Hair transplantation and hair restoration are both cosmetic procedures that can restore lost hair. Hair loss can result from various reasons, such as hereditary, stress, or disease. For instance, Alopecia Areata is one of the main causes of hair loss and baldness. According to hospital surveys, its incidence is around 0.57% to 3.8%.

While hair transplantation and restoration aim to achieve the same thing, they are different procedures. In this post, we’ll discuss how these two types of treatment differ and which might be right for you.

Hair Transplantation

Baldness is common among both men and women. Thankfully, people have started accepting that fact. Many are also celebrating it. In September 2021, the first-ever Bald Fest was celebrated in New York, and every bald person was invited.

However, many people are still not okay with being bald, as baldness doesn’t suit everyone. That’s why individuals also start losing confidence. Hair transplantation is an ideal option for such individuals to get natural-looking hair.

Hair transplantation is a surgical procedure that involves removing hair from one area of your scalp and placing it in another area. Here are the most common hair transplantation methods:

Follicular Unit Transplantation (FUT)

FUT is where the surgeon removes a strip of tissue from one part of your scalp and transplants it to the other. FUT is more invasive than FUE, requiring an incision into your skin. This means you must take time off work or school for recovery.

The most common reason people choose FUT over FUE is that they want their results to look natural. However, it does not entirely depend on what procedure you choose. It also depends on other factors like who is performing the surgery, where you get it, etc.

You can look for surgeons with experience in FUT if you want to go with this procedure. However, weighing the pros and cons of FUT and FUE before deciding is advised.

Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE)

FUE is a newer technique and is in more demand than other procedures. According to Hair Transplants New York, this is because of the nature of the procedure. Since FUE extracts individual hair follicles, there’s no need for any incision. This means fewer scars on the scalp, faster recovery, and more natural-looking hair.

In FUE, surgeons use a small punch to remove hair follicles from the donor area. It is minimally invasive and performed under local anesthesia, so you can return home after your procedure. Hair restoration surgeons use this technique when performing hair transplants because it allows them to extract follicular units without damaging surrounding tissue.

You can search for a local hair loss doctor with experience in FUE. Let’s consider the example of New York, where many people are undergoing hair transplants. In that case, you can search specifically for New York FUE hair transplant surgeons. You can select someone with appropriate experience because it will significantly impact the procedure results.

Hair Restoration

Hair restoration is a process to restore hair. It is a surgical procedure to restore the hair on the scalp. Hair restoration encompasses various methods and treatments to restore or improve hair growth.

Since it is a more natural way of regaining hair growth, many individuals opt for hair restoration. In 2021, the average number of hair restoration surgeries done by each International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery (ISHRS) member stood at 179.

Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) and Scalp Micropigmentation (SMP) are renowned hair restoration procedures. Let’s learn more about them:

Platelet Rich Plasma

PRP is a technique that uses your blood to stimulate hair growth. It’s a relatively new procedure, but it has been proven effective in treating hair loss and thinning hair. PRP can also be used to stimulate dormant follicles so they produce thicker, healthier-looking hair.

Platelets are essential for healing because they contain proteins, growth factors, and other substances needed for proper wound healing. When you get a cut on your skin, platelets rush to the wound site, releasing beneficial compounds into the damaged tissue. This helps promote cell growth while preventing scarring or infection from occurring within the area of injury.

Hence, many surgeons also use it in combination with a hair transplant procedure. Therefore, considering the same New York City example, suppose you want better results. In that case, you can look for surgeons with not only experience in hair transplantation but also PRP hair restoration in NYC.

Scalp Micropigmentation (SMP)

SMP is a process that pigments hair color into the scalp. The pigment is injected in a grid pattern, resulting in permanent hair-like lines that do not wash out. The process takes about two hours and can be done any time of year. The results can last up to five years before fading over time.

The main difference between SMP and other treatments is that this procedure does not involve implanting your hair follicles. Instead, it uses ink from a tattoo machine on your scalp, like paintbrush strokes on canvas. The doctor will draw lines onto the scalp using tiny needles until he or she creates an image resembling natural-looking human hair.

Comparing Hair Transplantation and Hair Restoration

Hair transplantation and restoration are two different procedures that can treat male and female pattern baldness. While both treatments aim to achieve natural-looking hair, there are some key differences between them.

Hair transplantation is a surgical procedure that involves removing a strip of skin from your scalp and placing it into the recipient area. The transplanted tissue must then grow new roots before it becomes fully functional- a process that takes about six months after surgery.

On the other hand, hair restoration tries to improve hair growth through PRP or create a tattoo-like hair density with SMP.

When selecting what is best for you, consider what you need, budget, recovery time, etc. Even your age can play a vital factor. For instance, data shows that 30-70-year-olds are a good candidate for the above procedures. They have more successful outcomes.

Invasiveness and Recovery Comparison

Hair transplantation is a surgical procedure that involves cutting, moving, and implanting hair follicles. Hair restoration is non-surgical and uses natural growth factors to stimulate your existing hair follicles.

Both procedures have risks and side effects, but the recovery time for hair transplantation can be much longer than for hair restoration. However, FUE’s recovery time is still better than FUT because it is a minimally invasive procedure.

Conclusion

There are many factors that influence the choice between hair transplantation and hair restoration. We hope this article has helped you better understand the differences between these two procedures. After understanding what both methods are, you can make a better decision.