A hair transplant is a highly specialized surgical procedure where a surgeon removes a small piece of the scalp and hair from a donor site and implants it in areas with thin or no hair. The two main types of hair transplant treatments are slit grafts, which contain about 4 to 10 hair in one graft, and micro-grafts, which contain 1 to 2 hair per graft. Moreover, the procedure has little risk of side effects.

Preparing for hair transplant treatment
A doctor generally takes 4 to 8 hours for a hair transplant surgery and it does not require hospitalization. The hair transplant treatment begins two weeks before surgery when one must stop taking any treatment options and stop exercising. The use of perfumes is also prohibited. Moreover, one should talk to their doctor about any recent illness, infection or chronic disease they may have faced to prevent complications.

Average cost of hair transplant
The most commonly used hair transplant techniques are Follicular Unit Transplantation (FUT) and Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE). The total hair transplant cost depends on the technique used, the area of transplant, the type of tools and technology used – manual or robotic, the surgeon’s qualification and experience, and the clinic’s location. The average cost of the FUE procedure is about $9,000, while the FUT procedures are slightly cheaper and cost around $7,000. Moreover, hair transplant packages are generally not covered by insurance as they are categorized as cosmetic procedures.

Popular clinics for hair transplantation
Some of the top hair transplant clinics in the country include:

• Nova Medical: It is rated as one of the best hair transplant clinics and offers FUE and FUT techniques. The clinic has an impressive record of quick recovery times and high-quality procedures.
• Bosley: It has an impressive history of completing more than half a million procedures across all states and over 60 international countries. They offer FUT, FUE, and Biograft procedures.
• MAXIM Hair Restoration: The clinic offers FUT and FUE techniques and has completed more than 10,000 successful transplants. They also do facial, beard, mustache, and eyebrow hair transplants.
• Forhair Hair Transplant Clinic: Apart from the traditional techniques, this clinic is known for using Cole Isolation Technique, which involves the use of highly specialized equipment that leaves no visible scars for the patients.

Hair transplant aftercare
One will feel normal within two to three days after the procedure and can return to their regular routine. The donor and transplant sites will regain their appearance within two weeks and the red scabs will start subsiding within a week. Doctors usually give all the necessary treatment options, topical applications, shampoos, and accessories like hats and pillows for post-surgery care. One must follow the treatment meticulously and talk to their doctor if the pain, swelling or itching lasts longer.

Other important steps in hair transplant aftercare are:

• Wearing a hat
  Most clinics give a Panama hat to be worn for a week after surgery. Even after a week, wear this when you go outside to protect your scalp from exposure to heat and dust.
• Washing of hair
  Doctors usually advise washing the scalp two weeks after the procedure. The surgical team and assistants explain how to wash and dry one’s scalp without aggravating the sutures and preventing infection.
• Sleeping position
  Doctors give a special pillow that one can use to elevate their head. One may use the pillow for about a week or more to decrease swelling.
• Follow up
  Once the incisions have healed, one’s hair will start growing naturally again. One may have to go for follow-up visits once after 3 months and once after 6 months. The doctor may schedule additional visits if required.