A hair transplant is a surgical procedure that moves healthy hairs from one part of the scalp to areas with thinning or no hair, providing a permanent and natural-looking solution to hair loss
. There are several techniques available, but the most common method is hair grafting, which involves taking tiny pieces of the scalp containing healthy hair and transplanting them to the desired area
. The procedure can take between four and eight hours, and most patients remain awake during the surgery, receiving only anesthesia to numb the scalp
. Hair transplant surgery is typically used to treat hair loss caused by conditions such as common male pattern baldness (also known as androgenetic alopecia), scalp inflammation, injury, or certain inflammatory diseases
. It is generally successful, with most patients seeing results between six and nine months after surgery, and full results can be expected within 12 months
. The cost of a hair transplant depends on the amount of hair being transplanted and can range from $4,000 to $15,000
. Most insurance plans do not cover the cost of hair transplants
. During the procedure, the surgeon cleans the scalp and injects medicine to numb the back of the head
. The doctor then chooses one of two methods for the transplant: follicular unit strip surgery (FUSS) or follicular unit extraction (FUE)
. In FUSS, the surgeon removes a 6- to 10-inch strip of skin from the back of the head, while in FUE, the surgeon extracts individual hair follicles from the back and sides of the scalp
. After the surgery, the scalp is bandaged, and the patient is given instructions for at-home care
. Most patients experience some shedding of the transplanted hair within the first few months, but new hair growth should be noticeable within six to nine months, with 60% of new hair growth typically occurring after this period
