Hair loss causes great distress to almost everyone facing it. Many people resort to almost anything including visiting quacks to get their hair back. It cannot be stressed to heavily that hair implant surgery is a permanent solution to a receding hairline, but anyone considering this should make sure to visit a qualified and reputed hair transplant surgeon.

What is hair loss?
Anyone with normal hair loss normal will shed in between 50 to 150 hairs every day. This shed hair is constantly replaced by the growth of new hair from the same follicle that that old hair was shed from. This new hair will grow approximately half an inch every month. Baldness begins to appear when the growth of new hair does not keep up with shedding. It can also be noticed when the new hair is thinner than the shed hair. Most loss of hair will have a cause. Usually the cause can be diagnosed and a treatment recommended by a hair transplant surgeon. It is also commonly misunderstood that only males suffer from hair loss. Women too suffer from hair loss but not as much as men do. Hair loss can occur due to a wide variety of causes. You should understand that you are more likely to suffer hair loss if it is present in your family history. Hereditary hair loss does account for the maximum number of cases of hair loss. Other major causes of hair loss are the regular intake of antihypertensive drugs, diabetes, medical treatments such as chemotherapy, and scalp infections that are left untreated.

Diagnosing hair loss
The good news is that hair implant or transplant surgery can help replace lost hair. It is crucial however that those people considering this option only visit a renowned hair transplant specialist. The specialist will first diagnose the cause of your hair loss. If required a sample of your hair may be sent for an analysis to diagnose the exact cause of hair loss. Fortunately, most cases of hair loss are treatable by undergoing the medical hair transplant and restoration surgery, when performed by a professionally qualified hair transplant surgeon. You should understand that there are a very few cases when hair transplant will be useless or the transplanted hair will not grow. If your hair loss is the case, the surgeon will let you know, and also suggest an alternate remedy.

What is hair transplant surgery?
Hair implant or transplant is the only permanent solution of restoring lost hair. Just a few years ago the procedure was a complex and painful one. Better understanding of hair problems and an advancement in the equipment that is used have helped make this procedure pretty accurate and simple and most important much less painful. The basic premise of hair transplant surgery can be described as hair from a donor area is removed and transplanted onto the balding patch. A donor area is an area that contains healthy hair follicles that do not shed and are usually located on the back and sides of the head. Candidates who can undergo hair transplant surgery with good success are those that have healthy donor hair.

Who is a good candidate for hair implant surgery?
Not everyone will be a good candidate for this procedure. Your surgeon can help you determine if this type of surgery will work well for you. While there are no hard and fast rules on who does best when having hair implants the following guidelines should be considered. These candidates have been shown to have the best results following hair implant surgery:

• Men with male-pattern hairlessness.


• Some women with hair loss problems.


• A person who has lost some but not all hair as a result of fire accident or other injuries.


• Those whose hair loss is due to medication.

Techniques that are used in hair implant surgery
Hair transplant/implant surgery has improved tremendously over the past few decades, especially since the last decade. Previous techniques have been replaced by single hair grafting, micro grafting, and mini grafting. These three techniques use variable sized hair grafts, and using the latest equipment along with an experienced hair surgeon will help restore hair almost like it was before going bald.

Single hair grafting
Single hair grafting is when single hair follicles will be transplanted. These hairs are fine and soft and will not provide total density. These hairs are used to create the soft hairline which will lead on to thicker hair. The first step is that the hair surgeon will need to create a hairline. This can be a very difficult task and requires a lot of artistic skill and experience.

Micro and mini grafting
Micro grafting are grafts that contain 2 to 3 hairs and will be placed just behind the hairline that contains the single hair grafts. This will be used to help in slightly increasing the density. Mini grafting is when grafts that contain 4 to 6 hairs will be placed behind the micro grafts. These areas will have the highest density. This pattern of grafting will help the hair blend perfectly giving it a natural look.

The cost of hair implant surgery
Depending on where you live and your choice of surgeon, the average cost of hair transplantation surgery is usually between $3 and $10 per graft and the number of grafts needed depends on the balding area. Keep in mind however that the average number of grafts needed is usually between 500 and 2000, which translates into a cost range of $1500 to $20,000. The surgeons' skill and experience along with competition will also factor greatly in the price per graft. Experts advise however that choosing the surgeon to perform this procedure should never be based on price alone. In addition most surgeons offer financing to help deal with the cost of this procedure. The average length of a single hair implant procedure can be between 5 and 10 hours. The total cost of hair implants is determined by the amount of time and sessions needed. The cost of hair implants is calculated by the total number of grafts needed. While the cost of this surgery can seem prohibitive keep in mind that hair implants do not require continual sessions or yearly replacements, so you will save considerable amounts of money when compared with non-surgical hair-restoration treatments, which require replacements and special grooming.

Side effects of hair implant surgery
You should understand that each cosmetic surgery procedure carries a certain amount of risk, as does all surgery. Your surgeon should discuss the possible risks and complications of your surgery and will answer any questions you may have about those risks. With the help of modern, precise, and advanced equipment, hair transplant surgery is not as uncomfortable as it would be a few years ago. There are only a few minor side effects that may include some pain and an uncomfortable feeling just after the surgery. In rare cases there may be a temporary slight swelling over the area of surgery which can go down to the eyes. Formation of scabs over the area of surgery may happen to some, and this is usually resolved within a few days. More severe side effects consisting of infection, scarring, and bleeding are almost unheard of today. The best way to minimize side effects is to make sure that you always consult a qualified and reputed hair transplant surgeon.

After the hair implant surgery
Usually a hair transplant surgery will take several hours, depending on the amount of hair that is to be transplanted. Sometimes the patient may need the head to be bandaged. This is only temporary and is usually removed the following day. Most often using the latest equipment combined with an experienced hair surgeon, the bandage should never be required. Many patients have a hair transplant done in the morning, and are back to work by afternoon. It is important that you understand that the hair takes time to grow. In addition it is imperative to closely follow your doctor's recommendations for the best results. You cannot expect a thick bush of hair to grow instantly where it was transplanted. Actual growth will most likely start around the third month. Full results are most often seen in about a year's time. The good news is that the transplanted hair requires absolutely no special maintenance and will grow for a long time to come.