The Facts behind Hair Loss and Restoration – Who’s having a Hair Transplant?
Hair loss is a common condition affecting millions of men and women all over the world. Although male pattern baldness is the most typical occurrence, with roughly 35 million men experiencing it as they age, it’s been stated that around 50% of women over the age of 65 also experience female pattern baldness.
However, the causes of hair loss are varied and can affect people at any age. Whether it’s inherited, or caused by factors such as stress or medication, losing hair can be a distressing experience that can drastically affect someone’s lifestyle. As such, hair transplants are becoming more and more popular for people looking to restore their hair and appearance; a 2015 study from the International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery (ISHRS), stated that hair restoration procedures worldwide have increased 76% between 2006 and 2014.
Hair transplant surgery, or FUE (follicular unit extraction), is an extremely effective way of permanently restoring hair for those suffering from hair loss. The procedure takes healthy hair follicles from one location of the patient’s body, usually the back of the scalp, and places them in the area where hair has been lost. Using advanced hair tissue preservation and highly skilled transplant techniques, hair can be transplanted to achieve the highest density possible. The ISHRS study revealed some interesting facts about the growing number and types of people seeking hair restoration, as the procedure has advanced and become more widely available:
Who’s undergoing hair restoration?
Surveying the responses from 274 of its practicing hair restoration members, the ISHRS study found that around 84% of men chose to have hair transplants in the reporting period, in contrast to just over 15% of women.
The majority of men who had a hair transplant were aged in their 30s, and more men in their 20s had the procedure than those in their 50s. Many men will start to go bald in their twenties and choose to have a hair transplant early on to retain their appearance, though for men it usually takes 15-25 years to go bald. Similarly for women, hair restoration was more popular between the ages of 30 and 50, although a higher percentage of females had a transplant over the age of 50 than men.
Where?
Scalp restorations seem to be the most popular treatment for both men and women, with 89% of total restorations helping to replace hair on the head. Where men and women tended to differ was in the number of procedures for hair restoration in other locations; the next most popular place for women to receive treatment was on their eyebrows, whilst the next option for men was to restore facial hair.
Why?
The study found that 65% of female patients in particular opted for hair restoration due to feeling self-conscious about their lack of or thinning hair. Aside from this, the uptake of hair restoration procedures can be attributed to more acceptance of hair restoration surgery as a permanent solution for hair loss. For those experiencing hair loss, hair restoration can greatly improve the self-confidence that may have been lost, and the ability to interact happily and normally in everyday life.
If you’d like to find out more about hair restorative procedures, or to discuss how hair restoration could benefit you, you can call our clinic on 0800 0443917, email info@birminghamdermatologyclinic.co.uk or fill out our simple contact form for a confidential appointment.
Tagged as: follicular unit extraction
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