Is Hair Transplant Permanent? How Long Do Hair Transplants Last?

2 March, 2022 | Hair Loss | Author : Shveta Virmani

Our hair is a big part of our appearance—it can make or break the way we look. But conditions like baldness and hair thinning cause abnormal hair loss, which either regrows too slowly or not at all. To solve this problem, dermatologists often advise a hair transplant treatment.

Hair transplant surgery is based on micrografting technology and started way back in the late 1930s. It is an in-office procedure in which a dermatologic or plastic surgeon removes healthy hair follicles from one part of the body and implants them in the affected region.

Although this surgery is minimally invasive and simple, there are a lot of things to consider before and after getting it. Continue reading to know more about hair transplant healing time, the cost of hair transplant in India, is hair transplant permanent, and how long do hair transplants last.

Feel free to skip ahead if one topic catches your eye:

Takeaway

1. Understanding the Science Behind Hair Transplant

Our hair grows from the hair follicles present in the epidermis, the outer layer of the skin. They are responsible for the regular growth and regrowth of our hair. The conditions leading to hair loss often occur due to damage to the hair follicles. These conditions often include:

Pattern baldness
Thinning of hair
Hormonal imbalance
Injury to the scalp
Medications
Illnesses
Stress
Improper diet

Hair transplants cannot help in dealing with all the cases of hair loss. Hence, in conditions like the following, the doctors advise against it:

Baldness in women
Widespread hair loss
Lack of enough donor hair follicles
People prone to having keloid scars
People undergoing treatments like chemotherapy

During a hair transplant procedure, the surgeon takes out healthy follicles from the regions of normal hair growth and implants them in the affected area. It is either done by a slit graft which includes extracting 4 to 10 follicles per graft, or micro grafts where 1 or 2 follicles are extracted per graft.

The hair transplant cost can vary between 20,000 INR to 3,00,000 INR in India. The exact cost depends on the hospital, the surgeon providing the treatment, and the number of follicles to be implanted.

2. How Long Do Hair Transplants Last?

The hair transplant healing time is about 6 to 9 months. During this period, the implanted follicles settle into the scalp, and the surgical site heals. Hence, the hair growth in the implanted site often begins after 6 months of performing the procedure. During the hair transplant healing time, your dermatologist may ask you to visit regularly to evaluate the surgical site and results.

About 85 to 90% of cases of hair transplants are successful and lead to healthy and steady hair growth. However, the actual result varies from person to person. Dermatologists advise waiting for at least 12 months to evaluate whether or not the transplant had expected results.

Now you might be wondering, do hair transplants last forever? The answer is, it depends on several factors like the health of the follicles and how the patient's body responds to the transplant. Hence, the answer to "do hair transplants last forever" varies among individuals.

If you want to know for sure that "is hair transplant permanent" in your case, you can consult your dermatologist. Sometimes, the procedure does not give the expected results, and you may have to repeat the process. You might need to get another hair transplant surgery if:

The coverage of the surgery was not satisfying
A large proportion of the implanted follicles do not show proper growth
The regrowth of hair is not normal
New bald spots start forming
Thinning of hair continues

3. Is Hair Transplant Permanent? What is the Best Way to Know?

Scientifically, a hair transplant is permanent. But do hair transplants last forever in every case? No. Your diet, lifestyle, stress levels, and follicle viability affect how long hair transplants last. By and large, 80-85% of hair retention happens over a long time. So it is important to have patience and continue following the medications regularly.

You will find a lot of information on the topic on the internet. But it is just a general evaluation. So, we advise that you visit your dermatologist to know the answer to "is hair transplant permanent" for you. They would examine the surgical site, ask other general questions, and read other symptoms to tell you what to expect.

A hair transplant also carries some risk factors. So if you observe any of the following symptoms, you should talk to your doctor about it:

Bleeding in the surgical area
Constant itching, tenderness, or throbbing even after some days
Scarring
Infection
Swelling
Unnatural appearance
Numbness
Shock loss (loss of healthy hair after the surgery)

4. Alternatives to Hair Transplants

If you are not an ideal candidate for a hair transplant, there are other alternatives that you can try. Instead of implanting new hair follicles, these techniques stimulate hair growth in the affected regions. A few other options include:

1. Hair Regrowth Treatment

Hair Regrowth Treatment is a non-surgical method to stimulate hair regrowth. It is most effective when opted during the early stages of patterned baldness and alopecia among individuals. It involves injecting the plasma rich in PLAYT-lets into the affected region of the scalp. Since the method uses PLAYT-lets from the same individual, there are no risks of any side effects.

The procedure is affordable and preferred by dermatologists as one of the best ways to regrow hair naturally.

2. PRFM Treatment

The PLAYT-let-Rich Fibrin Matrix therapy is a considerably new and highly effective technique for hair regrowth. Here, the Hair Regrowth Treatment from the same individual is infused with fibrin, an insoluble protein that promotes healing. This matrix is then injected into the affected region to promote tissue rejuvenation and regeneration.

5. FAQs

1. Do hair transplants fall out again?

The main idea of the hair transplant procedure is to introduce healthy follicles to the affected areas. So, after the transplant, the hair connected to the follicles would fall out. However, the healthy follicles would then promote the regrowth of new and healthy hair.

2. Does hair transplant look natural?

Several factors affect how natural the transplant would look. If the bald region is widespread and the number of implanted follicles is less, bald spots will still be visible. Also, the functionality of the implanted follicles would affect how natural the newly grown hairs look.

3. Why do hair transplants fail?

Hair transplant surgery has a success rate between 85 to 90%. However, if the implanted follicles are not viable, get damaged during the transplant, or do not adapt properly during the hair transplant healing time, there are increased chances that the transplant would fail.

Take Away

At MedLinks, we use cutting-edge technology to offer efficient services. Our concern and care for the patients' wellness, comfort, and ease of going through the whole diagnosis and treatment process allow us to provide the highest level of service and treatment standards.