Introduction to Hair Transplant Density
You may have long hair, but if only a few strands of long lengths are present on your scalp for styling, you might need help getting the best out of your looks. Hair density is the frequency of hair strands per square centimetre on your scalp.
The importance of hair density lies in achieving natural, fuller-looking hair, which would otherwise ruin one’s appearance and negatively impact one’s self-esteem. Hair transplant density is determined by the quantity of hair grafts introduced on the scalp.
A consultation session is done with your surgeon to determine the hair density pre-op through trichoscopy, which provides a magnified view of your head and hair or a phototricogram which provides a detailed view of your hair follicles.
The transplanted hair may appear less dense than expected due to a limited supply of healthy follicles, a lack of meticulous handling while implanting the hair grafts, and patients’ deteriorated hair quality compared to their expectations.
However, modern technology has introduced various methods included in Hair density improvement techniques that are present to help you after a transplant so let’s delve deeper into How to increase transplanted hair density.
Factors Influencing Transplanted Hair Density
After getting a FUT Hair Transplant, these are the following factors responsible for the growth of new and dense hair:
Donor Area Quality:
Your donor area is the part of your scalp from where your surgeon harvests follicles to implant them in your hair-thinning areas. If your donor area is filled with healthy follicles then your surgeon can extract a large quantity of grafts resulting in greater density of your new hair at the recipient area.
The follicle health also plays a crucial role as healthy follicles grow rapidly after transplantations, promoting more coverage, whereas the fragile follicles struggle to flourish in the new environment affecting the hair graft survival and eventually the density.
The donor area is a part of your hair, so your hair type is an essential component in this process. People with thick and wavy hair are more likely to produce denser hair.
The role of follicular unit availability and health in determining density.
Graft Placement Techniques
Your surgeons’ competence also plays a crucial regarding your hair density outcomes.
The Importance of precision during the implantation lies in your surgeons’ ability to carefully place an ideal amount of grafts ensuring the space between them is adequate for blood circulation.
Correct angling in follicle implantation is necessary. Grafts adjusted at the wrong angles or opposite to the hair growth direction can result in poor looks and hair growing out in various patterns, leaving plenty of uncovered space and low-density hair.
Scalp Health
Your scalp health is also accountable for the Hair graft survival. The impact of proper vascular function on follicles ensures that follicles thrive. If your scalp is hydrated, it will provide a strong environment and accept the graft implantation without any troubles during the process.
Nutrient availability through your diet is another factor. If you have the required intake of zinc, biotin, iron, and vitamins C and D in your routine then you are more likely to have the expected outcomes of your hair transplantation procedure.
Post-procedure care for Enhanced Hair Density
Some Post-transplant hair care tips that you can keep in mind to ensure that your follicles grow rapidly and offer you improved hair density.
Initial Recovery Period
No other techniques will work more than the Hair density improvement techniques performed in the initial days.
For hygienic scalp conditions, it is necessary to remove the crusts present due to scab formation. You need to gently wash your head with the shampoos recommended by your surgeon and moisturise it afterwards to give your follicles an optimal scalp environment that prevents chances of graft rejection.
Prescribed medications such as minoxidil after hair transplant can contribute to hair graft survival and speed up the hair growth process whereas antibiotics and antiinflammatory drugs can assist in the healing process and ensure that newly implanted grafts do not face any disturbances in their settling processes.
Scalp Massage Techniques
Gentle scalp massaging can improve blood flow by providing oxygen and other essential requirements to stimulate follicle growth. You need to avoid rough treatment of your scalp and circulate your fingertips throughout the scalp with minimal or no pressure on the grafts for the Hair graft survival.
As much as massages are recommended, you need to make sure to start massages after the initial recovery period when the grafts have adapted to their new environment. Very early massages can interrupt the healing process of your scalp.
Nutritional Support
Key vitamins such as Biotin produce keratin, a protein that promotes hair growth, Vitamin D, which assists in new hair follicle formations and hair thickening and Zinc which balances the process of oil formation that can otherwise obstruct the formation of hair follicles.
These all contribute to healthier hair regeneration and should be taken in the form of supplements or through diet as a part of your hair density improvement techniques
Advanced Medical Treatments to Boost Density
PRP Therapy (Platelet-Rich Plasma)
- A PRP for hair density works by injecting patients’ own platelet-rich plasma into the scalp. PRP contains growth factors that boost the growth of your follicles and increase their survival rates.
- Your existing hair follicles also benefit from this technique as they get stronger with this treatment, minimizing the chances of hair loss.
- A study conducted on patients suffering from male pattern hair loss observed the hair growth patterns for 2 years after a PRP treatment. It suggested that platelet treatment promotes follicular and perifollicular angiogenesis that contributes to hair growth.
- PRP for hair density serves as a potential solution and within a gap of 1 month, 3-4 sessions are recommended for effective results.
Low-Level Laser Therapy (LLL-T)
- LLT energizes the hair cells to promote hair growth. It accelerates the circulation in the scalp, enhances the follicle performance and converts them into the anagen phase which is also known as the growth phase.
