By the age of 50, about 80 percent of men have significant thinning of hair. Women experience this, too, with studies showing that approximately a third of women see significant hair loss by this age.
Hair loss can cause low self-esteem and psychological distress, which may lead to social isolation. It’s no wonder that so many people are making appointments for hair transplants these days. And they’ve all heard the same thing: The procedure is painless, only takes a few hours, and the surgeon needs a graft to get the job done.
You may wonder, “What is a graft in hair transplant surgery?” It’s a good question, and you’ll need to know the answer to make an educated decision about your procedure. Keep reading to find out what a graft is and whether hair transplant surgery is right for you.
What Is a Graft in Hair Transplant Surgery?
A graft is a piece of scalp taken from the back and placed in an area that has lost hair. The number of grafts needed for a successful hair transplant depends on the size and shape of your balding areas.
Types of Grafts
There are two ways that surgeons collect grafts: strip harvesting and single hair follicles. Let’s look at the two types of grafts in more detail.
Strip Harvesting
In this procedure, a hair transplant doctor will remove a strip of skin containing hair follicles from the back of your head and cut it into smaller sections. Then, they add the grafts into bald spots on your scalp so that healthy hair can grow. This is a follicular unit transplantation.
Single Hair Follicles
Your doctor will take single hair follicles from the back of your head and place them into bald spots on your scalp. This is a more time-consuming method, but it also means that there will be less scarring.
Hair Transplant Process
After your doctor gets the skin graft, the hair transplant process is similar for each method. The doctor will place the grafts into small holes in your scalp, where they will grow new hair. You may have some redness and swelling for several days after the surgery, but unlike other popular beauty procedures, these symptoms should go away within a week or two.
Are You a Hair Graft Candidate?
If you’re considering a hair transplant, there are a few things to keep in mind. First, your doctor will need to evaluate your overall health and determine whether you’re suitable for the procedure. Most doctors will not perform a hair transplant on someone who is suffering from any type of illness or condition that could affect wound healing.
Second, you need to have areas of healthy, thick hair on your head. If you have balding spots on your head, but the rest of your hair is thick and healthy, a doctor can fill in thin spots using your own hair. However, if all of your hair has fallen out, you may need to wait until enough growth appears.
Learn All You Can About Grafts in Hair Transplant Surgery
Now you have a better understanding of, “What is a graft in hair transplant surgery?” But you shouldn’t stop there if you’re seriously thinking about undergoing the procedure.
The more you know about hair transplant surgery, the better equipped you will be when it comes time to decide what’s the best treatment for your hair loss. Contact us today to learn more about the procedure.