar that is unattractive from a cosmetic standpoint. Experts can repair and improve a wide variety of hair transplantation scars, including those caused by old punch graft “dice,” FUT strip surgery that has not properly healed, and even the practice of putting hair transplantation onto skin grafts.
However, when patients claim they need hair transplant repair, they often mean that the procedure failed to produce the desired results in terms of density, coverage, etc. It is not uncommon to require two or even three hair transplants; however, this does not automatically indicate that the subsequent procedures constitute “repairs.”
But if clients need help understanding such or have not been told it, they can view the first treatment as a failure. Furthermore, they might be led astray by dishonest marketing that promises everything merely to get a sale.
Do not accept the claims made by hair transplant websites that say their procedure does not include surgery, does not require the use of a scalpel, or leaves minimal scarring. It is crucial to remember that all hair transplants leave some degree of scarring. A genuine hair transplant requires medical intervention, such as surgery and local anesthesia.
FUE
The FUE procedure leaves little scars in the form of round dots randomly put in between the residual hairs, yet, the scars are still present. FUT strip treatment is essentially the same as having all white spots and scars arranged into a straight line, which is easier to notice when the hair is cut short. Punch grafts are essentially the same as FUE but performed on a larger scale, resulting in the formation of enormous round dots.
Repair operations for hair transplants are carried out to fix hair transplants that were performed improperly. Due to the permanent nature of the transplanted hair, poor results from a hair transplant can be humiliating and traumatic for the recipient. The procedure of hair transplantation consists of two primary steps, which are as follows:
Graft Removal
In this stage, the incorrectly implanted hairs, which have an unnatural appearance, are extracted, and the insertion of the newly grafted hairs in a natural design is performed once more. Slits have been closed effectively and appropriately. After removal, the grafts are prepared for implantation in a freshly formed slit. Similarly, each follicular cell is transplanted without any hair loss to the area of the scalp where there is no hair.
When performing a revision, it may be required to perform the surgery multiple times to remove all of the incorrect grafts and then cover the affected area with the appropriate quantity of transplants in a way that looks natural.
Camouflage
Fresh grafts need to be taken from the patient’s donor area and re-implanted in the top and front of the scalp to correct an improperly transplanted hair. This is likewise a completely individualized process, and how it is carried out varies from patient to patient. The only option for healing is camouflaging scars left by hair transplants when the donor area has not been completely used. In some circumstances, you will need to schedule a follow-up appointment. The next session is carried out between 8 and 12 months after the first one when the hair growth that resulted from the first restoration session is finished.
Scar grafting does not call for any additional density in the areas surrounding the scar. Instead, we should focus on efficiently disguising it with camouflage. In addition, in some cases, more than one surgery is required to conceal the scar successfully. In addition, follicles implanted into scar locations may not provide the same results as those transplanted into virgin scalp regions. The primary objective, on the other hand, is to grow a sufficient amount of hair to obscure the look of the scar.
It may take several months to see significant changes in one’s appearance. In most cases, this will result in sufficient hair to distract from the scar’s smooth, linear appearance. However, the results make it more than worthwhile to go through multiple operations.
Medical Therapies
Repair may also involve medical therapies, depending on the nature of the damage. Minoxidil and finasteride are two medications that can stimulate hair growth and make the transplant look better.
What To Do in The Event of a Failed Hair Transplant
No person wants to put themselves through the ordeal of enduring a scenario where a hair transplant fails and needs to be fixed. A hair transplant failure can be particularly disheartening for the patient because the treatment is meant to be a life-changing opportunity to restore fullness and health to the patient’s hair after suffering from hair loss or thinning.
Surgeons who perform hair transplants share this sentiment and do not want their patients to go through the trauma of a flawed hair transplant. Because of this, a significant amount of time and effort is invested in the planning procedure to reduce the chances of a flawed hair transplant to the most practical extent possible.
In the unlikely event that a hair transplant is unsuccessful, the patient must determine what factors contributed to the procedure’s outcome. However, the hair transplant specialist should have addressed any possibly unpleasant difficulties with the patient during the first consultation. Certain habits or health problems could play a part in the failure of a hair transplant. Because of this, the individual needs to be completely honest with the physician while discussing the hair transplant operation.
If a hair transplantation has been unsuccessful, the patient should get in touch with a reputed hair transplant specialist or a hair transplant facility to ascertain the reason for the treatment failure and devise a strategy for permanently resolving the problem.