Understanding Hair Transplants
A hair transplant involves moving hair follicles from one part of your scalp (usually the back and sides, where hair tends to be more resilient) to areas with thinning or no hair. While this process can be highly effective, the success of a hair transplant can depend on having an adequate donor area to harvest hair follicles. If you have total baldness, also known as advanced androgenic alopecia (or Norwood scale stages 6 and 7), your choices may be a bit more limited; however, advancements in hair restoration techniques still provide hope.Can Hair Transplants Work For Complete Baldness?
For those who are completely bald, the primary challenge is finding a sufficient source of hair follicles for transplantation. Since traditional hair transplants rely on existing hair in the donor area, it may be challenging if there’s little or no hair left on the scalp. However, Dr. Sajan emphasizes that there are still options to explore:- Body Hair Transplants: In cases where scalp hair is limited, body hair, such as from the chest or beard, may be used as donor hair. While body hair has different characteristics (such as texture and color), it may be a solution for your situation, particularly if you want to see fuller hair in small sections of the scalp. Dr. Sajan evaluates each case individually to determine if body hair would yield natural-looking results.
- Scalp Micropigmentation (SMP): SMP is a non-surgical procedure that can create the appearance of a closely shaved scalp by using specialized pigments to mimic hair follicles. If you’re entirely bald and don’t want to pursue a transplant, SMP offers a realistic alternative that can give the illusion of hair, helping your scalp look fuller and more defined.
- Combination Procedures: Sometimes, a combination of body hair transplants and SMP can be used to maximize coverage. This approach is tailored for patients with limited donor hair and can provide a fuller appearance by strategically placing hair and pigments.