Hair loss sufferers seeking real hair loss help often come to our hair restoration forum asking questions about hair restoration methods that might work best for them. This hair restoration forum member asked whether or not a synthetic hair transplant is a viable option. This insightful answer was posted by well respected hair restoration discussion forum member “BeHappy”.
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Synthetic hair transplants are illegal in the USA because of the problems and complaints synthetic hair transplant patients were making as a result of having it done. I looked into doing this as one of my hair restoration options because it was still being done then. It was banned shortly after I was considering it. The hair transplant doctor would attach hair (could be real or fake) to tiny aluminum (or or something similar such as plastic) tips, sort of like putting a small piece of metal around the end of the hair and crimping the metal so the hair stays on it. Then they make the slits in the recipient area and put the synthetic or real hair grafts in so the metal ends are in your scalp. After a few days the healing of the holes they made will grow around and over the metal tips, so they can’t come out.
The synthetic hair transplant patient will end up with several thousand little pieces of metal/plastic small “pipes” in their heads. The hair doesn’t grow whether real or fake, so it’s always the same length. Over time natural occurrences such as combing your hair, strong winds if your hair is being blown around, shampooing your hair, etc slowly makes the implanted hair come out, many times leaving the tips lodged in your head. After a few years the synthetic hair transplant patient will have to go back to do an overall fill in to replace all of those that fell out. This includes surgically removing any of the pieces that remain lodged into your scalp. After this is performed a few times the hair transplant patient’s scalp is often very scarred and it is inevitable that the patient will have to continue going back for a refill every few years forever. Small infections may occur on an ongoing basis because of having thousands of little pins in your head constantly. Your body doesn’t like that and will keep trying to reject them. This can lead to pain and stinging when you try to comb your hair or when someone puts their hands through your hair.
Nearly everyone who has had synthetic hair transplantation has eventually had them all removed for one reason or another (money, infections, pain, etc). The hair transplant patient is then left with a bald head full of scars which makes it harder to have a real hair replacement surgery which would have been a more sound hair loss treatment.
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Bill - aka Falceros
Associate Publisher of the Hair Transplant Network and the Hair Loss Learning Center
View my Hair Loss Weblog
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Our hair restoration discussion forum is regularly is chalked full of important answers to hair loss and hair transplant related questions. Additionally, questions are answered daily on our news and blog sites including the Hair Loss Q&A Blog, the Hair Transplant Network, and the Hair Loss Learning Center.
Be sure to check frequently as new highlighted questions and answers will be featured on our hair restoration forum!
Some recent hot hair restoration topics include:
How Does Stress Play a Roll in Causing Hair Loss? Many online articles indicate that stress can play a role in the balding process. Read this article to learn the truth of stress related hair loss and whether or not you are at risk.
Why are Some Patients Better Candidates for Hair Transplant Surgery? Some bald men and women are better candidates for hair replacement surgery than others. Read this article to see why some patients are better candidates than others.
Minimizing Scar Stretching After Hair Transplantation: Read this article to learn how a hair transplant surgeon creates a minimal scar and what you can do to assist.
Bill Seemiller - aka Falceros
Associate Publisher of the Hair Transplant Network and the Hair Loss Learning Center
View my Hair Loss Weblog
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I recently found an interesting tool on the National Geographic website, which has a quick and helpful interactive introduction to the human brain. The tutorial explains in simple terms the brain's anatomy, some common diseases, and which parts of the brain are stimulated by smells, light, sound, romance, and other stimuli.
The site offers insight into the intricate workings of the brain, many of us are not familiar with. The site defines the common elements of the brain and what primary functions they are responsible for. It also offers an interactive section where the reader can select an area of the brain to visually see where it is located and what tasks that area is responsible for.
You can access the site here.
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A new treatment for stroke victims promises to suction out clogged arteries in hopes of stopping brain damage before permanent and lasting harm is caused. The drug, Penumbra, is newly approved and is the latest in a series of inside-the-artery attempts to boost recovery from a stroke.
More than 700,000 Americans suffer a stroke each year, and more than 150,000 of them die. Survivors often face serious disability and permanent brain injuries. While this new treatment drug sounds promising, it may not be ideal for every stroke patient.
Penumbra is ideal for patients who are not able to receive treatment in the very early stages after a stroke has been suffered. It can also be helpful for those patients who have tried other methods of treatment, like the clot-busting drug TPA, and was unsuccessful.
You can read more on Penumbra and its next stages of research here.
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When considering hair transplantation, one must consider the varying philosophies and techniques between hair restoration physicians. Some hair transplant surgeons seem to prefer smaller hair transplant sessions of follicular unit hair transplantation and prefer to accomplish a patient’s hair restoration goals over multiple sessions for those with extensive balding. I know those who typically believe in smaller hair transplant sessions typically are concerned mostly about minimizing the risk of donor scarring. This is what is typically referred to on our hair restoration forum as the “conservative” approach.
Larger hair transplant megasessions are performed by some hair transplant clinics when appropriate and is typically referred to as the “liberal” approach. Those hair transplant surgeons who perform hair transplant megasessions on a regular basis believe there is no additional risk of scarring assuming the patient has proper scalp elasticity. There is also some debate as to what is considered a hair transplant megasession. Because of many of the recent advancements in hair transplantation, some hair restoration physicians are doing 2500 to 4000 follicular unit grafts in a single hair transplant session on a regular basis. Depending on the hair transplant patient’s hair characteristics, these hair transplant surgeons may even be able to excise 5000+ follicular unit grafts from the donor hair in a single hair transplant procedure. This enables many hair transplant patients to meet their hair restoration goals in fewer sessions than those who are receiving smaller hair transplant sessions.
Hair restoration physicians who are members of the Coalition of Independent Hair Restoration Surgeons perform these hair transplant megasessions on a regular basis when appropriate for the hair transplant patient. Additionally, these Coalition physicians also perform state of the art ultra refined follicular unit hair transplantation. With minimally invasive incisions being made in the bald areas, hair transplant physicians can dense pack transplanted hairs closer together. Additionally, shock loss is minimized and postoperative healing occurs much more quickly.
View real patient hair transplant photos from these hair transplant doctors on our hair restoration forum.
Bill Seemiller - aka Falceros
Associate Publisher of the Hair Transplant Network and the Hair Loss Learning Center
View my Hair Loss Weblog
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