HAIR TRANSPLANT SPECIALIST

"While many men and some women lose their hair, most people I talk to feel that it happens at a stage which is too early in their life. They often lose confidence and feel older than if they had a full head of hair.

The simple fact is: Hair Transplantation is a proven, permanent method of hair restoration.

The recent medical advances and leading edge techniques we use today have made hair transplants virtually undetectable so you can forget the obsolete "plugs" or "doll head" look. Transplanted hair looks natural wet or dry, can be styled the way you like it and is yours to enjoy for a lifetime."

IS IT SUCCESSFUL?

Yes! Hair transplantation has been continually refined over the last 40 years and Australia has a proud record as a leader in developing and refining advances in this field. In experienced hands, approximately 90% of the transplanted hairs will grow in their new position permanently. Hair transplantation does not achieve our original hair density but generally provides good to excellent coverage.

IS IT SAFE?

Yes. Hair transplantation has a justified reputation as being very safe. Only a few patients experience minor side-effects such as initial swelling and temporary numbness in the transplanted area. Minor bruising is very uncommon. Complications are also unusual and may include minor infection at the graft site which easily responds to antibiotics.

WHAT HAPPENS ON THE DAY?

At Clinic Del Mondo, we make it our aim to ensure you not only receive the best of medical care but also enjoy your short experience with us.

Because this is usually only a light procedure, as far as surgical procedures are concerned, please feel free to bring along a book or magazine to read, or you can choose from our own reading material. Maybe you would prefer to watch television, bring along your favourite video, DVD or CD, or simply take a quiet nap. The choice is yours.

You will be free to visit the bathroom anytime throughout the day. Usually no recovery room is necessary as our unique procedure is so light and pain free, so much so, that most of our patients have commented that the day is more like an enjoyable rest day.

WHAT HAPPENS AFTER THE PROCEDURE?

An appointment is made for 10 days after the procedure to remove sutures and to check the scalp. These appointments are free of charge.

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Q. What is Hair Transplantation?
A. Hair transplantation is the movement of one's own hair follicles from one part of the scalp to another. Hair transplants cannot be donated by another person as they would be rejected by the body's immune system. Once in their new location, the follicles grow completely normal hair which often look stronger and healthier than surrounding existing hairs and grow for a lifetime. Hair transplants can be performed in men and women, and even eye-brows and eyelashes can be transplanted.

Q. What are micro grafts, mini grafts and follicular units?
A. Micro grafts contain one single hair follicle, usually used for creating the hairline. Mini grafts contain 2 to 3 hair follicles used for thickening and fullness. However, the most recent technology in hair transplants is known as follicular unit transplanting. These are groups of hair follicles (up to 4 hairs per unit) naturally occurring in the scalp. This method gives the most natural result, as we are replacing the hair in the same fashion as they were lost. Clinic Del Mondo use this latest technology for best results in hair transplantation.

Q. Where are the hair follicles taken from?
A. Usually, the donor area is located at the back or sides of the head, where the hair follicles have a different genetic code, and tend to produce full-size hairs over a person's lifetime. Even when these follicles are transplanted into an area of baldness, they retain their hair growing qualities. The hair follicles in the body, including the donor areas, do not regenerate, and therefore, there is a slight drop in hair density in the donor area. The donor follicles are removed by gentle surgery and there are sutures in place for about 10 to 14 days.

Q. I've seen some unsightly results - how are things different today?
A. Gone are the days when hair transplants were large, tuft-like and unnatural looking. Today the grafts consist of between 1 and 4 hairs each and even with close inspection, look completely natural.

Q. How long does it take?
A. Hair transplantation is an exacting procedure, involving a team of technicians and the surgeon. The donor follicle tissue must be carefully separated into groups of 1 to 4 hairs. The recipient sites are then made with delicate instruments. The procedure can take between 3 to 6 hours, depending on the number of grafts transplanted and the area and qualities of the recipient area.

Q. How many grafts can be transplanted in one session?
A. The smallest session is 500 grafts and the largest we prefer to do is 2500 grafts. Technically there is no limit to the number of grafts that can be transplanted in one session but we believe that in the larger "mega-sessions", which some Doctors advocate, the yield drops and patient comfort is reduced. It is safer and easier to plan for medium size sessions so any small areas where further grafts are required can be handled in the scheduled treatment program.

Q. How many grafts do I need?
A. This of course depends on the area of hair loss that needs to be covered. For example, about 200-400 grafts could be used to fill in receded temple areas. A person with dark hair and light skin colour may need more grafts than someone with less contrast.

