For people suffering from androgenetic alopecia, hair restoration surgery is the most reliable and permanent solution to get your hair back. Known as male pattern baldness in men and female pattern baldness in women, it is caused by the presence of dihydrotestosterone (DHT) which is a male hormone.
Testosterone is converted to DHT with the help of an enzyme called 5-alpha-reductase. Looking at the statistics, almost all men and women suffer from this condition at some point or the other in their lives.
Several procedures are currently available, including mini and micro grafts, follicular unit transplant (FUE) and follicular unit extraction (FUE). Each individual case is different and only a hair transplant surgeon can determine which one works best for you.
So where does hair come from?
This is a very important question because no hair transplant can happen without new hair. There are certain areas in the head known as donor sides and hair follicles are taken from these sites for the purpose of transplantation. These are the back and sides of the head with the former being used more often. No other area of the body is currently used for this purpose.
Why this hair?
One of the restrictions in hair restoration procedures is the limited number of donor sites. Hair can only be taken from the person undergoing the surgery himself or herself. The reason lies in two things. One, any type of transplant has to face rejection. Medications are used along with the procedure to ensure that rejection is minimal. Using your hair and that too from the head helps.
Another reason is that the hair on the back and sides of the head is the most resistant to DHT. Once these are implanted in other areas of the head, they maintain their resistance. If hair is taken from other areas, it is likely to suffer the same fate as previous hairs due to androgenic alopecia. So these hairs are the most viable option for this purpose.
Old Times Formula
In olden times wearing head pieces was the only solution to the problem. Some strange toupee could be seen every now and then. As the medical world evolved, better solutions came to the fore, and the process is still ongoing.
Source by AH Nazir
