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Does a Hair Transplant Hurt?

Does a Hair Transplant Hurt?
February 08, 2020 / By medadmin

Does a Hair Transplant Hurt?

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Hair transplants are one of the most effective and successful hair restoration options. Of course, it is a surgery, so many people naturally have concerns. It is always a good idea to speak with a medical professional about any concerns you have. Your doctor will be able to give you more information tailored to your specific situation. One of the biggest concerns most people have is whether or not the transplant will be painful. This simple guide will give you all the information you need to know about this aspect of the procedure.

The Two Types of Transplants

The first thing you need to understand is the two different types of hair transplant procedures:

  • Follicular Unit Transplantation
  • Follicular Unit Excision

In a follicular unit transplantation, or FUT, a strip of donor hair is removed, usually from the back of the head, and transplanted to wherever the hair loss is occurring. This is the classic way the procedure is done, but the follicular unit excision, or FUE, method has been developed more recently. FUE involves removing individual hairs and transplanting them. By the nature of the procedure, FUE hair transplants are usually less painful than FUT procedures. However, due to being more advanced and requiring more labor, FUE transplants are usually more expensive.

Other Aspects

Whichever type of transplant you receive, you will be awake for the procedure, but a local anesthetic will be used. Many patients describe discomfort and sometimes minor pain, but it should be very minimal if any pain is experienced at all. Of course, a small amount of pain will be experienced when the anesthetic is administered, as this usually involves a shot of some kind.

The exact amount of pain experienced does depend on each individual pain threshold, although it is usually very minor. Another aspect that determines how much pain one might experience is how extensive the procedure is. If you are experiencing only minor hair loss, the procedure will be smaller and quicker, which results in less pain.

Ultimately, hair transplant procedures are a minor surgery, but a surgery nonetheless. You should be prepared for some discomfort or pain, but know that it should be minimal. If you think that a hair transplant is the right hair restoration option for you, the first step you take should be to speak with your doctor or a dermatologist. You can get more information about how the procedure works specifically, as well as how viable you are for a hair transplant.

Resource: Hair Loss Treatment

 

Dr. Robin Unger, Hair Transplant Doctor NYC