REASONS FOR HAIR LOSS.
WHAT IS OWN-HAIR TRANSPLANTATION?
STAGES OF HAIR RESTORATION AT INTECO CLINIC.

REASONS FOR HAIR LOSS.
The problem of hair loss has always existed. The term alopecia, meaning hair loss, was coined by Aristotle and is still used today in medical practice. Everyone knows the legend of Samson, who lost his extraordinary strength along with his hair.
Hair growth is cyclical. Individual hairs can be in one of three growth stages: anagen (the growth stage), catagen (the regressive stage), in which the hair stops growing, and telogen (the resting stage), in which the hair falls out. About 10-15% of hairs are constantly in the resting stage. Daily loss of 50-100 hairs is considered normal. The growth rate is, on average, between 1 and 1.5 cm per month.

Thanks to medical progress, it is currently possible to confidently name the reasons for hair loss and effective methods of fighting it.
There are various reasons that lead to hair loss.

1. Androgenetic alopecia or male pattern hair loss is the most common reason for hair loss.

It has been proven that more than one-third of men are prone to androgenetic hair loss. This hereditary condition can be inherited from either the father's or mother's lineage.

The biochemistry of the process of hair loss with androgenetic alopecia consists in the following: the male hormone testosterone under the influence of the enzyme 5a-reductase is converted to dihydrotestosterone (DHT), which is responsible both for hair growth and hair loss. In the sections of the head (frontal, occipital and parietal zones), where the bulbs have receptors sensitive to the hormone and carry specific genetic information, DHT transfers follicles from the growth stage to the prolonged stage of functional rest (telogen). Against this background the bulbs lose their ability to reproduce healthy hair and perish.

The first signs of hair loss can be noticed as early as age 18.
(The process is often prolonged and has a seasonal tendency.)
This means that in the case of androgenetic alopecia, only the combination of two factors - the hereditary factor and the hormonal background - can lead to hair loss.
At the same time, there always remains a halo of healthy hair on the back of the head and the temples. The mechanism of this phenomenon lies in the fact that the receptor complex of the hair bulbs in these zones, because of its special genetic features, is immune to the destructive influence of DHT. Thus, the only effective way to fight androgenetic alopecia is to redistribute genetically stable bulbs to the bare sections of skin, or, as is customary to call it, auto-transplantation of hair or the transplantation of the patient's own hair.
Studies carry out by Norwood confirmed that 25% of women after age 50 show signs of male pattern hair loss in the form of thinner individual hairs, sparser coverage, or, in rare cases, complete hair loss. Conditions that frequently indicate the need for surgery in women include traction alopecia, conditions after plastic surgery requiring reconstruction of the frontal growth lines and the restoration of hair in the temporal zones.

In 1974, Norwood organized the data on male pattern hair loss into a classification system.

Much experience has been gained in cases with so-called post-traumatic alopecia (scars after operations, injuries, burns).

2. Other types of hair loss are:

a) patchy alopecia,
b) diffuse alopecia,
c) total alopecia,
d) traction alopecia.

Rare factors leading to hair loss include:
1) conditions leading to hormonal misbalances and disruptions of homeostasis (pregnancy, diseases of the thyroid gland, polycystoses of ovaries, surgical interventions, chronic inflammatory diseases),
2) protein deficiency, deficiency of iron in the blood,
3) fungal skin damage,
4) taking medicines or chemotherapy,
5) radiation.

WHAT IS OWN-HAIR TRANSPLANTATION?

Own-hair transplantation is a painless ambulatory procedure. The method is based on the redistribution of sturdy hairs from the occipital and temporal regions to the balding zone. Currently, own-hair transplantation is the most common method of surgical hair restoration. In the USA alone, up to 150,000 such operations are performed every year.

The history of hair transplantation

The first reference to hair growth after transplantation from the temporal region to a balding zone by separate grafts is from the Japanese dermatologist Okuda in 1939. However, this method remained unknown because of World War II. Only in 1959 did the American doctor Orentreich describe a similar procedure in which he substantiated the theoretical part of the method, which consisted in the fact that hairs redistributed from the rim part of the head (donor zone) preserve their genetic uniqueness after transplantation to the balding zone, and they will grow for the rest of the patient's life. Later this discovery came to be called the "donor dominant phenomenon."

At that time, surgeons used large grafts of 4mm in diameter containing up to 20 hairs. The results were unsatisfactory because it led to a "doll-head" effect. In 1985, Bradshaw perfected the method of auto-transplantation. The method involved the transplantation of micrografts (1-2 follicles) and minigrafts (3-5 follicles). This is the variant of the method that has become widely used.

Recently a new transplantation procedure has appeared called follicular transplantation. This method makes it possible to more effectively use the reserve of hair in the donor zone while improving the aesthetic result by maximally increasing the thickness of the reseated hair. This method restores the natural growth line of the hair and the maximum thickness of growth of the redistributed hair.

Our clinic specializes in the transplantation of hair using advanced, internationally-recognized surgical methods and technologies that provide the best results, of which our patients are convinced.

STAGES OF HAIR RESTORATION AT INTECO CLINIC.

The work of our clinic is divided into several stages.

1. Consultation at the clinic:

During the consultation you will be given full and reliable information about the method, course of the procedure, restoration period, and the volume of the operation. An individual program is developed for the restoration of lost hair (the optimal number of sessions to achieve the desired result, predicted results of the operation). The donor zone is evaluated, and the area of transplantation is determined along with the necessary number of grafts. The number of transplanted grafts depends on the degree of hair loss. The direction of hair growth and density of transplantation are discussed.

The possibility of computer modeling using the unique Graft Inteco program is discussed.





2. The actual transplantation procedure:

- The procedure is ambulatory and performed under local anesthetic. It is completely painless in all stages.
- The length of the operation depends on the volume of the operation and is normally between 3-6 hrs.
- The patient sits in a comfortable chair during the procedure and can watch television or listen to music.
- The procedure is done by a highly qualified team of doctors and nurses.

The necessary number of grafts is formed from the section of skin in the donor zone using stereomicroscopes and microinstruments. The line of the cut is fully covered by hair. Special optical equipment and a special instrument are used to implant the grafts into the receiving zone.
- Bandages or hair-pieces are not needed after transplantation. The patient leaves the clinic without any bandages.
- All existing temporary manifestations in the zone of transplantation (edema, dry crusts, reddening) disappear in 8-12 days. The patient will be able to play sports and get his or her hair cut 10 days after the operation.
- Follicles begin to reproduce new hair 2 ? - 3 months after the operation.

Transplanted hairs retain their natural characteristics: color, structure, growth rate. New hair will grow throughout the patient's lifetime (in accordance with the normal growth phases). The transplanted hairs do not require special care. The total number of hairs remains the same as before the operation. The cosmetic effect is achieved through their redistribution. A thin cosmetic scar remains in the donor zone.

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