You may finally find a hair clinic that is offering an affordable price for hair transplants, but could you get a hair transplant without shaving your head? It sounds like a dream because many people are afraid of the consequences the transplant has, appearance-wise.
The most common method employed is the FUE hair transplant. However, the incidences of undergoing a hair transplant without shaving are rare. Other procedures like the FUT transplant do not require shaving the head but are not suggested because of multiple complications associated with it. Also, the FUE transplant involves removing a strip from the scalp that will leave a permanent imprint.
Is a hair transplant without shaving the head possible?
It is natural to worry about shaving your head for a transplant, and many people do not prefer that. So what is the alternative?
Well, it is subjective to the patient. If only a small portion needs the transplant, you do not need to shave your full head before surgery. But it is not the case when about 4000 hair follicles need to be transplanted.
Many surgeons would suggest shaving the entire head. Why? Because it gives them better visibility of the hair follicles, and the selection of grafts is more accessible. Don’t get discouraged yet, hair transplant without shaving your head is possible. It will drive away all your worries about temporary baldness. But the FUE technique of hair transplant without shaving is complicated, prolonged and, of course, expensive.
The surgeon first needs to identify an appropriate donor area where they need to shave a small part for the process without shaving. In this case, a patient with long hair is at the benefit. The process is carried out by alternating the strips with and without hair. So the shaved strips might get covered with the first ones naturally. The intervention is more manageable but can take place only if the patient’s hair length is about 6-7 cm.
Are there any drawbacks of undergoing an FUE hair transplant without shaving the recipient area?
As mentioned before, surgeons prefer a transplant with a shaved head because otherwise, it becomes complicated, less hygienic and prone to side effects. That is why even if getting a hair transplant without shaving is possible, most surgeons will suggest against it.
The drawbacks are as follows-
- Hair transplant without shaving the recipient area is only possible if the patient has very long hair or the baldness has not reached an advanced stage.
- While undergoing surgery without shaving the head, it will be challenging for the medical team to extract as many follicles as possible with a shaved head. So multiple surgeries and sessions might be required to get similar outcomes.
- The donor area will be restricted to certain limits. Hence side effects can occur due to excess extraction.
- After undergoing a no-shave transplant, the aftercare and washing of the scalp are more complicated.
- The cost of the FUE method for a hair transplant without shaving the head is more than the typical cost.
There are a few things to think about before opting to undergo surgery without shaving your head.
So what are the advantages of having surgery with a shaved head over surgery without a shaved head?
Shaving your head entirely before undergoing the transplant bears certain advantages as follows-
- The process of extracting and transplanting the hair follicles is much easier and precise.
- The medical team performing the surgery have a clear vision of the recipient and donor area, making the intervention precise.
- Cleaning the scalp during and after the surgery is more effortless.
- When you undergo a transplant without a shaved head, there is a chance of the follicles getting entangled or lost amongst the other hair. Thus, the implantations to the recipient area become challenging. While performing surgery with a shaved head, the possibility is eliminated.
So ultimately, is a hair transplant without shaving your head possible? Yes, it is but with a few conditions. First, the recipient area for operation is small, baldness is not advanced, and your surgeon is ready to do such a surgery.
At ALCS, we have a team of experts who are always ready to answer all your queries and suggest the best way out. In addition, our doctors have varied experience doing different types of hair transplant surgeries. Together we aim to provide you with the best facilities and achieve your dream look.
