Technology Has Made Hair Transplant A Painless, Effective Procedure: Dr Dinesh G Gowda

By Manu Sharma

Earlier baldness and hair fall were associated only with 40+ men and women. Today with the changing lifestyles and a weak immune system, hair fall can happen at any age. Sedentary lifestyles of those in the city play a huge role in hair thinning and a receding hairline. One effective way to tackle this problem is to go in for a hair transplant from a reputed hair clinic. But how does a hair transplant work? Is there any technology being used for the procedure which makes it fast, effective and painless? And what are the costs involved?

Dr Dinesh G Gowda, Dermato Surgeon at Hairline International Hair & Skin clinic in an interview with Silicon Village clarifies all these and more

Excerpts of the interview:

Q. What is hair transplant?

Dr Dinesh Gowda: It is an outpatient procedure, is highly patient friendly with 95% result-oriented treatment for baldness/hair loss in men, women, burns patient, hair loss due to trauma like injury, assault, road accident etc. It is no. 1 procedure and gold standard for the treatment of baldness in both the sexes.

Q. How common is hair transplant in India?

Dr Dinesh Gowda: It is highly recommended, latest and the best treatment available currently advised not only in India but even throughout the world.

Q. How do you convince the candidate when it comes to the safety feature of   doing the hair transplant?

Dr Dinesh Gowda: Hair transplant is an outpatient procedure, with absolutely minimal side effects. It is not a surgery, it is a procedure like thorn removal, dental extraction and wart removal. Same day patient can go to work and can travel anywhere in the world. There is no need for rest, no bandage or suture. It is a highly patient friendly procedure. 

Q. What hair is used for transplant and how it is treated? 

Dr Dinesh Gowda: Patient’s own hair from the back of the head (i.e. occipital region) is used. The hair from this region is strong and resistant to Testosterone Hormone. The strands of hair are painlessly removed from the site with very tiny punch without any scar and the punch scores the top layer of skin (no cutting of the skin) and follicles are taken out. Subsequent to the removal of the hair follicle, the skin heals within two days without any scar. The wound is like a small scratch wound and heals in three days 

Q. What is the age group of patients coming for the procedure? 

Dr Dinesh Gowda: Any age between 23 years to 100 years provided they have good donor area. Age below 23 years can also be done if the hair boss is due to burns, accident, trauma etc

Q. How long is the hair transplant procedure and what are the prerequisites? 

Dr Dinesh Gowda: The whole procedure is done painlessly using local anaesthesia and takes about 5 hours i.e., two hours for removal of hair, one hour for food break and two hours for placing the hair in the bald area. 

Q. What is the healing time after the procedure is done? 

Dr Dinesh Gowda:There is no need to wait for healing time. Patient can immediately go to work or travel anywhere in the world. The transplanted area heals within 3 days which is just like small scratch but patient should not rub the area for ten days. He can take head bath next day ( no shower bath ) by dabbing the area with wet gauze piece. Precaution is only for ten days after that it is regular head bath. 

Q. What side effect can one can expect? 

Dr Dinesh Gowda: Very negligible side effect and as already stated above no rest is required, activity can be started immediately. Patient rarely complaints of any pain and swelling with the latest technique 

Q. Please tell us how easy the Maintenance is and how does one do it ?

Dr Dinesh Gowda: The maintenance is very easy and if one takes natural regular food rich in vitamins is more than enough for the growth. The transplanted hair does not require any special diet or care.

Q. What is the life span of for the transplanted hair? 

Dr Dinesh Gowda: The procedure started in the year 1984 and streamlined after the year 2000  and till now the results are sustained and transplanted hair will survive for longer period and is FDA –USA recognised treatment for Baldness in men and women . 

Q. When does one get to know that it is time for another transplant and how often can that be done? 

Dr Dinesh Gowda: The second transplant dependents on the extent of baldness. Grade 3 to Grade 6 may require second transplant. Second transplant can be done any time after 5 months gap and any number of hair transplant procedure can be done depending upon the donor area availability. 

Q. Is it possible to lose the hair which were newly transplanted?

Dr Dinesh Gowda: First one month after the transplant, 80 % of the transplanted hair will be lost and from 3rd month onwards new follicle start appearing. By the end of 6 months 50 % growth will be seen and by the end of 9 to 12 months, complete long lengthy hair will be seen. 

Q. What is the cost associated with the hair transplant? 

Dr Dinesh Gowda: The cost dependents on extent of baldness i.e GRADE 1 TO 6 .