You may have trouble growing a beard even if you avoid shaving and allow nature to take its course. Beard transplant uses your hair from your head to recreate a beard where your facial hair follicles aren’t cooperating. The donor area for this surgery may be the back of your head or the lower parts of the chin. Since you’re using your very own hair, your beard will be natural-looking and will show no signs of surgery.
What is a beard implant?
A beard transplant will take hair from one part of your body and transplant it into your jawline and wherever you want your beard to grow. The two types of approaches for this surgery are:
Follicular unit extraction (FUE): This approach is done by harvesting complete follicular units one at a time from the donor area. FUE is less painful, which may explain why it’s the more commonly performed procedure
Follicular unit transplantation (FUT): For this approach, a surgeon cuts a small strip of tissue from the back of the head and removes the hair follicles from that tissue.
Who’s a good candidate for this procedure?
Since hair follicles need to be harvested from the back of your head, you must have healthy hair follicles in this area. This location tends to be among the last areas to go bald, so even if you’re starting to lose some hair on top, you probably still have healthy growth on the back of your head. Your transplant surgeon will examine your scalp and determine if there are enough follicular units to transplant. If a patient does not have enough hair follicles to harvest, they may be presented with alternative treatments.
Beard transplant surgery steps
Extraction: First, your hair will be cut so the surgeon can have a clear view of your scalp. Then you’ll be given local anesthesia to prevent paint during the extraction. Depending on your procedure type, your surgeon will extract individual hair follicles (FUE) or cut a strip of tissue (FUT) from the donor area.
Transplantation: Once the required hair grafts are extracted, another dose of local anesthesia will be injected. Then the hair follicles are carefully implanted one by one into the recipient area to create a full beard.
Recovery process: Patients will be sent home the same day as surgery. During recovery, some tiny crusts may appear around the new beard hairs, but they should flake off naturally after a few days.
Beard transplant aftercare
Patients will be given antibiotic ointment for their scalp and face, and be instructed to avoid some activities following their surgery:
Swimming
Exposure to direct sunlight
Smoking
Using a sauna or hot tub
Strenuous physical activity (especially anything causing sweat)
Touching, rubbing, or scratching the harvested or implant areas
Beard transplant side effects
Swelling
Redness
Tightness
Numbness
Temporary scabs or crustiness
It’s normal to scar in the donor area, but natural hair growth will cover it up. FUE leaves many small, often unnoticeable scars. FUT, however, leaves a long singular scar on the back of the head.
Beard implant results
It will take 3 to 4 months before you see the full result of your beard transplant surgery as the transplanted hair follicles settle into place and start growing. Patients can enjoy a full beard at 8 or 9 months after surgery. While both FUE and FUT can produce natural-looking beards, FUT beards tend to be fuller. This is because more follicles are usually harvested when a strip of skin is removed.
Conclusion
A beard transplant is a transformative procedure that can significantly enhance one’s facial aesthetics. Ideal candidates for this procedure are men who struggle with thin or patchy facial hair, and those who wish to camouflage scars or asymmetrical beard patterns. Aftercare is a critical aspect of the beard transplant process. It involves following the surgeon’s instructions meticulously, which may include applying a healing ointment or saline solution to the affected areas, avoiding strenuous activities, and washing the transplant area gently. Proper aftercare not only ensures a smooth recovery but also maximizes the success of the transplant, leading to a fuller, more defined beard.
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