Q. How thick can my new hair be with transplants?
A. As a guide, about 100-200 grafts can be placed in an area about the size of your little finger, depending how loosely they are packed. Once they have grown, further grafts can be placed into the spaces between the new follicles, bringing about further hair density. This process can be repeated until the hair density is quite thick, as the latest transplant techniques cause little or no harm to existing follicles.

Hair transplantation can never create hair as dense as your own original hair and usually gives a very natural looking but somewhat see-through appearance.

Some hair transplant centres claim that they can restore 98% of a natural hairline, or give their patients a full head of thick hair. In most cases, these claims are simply not true.

Consider this: If a dense grafting session is performed in the temple areas to treat early thinning (recession), this may lock the patient into further dense (i.e. expensive) sessions when further hair loss occurs. If the donor area becomes depleted, the patient may have insufficient hair to complete the program with an even hair distribution.

Q. What will I look like after the treatment?
A. Right after the treatment, your scalp will be red and slightly swollen. A light dressing or gauze bandage may or may not be applied over the transplanted area, each individual is different. A visit to the Clinic the day after surgery is necessary to remove the bandage, if applied. Swelling around the forehead and/or bruising around the eyes may occur. Usually, small scabs form over the individual grafts in the first few days and remain for about 2 weeks.

Q. Will I have a large bald spot at the back of my head?
A. No. The technique we use to remove the donor strip and the shape of the strip, gives an excellent result that is barely noticeable. The back of the head does not alter shape due to the amount of elasticity in the skin.

Q. How long does it take for the new hair to grow?
A. Sometimes follicles may need 3-4 months to rest before they start growing, however, in some cases, growth is not apparent until 6 months with continued thickening for 12 months. The use of Minoxidil Solution and/or Propecia Tablets is highly recommended before and after the procedure. Minoxidil - to assist in more rapid hair growth and Propecia - to assist in halting further hair loss.

Q. How soon can I return to work?
A. Most patients find that they can return to work the next day after the procedure. Occasionally there may be some slight bruising or swelling around the forehead that may need 1 or 2 days to resolve. Hard exercise and gym work can be progressively resumed 2 days after the procedure, with unrestricted activity allowed after 2 weeks.

Q. Do I need any special care after this procedure?
A. The new grafts need to be protected and gently treated for about 10 days after the procedure. In most cases, the scalp can be gently washed the day after the procedure. Clinic Del Mondo will recommend some professional hair care products and some medication to help boost follicle growth and keep the treated area and all of your hair looking its very best.

Q. Can I have more procedures at a later date?
A. Yes. It is surprising just how much the back and side areas of your scalp can yield yet still give a totally natural look. A number of procedures can be performed, depending on the quality and amount of hair the donor area has.

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You start the day with Dr Leat reviewing your situation, explaining the whole process thoroughly and answering any questions you may have. You are then given some oral sedatives to help you relax and slow any anxiety you may be experiencing.

We then clip a narrow strip of hair from the donor area at the back of your scalp. The hair above this is held out of the way with clips, allowing this hair to then cover the donor strip after the procedure. A local anesthetic is applied to the donor area, ensuring you will not feel any sensation at all. The donor strip is removed carefully and skillfully. Once removed, it is given to the technicians who dissect it into follicular hair grafts. This procedure is performed under high magnification.

While the strip is being harvested, Dr Leat is closing the donor area, which is ‘leaf shape’, allowing both sides to close easily. This area is not visible later as the existing hair covers it very well.

Dr Leat then begins the anesthetic pattern on top of the scalp (recipient area) where the donor grafts will be placed into the balding area. Once the area is completely anaesthetised, Dr Leat makes the small, needle point insertion sites, ready for the graft placing. Each recipient site is tiny, therefore very little bleeding occurs.

The grafts are then placed into the recipient sites. While this procedure is in progress, you can watch T.V., read or take a nap.

Afternoon tea is served. Usually no bandage is required. Post-operative instructions are given and your transplant is complete.

Have a look at our 6 step guided tour to see the results

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The front hairline is the most important part of a good transplant. It must be natural and completely undetectable to others.

The most natural look is attainable using a zig zag pattern. In other words, no straight or round lines are used but an irregular pattern creates a natural hairline the way your hairline used to be.

To achieve these results, we use single follicle grafts at the very front, placing them close together. This is known as dense packing. Behind the immediate hairline, we place grafts containing 1 or 2 hairs for added fullness and density. Further behind these, we create more density by placing grafts with 2, 3 or 4 hair follicles.

Gone are the days of the old ‘pineapple rows’or ‘doll head’effect. By harvesting and placing grafts this way, we are able to achieve the most natural looking results possible.

Day of Transplant

After 3 months with much more growth to come

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