Artificial hair implantation is an aesthetic procedure that can provide hair replacement in cases of hair loss. Alopecia (hair loss) is a serious medical condition, as the patient’s psychological well-being suffers most of all. Self-esteem and satisfaction with one’s appearance have a significant influence on the patient’s well-being and social life. Both women and men can be affected. Artificial hair implantation is an alternative both to drug treatment (e.g. with Minoxidil – drug that can stimulate hair growth) and to surgical implantation of human hair in patients who, for example, do not have enough transplantable hair. The following article gives an overview of the method of artificial hair implantation.
Indications (areas of application)
- Alopecia (hair loss)
- Visual deficiencies in thinning hair, such as receding hairline.
Before surgery
Before surgery, an intensive medical history discussion should be conducted that includes the patient’s medical history and motivation for the procedure. The procedure, any side effects, and the consequences of the surgery should be discussed in detail. Note: The requirements of the explanation are stricter than usual, since courts in the field of aesthetic surgery demand a “relentless” explanation. Furthermore, you should not take acetylsalicylic acid (ASA), sleeping pills or alcohol for a period of seven to ten days before the operation. Both acetylsalicylic acid and other painkillers delay blood clotting and can cause unwanted bleeding. Smokers should severely limit their nicotine consumption as early as four weeks before the procedure to avoid jeopardizing wound healing.
The surgical procedure
Artificial hair is made of polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), a chemical that gives artificial hair a high degree of pliability and tear resistance. A commonly used product is the artificial hair made by the Japanese company NIDO. The artificial hairs have a length of about 15 cm and are available in various colors. The material is also used in the medical field of vascular surgery. The artificial hairs are coated with collagen and the lower part is covered with silver ions, which have an antibacterial effect. The diameter is 95 nanometers, similar to the real hair. Furthermore, the artificial hair is resistant to hairdryer heat and other everyday chemical substances (hair care products). The treatment is performed under local anesthesia (local anesthesia), in a comfortable sitting position. After anesthesia, with the help of a special implantation device (a kind of pin with which the hair is threaded and then inserted into the scalp), each hair is implanted individually. The main attention is paid to a sterile procedure. The implantation causes a puncture channel with a diameter of 0.3 millimeters and thus no or minimal bleeding. At one end of the artificial hair is a tiny loop, which is inserted into the scalp. During healing, connective tissue grows through this loop, thus protecting the hair from accidental plucking. The treatment takes about 1-3 hours, depending on the number of artificial hairs. 1 to 3,000 artificial hairs can be implanted per session. The treatment lasts approximately one hour. Furthermore, it is possible to combine an artificial hair implantation with an own hair transplantation. Since the artificial hair does not grow back, you should not go to the hairdresser until the remaining hair is longer than 15cm or longer than the length of the artificial hair. Since the artificial hair is a foreign body, a rejection reaction from the human immune system is always to be expected. Such a reaction can lead to inflammation and ultimately to the failure of the artificial hair.
After the operation
After the treatment, your head will still be washed and you can go home (or to a neighboring hotel). The scalp will be checked the following day and on day 3. The patient receives a brochure with care tips and the aftercare plan or is instructed accordingly by the attending physician. As with real hair, artificial hair does not last forever; a loss of about 10-20% per year is to be expected. Replacement of these hairs is possible at any time without any problems.
Possible complications
- Rejection or foreign body reactions
Benefit
Artificial hair implantation is a cosmetic method to restore patients’ satisfaction about their own appearance. This effect increases well-being and self-esteem.
