06 Nov Keep Your Hair Throughout the Decades with SmartGraft and NeoGraft
Your hair changes throughout the years, and if you think it used to be thicker, more luscious, or even have a totally different texture, you’re probably right. RefinedMD offers the follicular unit extraction (FUE) of hair transplantation using SmartGraft or NeoGraft. Hair changes often start in our 20s (or even earlier!), and when it comes to hair transplantation there’s no such thing as the “perfect age.” Here’s how our hair changes throughout our life and what we can do about it:
Hair Through the Decades
In our 20s, we’re still experimenting with our hair. We’ll color it, bleach it, and sometimes burn it beyond recognition with straightening, curling, and chemicals. It’s fun and a way to showcase our personality, but our hair undergoes serious damage in the process. Overusing styling tools and over-processing makes hair dry, prone to breaking, and brittle. However, hormones are also changing at this age—especially for the many young women with a thyroid disorder. This can also make hair fall out, break, and become weak. For women who also get pregnant in their 20s, those hormones help quite a bit, making hair luscious and shiny. Unfortunately, this ends abruptly because we don’t lose our hair in normal cycles during pregnancy—which means hair loss comes in full force as soon as we’re post-partum.
Changing your routine can be all it takes in your 20s to restore thicker, more youthful hair. However, if hormones or age-related hair loss is to blame, it might be time to start thinking about other options. While products like minoxidil (the active ingredient in Rogaine) work for many people, it’s normal to be wary of dousing your scalp with chemicals every day. A hair transplant at this age with FUE can be a fast and effective way to avoid age-related hair loss.
In your 30s, you might notice more serious hair thinning. Hair grows in “bundles” inside each follicle, with each follicle holding an average of 2 – 4 hair strands. As we get older, we tend to make less hairs per follicle. This is the cause of overall hair thinning. Many people also notice their first grays in their 30s. Solutions include trying biotin supplements for faster-growing hair and coloring your hair (if that’s what you prefer). However, simply upping your nutrients usually isn’t enough to prevent age-related hair loss. This is often when many people first start seriously looking into hair transplantation.
Once you’re in your 40s, age-related hair loss has sped up and menopause becomes an additional factor towards your 50s. For women in menopause or pre-menopause, excessive hair thinning and even bald spots aren’t uncommon. Men are facing serious male pattern baldness at this age (if they haven’t already). You might notice more hair loss in the shower or when brushing your hair. Unfortunately, the hair loss rate will just continue revving up in future decades. Some people try various topical treatments or special shampoos, but when hair loss or thinning is severe the only truly effective approach is hair transplantation.
Hair Loss Treatment with SmartGraft
Both SmartGraft and NeoGraft may be solutions for you if you’re experiencing hair loss. SmartGraft is a good choice for treating large areas of the scalp because it’s faster. However, NeoGraft is often best for those treating small areas or who enjoy the attention to detail since it’s a largely manual approach. All FUE patients need to be healthy enough to undergo anesthesia and not have any scalp conditions, such as infections.
Prior to your SmartGraft or NeoGraft procedure, you’ll be instructed to wash your hair with an antiseptic shampoo and stop blood thinners for a few days prior to the procedure. Patients will also need to stop smoking before FUE can take place. The exact amount of time the procedure takes can vary dramatically based on whether you opt for SmartGraft or NeoGraft, as well as how many follicular transplantations there will be. It’s common to feel a little discomfort and swelling in the days following the procedure, but this is easy to manage with over the counter pain medication.
Hair Today & Tomorrow
As you start to heal, you’ll notice the scarring from hair transplantation is very minimal. New hair will begin to grow, and this will cover up the little scars in time. Since FUE takes time, results will begin to show about two months after the procedure. Full results can take about six months, and you can rest easy knowing that these results are permanent. If you’re noticing thinning hair and want to quickly restore your luscious, full locks, FUE might be for you. Schedule your consultation with RefinedMD today by calling (408) 688-2082.