Hair Restoration for Women

Hair loss may run in your family, but it isn’t talked about as often when you’re a woman. Since hair loss in women isn’t commonly discussed, many women feel self-conscious by their thinning hair and feel like they are losing their femininity. The condition can affect their self-esteem, relationships, social lives, and even their careers.

You may feel alone and isolated, but you certainly are not! As a double board-certified plastic surgeon, Dr. Pramit Malhotra of Ann Arbor Plastic Surgery offers hair transplantation to men and women in Michigan, where he specializes in using the latest follicular unit extraction or FUE technique for hair restoration. Through FUE’s unique method of harvesting hair follicles using a state–of–the–art extraction technique, you’ll have one of the safest surgical procedures in cosmetic surgery, with the lowest complication rate and the highest level of patient satisfaction.

To achieve natural-looking results for the hair restoration method that best suits your needs, contact Dr. Malhotra today to schedule a consultation for hair restoration in Ann Arbor, MI.

What Causes Hair Loss in Women?

Apart from genetics, the leading causes of hair loss in women include, but are not limited to:

• Age: Over time, the growth rate of the increasing number of hairs slows down while the remaining hairs become shorter and thinner.
• Changes in Hormone Levels: Childbirth and menopause are common causes of hair loss due to hormone imbalances involved in these events.
• Conditions and Disorders: Trichotillomania and alopecia areata are among several conditions and disorders that lead to hair loss.
• Diseases: Numerous medical conditions, including thyroid and autoimmune diseases such as lupus, can cause hair loss.
• Cancer Treatment: Some chemotherapies and radiation therapies can cause a woman’s hair to fall out.
• Prescription Drugs: Certain medications can trigger hair loss, including blood thinners, birth control medicines, and those for heart problems, blood pressure, and depression.
• Diet and Nutrition: Insufficient protein and iron in your diet can contribute to your hair loss, as can eating disorders like bulimia and anorexia.
• Harsh Styling Practices: Frequent use of heat styling tools like blow dryers, curling irons, and straighteners can damage your hair. Tight hairstyles like ponytails, braids, or buns, when worn for extended periods of time, can cause hair loss.
• Chemical Hair Treatments: Chemicals used in coloring, perms, and relaxers can damage your hair, causing it to break, leading to an overall appearance of thinning

Unfortunately, most types of hair loss are progressive, which means they’ll continue if not appropriately treated. Taking steps to prevent this further loss is key to starting your treatment. Fortunately, there are ways to rebuild your hairline. With Ann Arbor Plastic Surgery’s advanced hair restoration techniques, patients can restore their hairline and increase follicular density with minimal downtime.

What Is a FUE Hair Restoration in Ann Arbor, Michigan?

The follicular unit extraction (FUE) hair restorations favored by Dr. Malhotra are performed by extracting individual hair follicles from your scalp and implanting them in the thinning areas of your head, making the hair in the new area look thicker.

FUE has become more popular than follicular unit transplantation (FUT) because it’s less likely to lead to a “hair plug” look, where sections of skin or hair don’t match the surrounding areas. Another advantage is that FUE won’t leave a large scar, as does the FUT technique, which removes long strips of hair-bearing tissue from the back of the head.

Who Is the Best Candidate for Hair Restoration?

When it comes to FUE hair restoration, the best candidate is someone with thinning hair or balding but with enough hair on the scalp to be used for transplantation. You may not be eligible for a FUE hair transplant if you don’t have enough healthy or thick hair to transplant to the thinning or balding area.

How Does Hair Restoration Work?

In a procedure that can take between six and eight hours, most patients should plan to spend an entire day in the office.

Here’s how the FUE procedure takes place:

1. Dr. Malhotra will start by using a cosmetic wax marking pen to indicate where the hairline will begin.
2. The hair in the area is trimmed, exposing the hair follicles to be removed and around the transplant area.
3. A local anesthetic is administered to numb the scalp.
4. Using a micro punch tool, Dr. Malhotra removes follicles from your skin and then carefully separates them. Typically, 400-700 grafts are harvested per hour in a process taking 2-4 hours.
5. A series of tiny incisions are then made with a needle or other small, sharp tool where the extracted follicles will be inserted.
6. The separated follicles are then inserted into the incisions.
7. The procedure is completed by Dr. Malhotra cleaning and bandaging the area for recovery.

What Are the Risks or Side Effects From Hair Restoration?

Generally, you won’t experience any scars from a hair restoration other than tiny white dots where follicles were removed. However, should you have any of the following rare side effects, be sure to contact Dr. Malhotra:

• Symptoms of infection
• Drainage or a crust near the surgery site
• Pain or swelling around the surgery site
• Follicle swelling (folliculitis)
• Bleeding from the surgery site
• Numbness or tingling near the surgery site
• Transplanted hair that looks different from the hair around it
• Balding or thinning continues even after the transplant

What to Expect After Hair Restoration

Recovery from FUE hair restoration is quick, but you can expect some swelling or discomfort for about three days.

Aftercare instructions provided by Dr. Malhotra will include:

• Avoid washing your hair for at least three days.
• Use gentle, unscented shampoos for a few weeks once you start washing your hair.
• Take a couple of days off to recover and to help the healing process.
• Avoid combing or brushing your new hair for at least three weeks.
• Avoid hats, caps, beanies, or other items of clothing that go over your head.
• Avoid strenuous physical activity for at least a week.

While it’s normal for some hairs to fall out during the healing process, you should start to notice a thickening in your hair after 3- 4 months. Be prepared that, depending on the health of your transplanted hair, your hair may not grow back as thick as expected.

Learn More About in Ann Arbor and Jackson, Michigan

For more information about how Dr. Malhotra expertly performs hair restoration, schedule a private consultation at Ann Arbor Plastic Surgery. Contact one of our office locations at Ann Arbor, MI (734) 436-2186 or Jackson, MI (517) 789-9800 today.