- When comparing the Home devices vs. clinical treatments. Home devices such as laser combs, laser caps, and laser bands are frequently marketed among consumers with ads representing highly satisfied customers. However, this satisfaction depends on a consistent use of these devices and their real outcomes can be very time-consuming.
- Comparatively, clinical treatments for LLT, have advanced devices with rapid and promising results. The Hair density improvement techniques for this procedure include more than one session to ensure a persistent series of actions is done on the hair follicles, which leads to achieving the target results.
Scalp Micropigmentation (SMP)
SMP is a Cosmetic technique to create the illusion of density. You don’t actually grow hair or improve the hair health. Instead, small marks are made with ink that resemble hair density and cover patches on your scalp that contain almost no hair. This is done to replicate the appearance of your hair follicles.
If you are struggling to manage the recovery time but still want to explore options for Hair density improvement techniques then a Scalp Micropigmentation may be the best solution for you. You can also mimic your actual hair appearance through this procedure as the ink used exactly aligns with your original hair.
Lifestyle Changes to Support Hair Growth
Stress Management
Post-transplant hair care tips also include lifestyle modifications. One of the key reasons an individual experiences hair fall is stress. The release of cortisol during high-stress conditions leads to hair thinning and further disruptions in your routine which lead to a poor lifestyle that affects your overall health including scalp conditions.
Reducing stress by engaging in productive activities and practising deep breathing techniques can alleviate stress levels.
Daily Habits
Some daily habits which you might not know are that are acting as hurdles in your hair growth process including excessive smoke or heat styling.
Smoking habits deaccelerate the blood flow to your hair follicles removing their source of nourishment and growth. The application of heat on hair damages the hair strands and promotes hair fall.
However, regular exercise is a great solution for such circumstances as it maintains optimal blood flow to the scalp and enriches the follicles with their required nutrients.
Lightweight activities like walking and jogging can optimise the blood flow to your scalp but make sure to avoid any kinds of exercises instantly after getting a transplant done.
Consulting Professionals for Re-Density Procedures
With immense patience along with executing the Hair density improvement techniques during your healing process, you can achieve your dream density. However, if after the completion of your healing period, you still see less hair density and a visible scalp then you might need to consider additional sessions for density enhancement.
During your second session, you need to be well aware of the risks associated and set realistic expectations. These include:
Continuous extraction of follicles from your donor area can affect the rate of follicles present in that area. This can weaken the capacity of that area with only a few healthy hairs left on your scalp, risking your overall appearance.
Hair graft survival may not be possible for each follicle unit as the scalp has already been through a major surgical process and repetition of the process may damage plenty of already implanted follicles.
A huge mass of grafts at one area on your scalp may lead to inadequate blood supply conditions to each follicle leading to difficulty in the Hair graft survival.
Realistic Expectations and Outcomes
Timeframe for visible density improvement
Hair transplant results require composure and self-control as you might feel exhausted with no immediate results.
- For the first 4 months, you will initially experience the hair shedding phase which might trigger your anxiety levels. However, it is essential to stay calm and trust the process as you will witness new hair growth by the time you reach the 4th month.
- From the 5th to 9th month, there will be no worries about hair fall and little achievements will make you happy such as elongation of your hair and their slow thickening process.
- By the time you reach the 12th month, you will witness massive changes, your hair will shock you with its transformation into natural-looking and healthy hair along with the density enhancement. In some cases, this can take up to 18 months as well.
Limitations based on donor area constraints and genetic factors
The donor area can only offer a limited number of grafts, and for multiple sessions of improving hair density, graft extraction might be a challenge.
Your genetic factors play a big role in this case as well. Even after getting a transplant and achieving your goal density, the naturally thickened areas may start to lose hair if you have inherited hair loss problems.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Hair density holds major significance for improving your appearance, boosting your confidence, and protecting your scalp. After getting a transplant done, you might see your scalp full of hair but hair density depends on your scalp health, your surgeon’s precise techniques and the number of follicles your donor area holds.
In these circumstances, the efforts done by your side should be selecting a highly experienced surgeon for the FUT Hair Transplant technique who promises you accurate placement of your grafts without any chances of error.
At Harley St Health Care Hair Transplant Clinics we have a group of GMC registered surgeons who offer you 100% guaranteed results in terms of thickness, density and a natural-looking appearance.
Along with that, you also need to improve your lifestyle by avoiding smoking, alcohol and heat styling, all of these can comprise the growth phase of your follicles. Decreasing stress levels through meditation techniques can also boost your hair condition. If you are unable to maintain any one of these factors, your hair density might be affected negatively.
However, treatment plans after transplant like PRP for hair density, Low-Level Laser Therapy AND Scalp Micropigmentation (SMP) are your best choices for enhancing density.. At Harley St Health Care Hair Transplant Clinics we offer free consultation before and after your FUT Hair Transplant procedures to support you throughout this journey.
