The Effectiveness Of Hair Transplant In 2023: How Far Have We Come?

Beauty is more than skin deep. However, in today’s image-obsessed and filtered world, it is easy to be entrapped into the ‘picture-perfect’ illusion, fall victim to poor self-esteem issues, plunging confidence, and even develop body dysmorphia. Among all the invasive and noninvasive techniques currently available to alter one’s physical appearance, hair transplantation is one of the commonest for males. Therefore, individuals around the world keep searching for the best hair transplant techniques.

Although the modern era of hair transplantation was ushered in 1950s New York, the pertinent question is how far have we come, and how safe is hair transplantation in 2023 India? Well, let us find out!

WHAT IS HAIR TRANSPLANTATION?

Simply put, hair transplantation is a procedure wherein a plastic surgeon or dermatological surgeon moves hair to a bald or thinning section of the scalp. Usually, the displaced hair is taken from the sides or back of the head to the top or front of the head. Usually, hair transplants occur in a medical office under local anaesthesia. It is noteworthy to mention that although hair transplantation is meant for both males and females, the procedure is more often used for men and is catered towards male balding patterns. You might be surprised to know that male pattern baldness might contribute to appreciable hair loss among men by their early 30s.

Although the ultimate reason for pattern baldness breaks down to genetics, some other factors include –

Diet
Stress
Illness
Hormonal imbalance
Medications and more

HAIR TRANSPLANTATION IN INDIA: THE PROGRESS MADE UNTIL 2023

The first modern hair transplantation was performed by dermatologist Norman Orentreich in 1950s New York, and since then, there has been no looking back. When we talk about the contemporary Indian scenario, hair transplantations are on the rise, and the progress made in terms of safety is also praise-worthy. For example, 95 to 98 percent of hair transplants currently have a top-tier success rate in India. The prime reason for such high success is that the hair follicles come from the patient’s scalp, and there is no chance of graft rejection.

Some of the main reasons why the best hair transplant techniques are becoming increasingly popular in India are-

Improving Technology – With the advancement in technology, it is now possible to get a natural appearance with hair transplantation. With procedures such as Follicular Unit Transplant, Follicular Unit Extraction, and the more futuristic Direct Hair Implant, people can now get an authentic tuft of locks with better safety.

Heightened Hair Loss – Unfortunately, Indian men are getting increasingly prone to baldness. There has been a monumental inflation in the proportion of people experiencing hair loss. The problem is no longer relegated to men in their 40s or 50s and plagues, even the young cohort in their mid and late 20s.

Suffocating Beauty Standards – It is unfortunate that the Indian beauty standards, which had clutched and entrapped women for centuries, are now roping in Indian males into its lure. In an increasingly materialistic Indian society, men are pressured to look young and presentable for fear of losing their social standing. Hair is a significant demarcator of conventional ‘good looks’ among men; thus, the rise in hair transplants.

Destigmatization – The Indian beauty standards for men are a double-edged sword. On the one hand, they coerce young men into ‘visual conformity,’ and on the other hand, provide leeway for a generation to break free from ‘traditional masculinity’ norms and indulge in self-care, grooming, and vanity with more pzazz, confidence, and societal acceptance. Thus, men going the extra mile to look younger and better are no longer a ‘hush-hush’ terrain, and increasing hair transplantation procedures is a direct culmination of the same.