Beard Transplant 101: Definition, Procedure, and Recovery

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Growing a beard is always unique and different for every man since it depends on multiple factors. The uneven patches on your face can be caused by genetics, ethnicity, low hormone levels, or conditions like alopecia areata. While certain remedies may help in stimulating the growth of the hair, they are only for temporary purposes. A beard transplant procedure can only offer a permanent solution to restoring the facial hair follicles through an implant.

However, like any other medical procedure, certain doubts can be attached to the procedure as well. This article will dive into the implant procedure in-depth for you to get a clearer idea of the process so that all your doubts are cleared.

Explaining the beard transplant procedure

A facial hair transplant or beard transplant refers to a surgical method that involves implanting hair in the areas of the face where facial hair growth is missing or inadequate. Similar to the hair transplant procedure, the beard transplant process involves taking hair from the donor area in order to transplant it to the jawline or the preferred recipient area. Commonly, a beard transplant procedure follows one of the two procedures:

FUE or Follicular unit extraction:

A follicular unit refers to a small group of hairs emerging through the skin while having the same exit point. This process entails harvesting entire follicular units in one go from the donor area during the procedure. An FUE procedure commonly consists of removing nearly 2000 transplanted hairs in order to offer better coverage and texture.

In this process, the specialist usually makes smaller incisions in the recipient area, which will determine the growth pattern of the beard as well as its direction. The implant is done under local anaesthesia, which makes it almost painless—another reason why most people prefer FUE for beard transplants these days.

Information Credit: https://www.drserkanaygin.com/hair-transplant/beard/

Advantages of the FUE procedure involved:

  • Faster recovery
  • Unnoticeable linear scar
  • Less painful process
  • Hard to detect scars
  • Can return to physical activity faster

FUT or Follicular unit transplantation:

Unlike FUE, in FUT the specialist takes the hair from a small strip of tissue that has been cut from the back of the head using microscopic preparation procedures. However, this process possibly ends up leaving a scar as a result of the closing of the wound. Nevertheless, despite taking longer hours than FUE – including the performance and recovery – an FUT procedure leaves with a more of a fuller beard since more harvested hair is transplanted in this process.

Advantages of the FUT procedure involve:

  • More harvested hair
  • Increased number of grafts in one area
  • Leaves with one small linear scar

Steps of a hair transplant procedure

The hair implant process in a beard implant procedure involves three common steps: harvesting, implantation, and recovery.

Harvesting phase

In the harvesting phase, irrespective of the type of procedure you have chosen, the first step would be to have the particular area of your head shaved by a professional. Shaving the area that is meant for harvesting, provides a clearer view of the follicles. However, since the whole process is done under local anesthetics, there are no sensations involved during the procedure.

Implantation phase

After the harvesting process, which includes removing the hair follicles from the donor area, comes the actual implantation process. The procedure begins by injecting local anaesthesia into the area of your face where there will be the implantation. In this phase, each harvested hair follicle is placed or implanted in your facial skin. This is where your new beard will be shaped as per prior discussion.

Recovery phase in Beard Transplant

An effective beard transplant process takes a day or two to recover from the surgery. You may notice some tiny crusts around the newly grafted area; however, these should flake off soon within some days. Usually, after a week, trimming the beard is safe in most cases. It is also worth noting that most people notice their newly implanted beard fall out after around 3 weeks. However, in the case of a beard transplant, it is safe to claim that new hair will start growing soon.

Although advancements in the medical sector assure safety and efficiency, in order to get the best results, your hair follicles should be healthy so that they are useful for the purpose. This is why, prior to any beard transplant process, a thorough examination by your surgeon is crucial for you to be eligible for the process. In order to opt for the ideal clinic for implanting a beard, make sure to look for certain factors like experience, expertise, technique, industry reputation, specialisation, and consultation process of the specialist.

Factors to consider after the Beard transplant 

Even after the success of the transplant, there can be a number of potential side effects. Both your scalp and face may experience conditions like redness, swelling, numbness, and temporary crustiness. Proper aftercare is crucial in order to increase the effectiveness of the procedure quickly.

  • In the event of swelling or pain after surgery, make sure to cold compress the area in order to minimise the symptoms.
  • Make sure you take the medications and you follow the instructions of the experts. This can be about washing the specific area and refraining from rubbing the specific region.
  • Refrain yourself from touching your face during the recovery phase since it may increase the risk of infections and may even eliminate the transplants. This is quite essential for recovery.
  • Keep away from direct sunlight as well as certain activities like swimming, chewing tobacco, or smoking for at least a few weeks after the surgery.
  • Stay away from shaving for at least 2 weeks after undergoing the procedure.
  • According to the experts, it is good practice to elevate the head up to 45 degrees while sleeping. This will help in reducing the swelling after the surgery.

Conclusion 

Certain supplements and lifestyle changes may help in treating uneven beard patches. However, a beard transplant is a far more effective solution that has long-lasting effects. Nonetheless, make sure to consider a reputable beard transplant clinic because it will have a direct impact on the results you will receive and it will be cost-effective as well.

 

 

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