The Day of Surgery-What to Expect
Hair loss restoration surgery today is a minimally invasive procedure that causes little pain, but it is a medical procedure. At DiStefano Hair Loss Restoration Centers, we’re dedicated to making sure our patients get great hair transplants and that they are comfortable and well cared for during the procedure.
Defining Details
Before your procedure begins, your doctor will go over the details of your procedure one final time to make sure the goals and expectations are clear. He will discuss your hairline, the best way to utilize the donor hair and any other issues or questions you may have. It’s important to note that your doctor will not start the procedure until he is satisfied that you are completely comfortable with the procedure that is outlined.
Your Arrival
On the day you arrive you will be greeted by a DiStefano staff member who will ask you to fill out some forms. After being led to one of our state-of-the art transplant suites, a technical will take your vital signs. Depending on how you are feeling, you might be offered a mild sedative.
Harvesting the Follicular Units for FUT Transplant.
If you are having a follicular unit transplant (FUT), your surgeon will begin by applying a local anesthetic to the area where the donor strip of scalp will be removed. The procedure will be performed while you lay face down on a table that is similar to a massage table. Removing the strip and suturing the area takes a little less than an hour.
During suturing, technicians will already be working on the strip to harvest as many follicular units as possible.
Harvesting Follicular Units for Individual Graft Technique (IGTâ„¢)
If you are having the Individual Graft Techniqueâ„¢, the hair loss restoration surgeon will use a special micro surgical tool to remove each follicular unit individually. In the IGTâ„¢ procedure there is no incision, no sutures and no scarring.
Placing the Hair Grafts
Regardless of whether you are having a follicular unit transplant or an Individual Graft Techniqueâ„¢ procedure, the process of placing the grafts are the same.
The hair loss restoration surgeon uses a custom microscopic incision-making instrument to create locations for the follicular units to be fitted. These locations consist of holes of different depths and diameters. They are also placed at different angles, depending on where they will be located on your head. For the best hair transplant, achieving the proper hair angle is critical to making the follicular units match the surrounding follicles and to achieve a natural hairline. In most cases, follicular units with one hair are transplanted near the hairline while follicular units containing two, three and four units are placed progressively back from the hairline.
While the follicular units are being placed there is little to no pain. If you would like, you can watch a movie while the procedure takes place. There is also a break, when you will be able to eat a provided lunch.
Once the hair loss restoration is complete, there is no bandage over the donor or transplant area. If you wish, you can wear a cap home.