This guide explains hair transplantation, how it works, who is a good candidate, potential risks and side effects, and answers frequently asked questions.
What is Hair Transplantation?
Hair transplantation is a surgical procedure that moves healthy hair follicles from a donor area (typically the back of the head) to areas experiencing hair thinning or loss (the recipient area). It's a common treatment for androgenetic alopecia, also known as male or female pattern baldness. Transplanted follicles usually continue to grow in the new location, improving hair density and appearance.
Understanding Androgenetic Alopecia
Androgenetic alopecia is often caused by dihydrotestosterone (DHT), a hormone derived from testosterone. While DHT plays a role in normal hair growth, excessive levels can contribute to patterned hair loss. This often results in thinning and shedding, particularly on the top of the scalp, which is more susceptible to DHT than the back of the head.
How Hair Transplantation Works
Hair transplantation involves relocating DHT-resistant hair follicles from the donor area (often the occipital region) to areas affected by hair loss. These relocated follicles are more likely to thrive in the new location, providing long-term improvement in hair coverage.
Hair Transplant: Contraindications and Patient Suitability
Hair transplantation may not be suitable for everyone. Certain factors can affect candidacy:
- Underlying Scalp Conditions: Symptoms such as persistent itching, scaling, redness, or rashes may indicate underlying conditions like scalp infections, psoriasis, or dermatitis, which need to be treated before considering a hair transplant. Additionally, hair loss accompanied by fever may suggest an underlying systemic issue rather than androgenetic alopecia.
- Type of Hair Loss: Hair transplantation is primarily effective for androgenetic alopecia (male and female pattern baldness). Other forms of hair loss, such as alopecia areata, telogen effluvium, or scarring alopecia, may not respond well to surgical intervention and may require alternative treatments.
- Medical History: Certain pre-existing conditions can be contraindications, including:
- Dermatologic conditions
- Thyroid disease, diabetes, or metabolic syndrome
- Autoimmune conditions
- Systemic or local infections at the surgical site
- Malnutrition or vitamin/mineral deficiencies
- Recent childbirth
- History of scarring
- Current chemotherapy or radiation exposure
- Some medications can interfere with the patient’s suitability and efficacy of the treatment.
- Psychiatric Factors and Hair Loss Onset: Stress, anxiety, eating disorders, trichotillomania (hair pulling), and body dysmorphic disorder can impact post-surgery satisfaction. Early-stage hair loss may benefit more from other treatments. Managing expectations is crucial, as hair transplants restore density but may not fully reverse baldness.
- Physical Factors: Localized scarring, inflammation, or positive hair pull tests may suggest alternative diagnoses affecting donor hair availability and procedure success. The availability of androgen-resilient donor hair is essential.
Hair Transplant Techniques Available In Singapore
Hair transplantation techniques use advanced microsurgical methods to achieve aesthetically pleasing results. Two widely used methods are Follicular Unit Transplantation (FUT), also known as strip harvesting, and Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE):
| Notable Treatment Feature | FUT | FUE |
| Postoperative discomfort | May occur | Minimal |
| Extensive bleeding during or after the procedure | May occur | Unlikely to occur |
| Nerve damage, numbness, permanent pain | May occur | No significant documented cases |
| Stitches | Required | Not Required |
| Applicability in people with greater scarring tendency | Not Suitable | Possibly Suitable |
| Scarring | Single linear scar | Multiple small round scars |
| Additive scarring | Unlikely | May occur |
| Exposure of scars with advanced alopecia | Unlikely to occur Scars remains hidden within the narrow fringe of occipital hair | Scars may be more visible with advanced hair loss |
| Visible scarring with short hair at back | May be present | Microscopic scars |
| Wearing short hairstyles in donor area | Not possible | Possible |
| Suitability for individuals with scarring tendency | Not Suitable | Possibly Suitable |
| Body hair harvesting | Not Possible | Possible (beard, chest or other body parts could be used) |
| Hair follicle survival | 1-2% hair follicle damaged rate | 5-10% hair follicle damaged rate |
| Hair follicle quality | Good | Good to moderate |
| Follicular Unit Yield | Good | Good but may vary |
| Donor area healing time | 2-3 weeks | Approx. 7 days |
| Recipient area healing time | Approx. 14 days | 10-14 days |
| Recovery time before resuming exercise | 2-3 weeks | 1-2 weeks |
| Recovery time before returning to work | The next day | The next day |
Research content is provided for informational purposes only and should not be considered a substitute for professional medical advice
Hair Transplant Safety
Hair transplantation is a day-surgery procedure. A thorough medical consultation is essential to determine suitability. Clinical studies have demonstrated the safety and efficacy of both Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) and Follicular Unit Transplantation (FUT) when performed on appropriate candidates. Individual outcomes and risks can vary.
Hair Transplant Side Effects
As with all medical interventions, side effects may vary depending on individual health conditions. Speak to the aesthetic doctor in detail during the consultation to identify possible side affects you may face from the treatment.
- Donor Area Damage: Improper donor site management can lead to complications.
- Telogen Effluvium: Temporary shedding of native hair at the donor or recipient site.
- Reduced Sensation: Temporary numbness in the frontal scalp.
Schedule a consultation to speak to our doctors.
Disclaimer: Information presented is accurate at the time of print. Websites and references listed are not endorsed by 21 Medical Aesthetics and do not necessarily reflect the views of our medical team. Information is researched and displayed for demonstrative purposes only. It should not be used for personal diagnosis or as a substitute for professional medical consultation.
External Links
| FUE Technique for Hair Restoration: A Closer Look at Small Incision Hair Transplants |
| Informed Decisions for Hair Loss: A Resource of Credible Clinical Studies |
| Navigating Hair Restoration: A Guide to Reliable International Medical Journals |
Sources:
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jdv.14624
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK547740
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6371731
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8719975
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8719975
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0190962221009075
Sources For Reference To Check Reliability:
| Journal | Relevant Information Extracted | Reliability |
| https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jdv.14624 | What is hair transplantation and how is it used to address AGA?What is the goal and reality of hair transplantation? | Open Access. Peer-reviewed. Impact factor 8.5. Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology. |
| https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK547740/ | What is hair transplantation and why is it used in addressing AGA?Comparison of FUT and FUE & Contraindications & Side-effects. | Academic book. Open Access. |
| https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6371731/ | Features of FUT and FUE (table information taken from here).The resilience of the occipital scalp and greater postoperative pain in FUT. Patients with curly or very wavy hair may be difficult to treat when FUE is used. | Open Access. Peer-reviewed. Impact factor 1.015. Journal of Cutaneous and Aesthetic Surgery. |
| https://www.dovepress.com/assessment-of-occipital-involvement-among-a-large-population-of-female-peer-reviewed-fulltext-article-CCID | Occipital resilience towards androgens i.e., the disease progression was slower in the occipital region compared to the frontal region. | Open Access. Single Anonymous Peer-review. Impact factor 0.6. Dove Medical Press. |
| https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8719975/ | Contraindications (very similar to the academic book, actually uncanny similar). | Open Access. Peer-reviewed. Impact factor 0.8. Indian Journal of Plastic Surgery. |
| https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0190962221009075 | Clinical study comparing FUE and FUT. | Impact factor 12.8. Peer reviewed. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology. |
