Hair transplantation is a well know procedure for men but hair loss concerns are not gender restricted. Hair loss obviously occurs in some women as well and is much more common that many people would think. Statistics from hair loss organizations show that women comprise about one-third of all hair loss patients that seek some form of prevention or reversal of their condition.
Once can argue that hair loss is women is more psychologically devastating than it is for men. There are lots of bald men and men who shave their head that are seen every day. Partial or total hair loss for men is accepted and, although most men would prefer voluminous locks, male hair loss is common and few as a natural event. In almost any form of media today a bald or balding head is even shown as part of a positive image. For women, however, such images are not pervasive and hair loss is seen as a loss of attractiveness or femininity. While men may see hair loss as undesireable, women may see it as devastating.
Many women can benefit from hair transplantation and many are not aware of its potential for them. Using a microfollicular unit extraction method assisted by the Neograft system, women can successfully undergo the procedure just as capably as any man. This approach is revolutionary compared to the traditional approach to hair transplants.
Neograft eliminates the long scar across the back of the head from the older strip method of hair harvesting. Patients have no suture or staples to remove later and no resultant thinning of hair at the donor site. This approach also preserves the maximum amount of hair if the patients needs or desires another hair transplant in the future. As a result, some physicians have called Neograft a game changer in hair transplantation. The Neograft device brings to hair grafting what the laparoscope did for intra-abdominal surgery or the endoscope for browlifting and upper facial rejuvenation.
With the assistance of the Neograft suction harvest method, the hair and the attached follicles can be harvested more gently which can theoretically result in greater graft survival after transplantation. When it comes to the hundreds to thousands of hairs transplanted, any percent survival improvement is a plus.
Of all cosmetic surgery procedures, hair transplantation is one of the few in which the results will be permanent. One may continue to lose existing hairs but transplanted hairs that take will continue to grow for the rest of the patient’s life.
Dr. Barry Eppley
Indianapolis, Indiana