When you want to get a hair transplant, the goal is to have natural-looking hair, not look like you’ve had hair transplant surgery. You want natural-looking results.
The hairline at the front of the scalp is the key to a more natural look. However, if the surgeon is not skilled, the result can be extremely straight lines that definitely don’t look like a natural hairline. This result can be the result of hair plugs.
The hair plug technique was the hair transplant that was most popular in the early 2000s. The surgeon would take sections of skin and hair follicles from the back of the head and transplant them into areas where hair had been lost.
The process produced healthy hair in thin areas; however, the result was usually unnatural looking. The transplanted hair looked like it was taken from a child’s doll, as the transplanted sections of skin were too large to give a more natural effect.
Anyone looking for hair restoration surgery wants to have a natural-looking hairline.
How to Achieve Totally Natural-Looking Hair Transplant Results
Achieving a natural-looking hairline means using individual transplanted hairs to create a completely natural hairline. Patients who have genetic hair loss are usually good candidates for this procedure.
The best surgeons will use either FUE or FUT hair transplant procedures. These techniques allow for careful placement of hair grafts on the crown of the head so their direction of growth blends in with the natural direction of the patient’s remaining hair. Both of these techniques require an experienced hair transplant surgeon to avoid artificial-looking hair transplants.
Surgeons with poor skills may create an unnatural hairline and place the hair too far down on the forehead. Neither of these results is good for the patient.
Another symptom of a low-quality hair transplant is an insufficient number of grafts on the top of the head. This is a major problem if the patient is still losing their hair. If there aren’t enough grafts, once more of the original hair falls out, there are too few grafts left to create the appearance of thick, healthy hair.
A good hair transplant doesn’t look artificial. With today’s techniques and technologies, there’s no excuse for poor hair transplants.
What Other Issues Can Cause an Unnatural-Looking Hairline?
Another cause of an unnatural hairline takes place before the surgery. The surgeon draws the hairline on the scalp of their patient, showing them how their hairline will look. There’s no fixed formula to determine the hairline. The hairline’s design and shape can vary from patient to patient.
An unnatural-looking hairline can be caused by a bad shape that’s too straight or uneven. It may also not be properly filled out. The angle at which the hair grows can also cause a poor hairline.
In addition, surgeons who don’t have the medical training or experience usually create an artificial-looking hairline. They may also reveal scars and create an unflattering look for their patient. Any of these issues can show up in a hair transplant that’s gone wrong.
Only experienced surgeons can position implanted hair correctly and create a natural-looking hairline.
Natural Looking Hairlines with FUE & FUT Transplants
When you find a skilled hair transplant surgeon, they will offer the most modern transplant methods, including the following.
What is an FUE Transplant?
FUE (Follicular Unit Excision) is one of the latest hair transplant methods that is the least surgically invasive. For this procedure, an experienced surgeon removes strong, healthy hair from a donor zone (usually the back of the head, as hair growth is usually unaffected by hair loss). The hairs are removed from the donor zone in small, natural groupings or follicular units of between one and four hairs. These units are about 0.75 to 1mm wide and are carefully removed using a surgical tool called a micropunch.
After they’ve been removed, the follicles are checked and cleaned under magnification. This is a critical part of the process that ensures the future success of each follicle. The follicular units are then stored in a special holding solution while the surgeon creates recipient sites in the areas of hair loss.
The entire process can usually be finished in 8 hours, though more extensive transplants may require two sessions.
Hair falls out of transplanted follicles after about 30 days, with natural regrowth occurring from 3 months. Full regrowth is expected after 12 to 18 months.
FUE is recommended in these cases:
- When the areas of hair loss require different types of hair
- If the patient has a preference for short hair at the back and sides of the head, FUE reduces the potential for visible scarring
- Certain careers and lifestyles require shorter recovery times (for instance, professional sportsman)
What is an FUT Transplant?
An FUT (Follicular Unit Transplant) is also called the “strip technique.” This procedure requires a greater degree of surgical expertise in order to be successful. The procedure starts when a small strip of skin is removed from the back or sides of the head. These sections of skin contain the donor hair. The procedure allows many hairs to be removed at the same time. The hairs are then removed from the strip in follicular units, cleaned, and placed into a holding solution.
The surgeon then creates recipient sites in the areas of hair loss and implants the units in the same way as the FUE procedure (see above).
Stitches are required in the donor area and can be removed about 10-14 days after the surgery. Like other types of surgery, exercise and strenuous physical activity are discouraged for 30 days after the transplant procedure.
The FUT procedure may be recommended in these cases:
- If a greater amount of hair is needed to produce the desired results
- If the patient has no intention of wearing their hair short in the future
Summing It Up
It’s essential to find an experienced, highly skilled surgeon to achieve a natural appearance. This can be accomplished when surgeons use more modern hair transplant methods such as FUE and FUT transplant techniques.
When you choose the right surgeon, you have a greater chance of a successful hair transplant and a more natural-looking hairline once your scalp heals.
