Though various private clinics have been providing such services so far by hiring doctors from India, this is the first time that the service is institutionalized at a hospital. “We have been providing hair transplant services at the department since the past six months,” Dr. Dharmendra Karna, chief at the DBSP said.
The institution is the first hospital across the nation to use laser technology for transplanting hairs Karna said adding that the department decided to launch hair restoration service after providing treatments for various skin diseases and beauty problems at the beginning.
“A recent study has shown that a majority of people lose between 75-125 strands of hair per day due to various reasons. 13-20 percent women have been reported to have a bald spot, similarly in men, it goes anywhere from 50-60 percent. Women's bald spot is generally covered due to the length of their hair, but men still seem to have more baldness than women. It is important to note that baldness isn't a disease but is a genetic defect,” says Karna.
According to him, in the case of men, the process begins when the hairline just above the forehead begins to lose its thickness, leading to excessive hair fall and eventually ends with no hair in the front part of their head, and the reason behind this loss is Dihydrotestosterone, a hormone commonly known as DHT. DHT is present only in the front part of the head, and that is most loose hair in that part. There are medicines which lessen the rate of hair fall.
In laser hair restoration method, hairs are taken from the back of one's head and planted in the front. This transplant is done through two ways: Follicular unit transplant and follicular unit extraction. In Follicular unit transplant, a certain part of the skin is taken out from the back of one's head and then hairs are extracted from it and planted one by one in the front of the head. While in the follicular unit extraction method, hairs are extracted one by one and planted in areas without hair.
The department gives preference to the latter as the former technique involves peeling of skin from certain portion of the head, it can leave a scar which can take time to heal.
Elaborating on the technique used by the department, Dr. Karna said that strands of hair are extracted by a specialized machine and then implanted in bald areas. Generally it takes just one seating for this process and might take up to two sessions in case of an excessively bald person. And during the session, the patient can enjoy watching television or surf the internet while the doctors implant the hair. It takes 10-15 days for an implanted hair's root to start growing, he informed.
The hospital started providing this service following the coming together of Prof. Dr. Alex Ginzburg, Israel and Dr. Karna in 2014. Since then, the Department's professionals have been busy for a year and a half in using and examining this procedure. Since its formation, the department has been continuously experimenting and innovating its methods. As part of its initiative to provide world class services, many of its professionals have received training from the PSG Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, Coimbatore, India.
Considering the pervasiveness of baldness, the department claimed that it has fixed affordable price for the service. For transplanting a strand of hair, it costs Rs 60, compared to Rs 200 for the same in India. In addition to the lower price, the department says receiving the treatment at its facility provides the patient the opportunity for post consultations, if needed.
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