Baldness surgery

Baldness is particularly hard felt and experienced by both men and women.
However, in the field of baldness there is no single technique that can be applied to all cases.
The principle of these treatments is always the same: take hair from the area of the crown where you are sure it will never fall out and transpose it to areas that are less dense or bald.
Currently four types of techniques can be used:
Micrografts
Flaps
Scalp lifting
Scalp reductions
All these processes can be combined in the same patient. It is important to analyse each case carefully and to take into account several parameters: the importance of baldness, scalp flexibility, hair quality, patient wishes. Depending on the age and scalability of the baldness, the most appropriate strategy for each case will be deduced.

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A regular preoperative check-up is carried out in accordance with the prescriptions.
If general anesthesia is required, the anesthesiologist will be seen in consultation no later than 48 hours before the procedure.
No medication containing aspirin should be taken within 10 days of the procedure.

Each surgeon adopts a technique that is unique to him/her and that he/she adapts to each case to obtain the best results. However, common basic principles can be retained:
Micrografts:
The practitioner removes from the crown a strip of scalp 8 to 25 cm long and 1 to 2 cm wide that will be "cut" into small fragments, each containing one to three hairs (micrografts) or 4 to 8 hairs (mini grafts). As many perforations are made in the bald area allowing the implantation of grafts. In some cases, sampling is done by multiple punctures.
A small crust will form on each implant which will fall after about two weeks causing the implanted hair to fall out and grow back around the 3rd month.
Several sessions can be
necessary to obtain a suitable density.
The operation is very light and is carried out
under local anesthesia, sometimes combined with a sedative.
Flaps:
The procedure consists of taking a strip 15 to 18 cm long and about 3 cm wide, from which the pedicle necessary for vascularization is not severed and which rotates around this pedicle to be placed in the frontal region.
It is the only process that allows in a single operation to bring a high density of hair to the frontal area. But the flap technique involves risks by some individuals that need to be explained by your surgeon.
The procedure is performed under local or general anesthesia but a few days may be necessary before returning to work.
Scalp reductions:
The practitioner removes part of the bald area and immediately closes again by playing on the elasticity of the scalp.
Usually an area 10 to 12 cm long by 3 to 4 cm wide can be removed. This technique is particularly useful in the area on top of the head and by patients with good scalp elasticity.
The procedure is performed under local anesthesia and allows an early return to activities. It can be repeated two or three times at intervals of a few months.
Scalp lifting:
It is a heavier technique that combines at the same time a very large reduction on top of the head with one or two flaps intended to cover the frontal region. Such a procedure can cover certain large bald spots in only two operations.
It is most often performed under general anesthesia.

A social avoidance period of 2 to 8 days is required.
For micrografts a small crust is formed on each graft which falls between 8 to 10 days. The grafted hair falls off with the crust and then grows back between the second and third month. They grow about 1 cm per month.
In reductions, flaps and scalp lifts, the hair does not fall out and the threads will be removed around the 8th day.
Some shampoos are most often authorised the day after the operation.
The practice of a sport can be gradually resumed from the 4th post-operative week.
A certain tension and pain may persist for a few days and will be relieved by the prescription of analgesics.
The postoperative consequences are essentially marked by the appearance of oedema (swelling) and bruising, the extent and duration of which vary greatly from one individual to another.
Anesthesia at the donor site may persist for several weeks after the procedure.

About baldness sugery

A period of at least 6 months is necessary to assess the results of the micrografts.
Depending on the case, several interventions (at least 6 months apart) may be indicated to obtain a healthy hair density.
For the other techniques the result is immediate.
The purpose of this surgery is to improve, not to achieve perfection. If your wishes are realistic, the result should give you great satisfaction.
One should not overestimate the risks but should simply be aware that even an apparently simple surgical procedure always involves a small amount of risks. The use of a qualified plastic surgeon ensures that he or she has the training and competence to avoid these complications or to treat them effectively if necessary.
Possible complications:
Hair loss 2 to 3 weeks after the operation on the periphery of the grafted area is very frequent. It is utusally temporary.
Haematomas: most of the time without gravity, they can be evacuated if they are too large.
Infection: exceptional during a scalp operation except for a few rare micro-abscesses developed on a stitch and easily treated by small local treatments.
Healing anomalies: very rare in the graft donor areas.
Epidermal cysts: they can appear on grafted hair and are often eliminated spontaneously. Otherwise they are easy to remove and do not compromise the quality of the final result.
Epidermal cysts: they can appear on grafted hair and are often eliminated spontaneously. Otherwise they are easy to remove and do not compromise the quality of the final result.
MEDICAIM is looking for the best specialists for you and we will offer you several renowned doctors.
MEDICAIM organizes your entire stay for you: post-operative nursing care, biological follow-up, therapeutic, nutritional and psychological support.
Any additional questions? Ask your MEDICAIM doctor about it: careteam@medicaim.com