If you have noticed your hair thinning while looking in the mirror, you have probably considered a hair transplant. If you have considered a hair transplant, then the very first question you have asked yourself is most likely, ‘Is a hair transplant permanent?’
We’d like to be clear, yes, hair transplants are in fact permanent. It is not a quick one-time procedure like a topical solution or wig. It’s not just a procedure, but an investment to restore your confidence forever.
Let’s see what makes the result permanent and how the whole procedure works.
The Secret to Permanent Hair: The Donor Area
The reason hair transplant works in the long term is because of the origin of the hair. Consider the majority of people who experience balding – they typically will lose their hair in their top and front of their head, but the thick hair on the back and sides remains. This is not by chance.
- The hair bulbs on the back and side of your head have evolved to be resistant to the hormone (called DHT) that is responsible for pattern baldness. They are essentially baldness-resistant hair. This biological fact is the key to answering the question, ‘Is a hair transplant permanent’?
- The surgeon will extract these “super hairs” one at a time from your back (the donor site) and implant each into the thinning areas at the top and in the front (the recipient site).
Why the Transplanted Hair Stays Forever
After the hair is relocated, there is a unique property called Genetic Memory.
- It Honours its Original Commitment: Even after the hair is moved, the hair follicle remembers where it was taken from-the back of the head. It retains the “genetic memory” of being resistant to the balding hormone.
- Lifetime Promise: Since this hair is intended to grow for life, it will grow in its new location for the rest of your life. It will not spontaneously fall out 5 or 10 years later because it is still acting under its original, strong genetic code.
This is the straightforward but massively impactful explanation for the answer to the question, ‘Is a hair transplant permanent’. You are simply moving naturally permanent hair. When they inquire, Is hair transplant permanent, they are specifically inquiring about the hair that has been transplanted. And, it is designed to last forever.
What to Expect Right After the Surgery
After surgery, for up to 2-3 weeks, you can feel anxious as the transplanted hair often falls within that time. At this time patience is your key, as this is a normal step of the process.
- Hair Shedding: The hair loss is just the hair shaft shedding. The important part of hair, the root, is healthy and tucked under your scalp.
- New Permanent Hair: The roots will rest for a few months and then (approximately 3-4 months after your procedure) permanent hair will grow. The hair developed will most likely thicken and mature over the year.
A Few Tips to Keep in Mind
Although the hair that has been transplanted is considered permanent, there are just a few minor considerations for the long haul:
- A hair transplant will only place hair where you do not have it, it will not prevent any of your original, non-transplanted hair from thinning as well. This is why many doctors recommend some sort of medical remedy (topical Minoxidil, oral Finasteride) to enrich the density of the other hair you have so you maintain that overall beauty.
- It is necessary to choose a qualified surgeon to achieve the most natural result. The difference between a natural, successful, and permanent result and a disappointing one can lie in the experience of the hair transplant surgeon.
So, if you decide to go through with the procedure, just keep in mind that your own hair, your own biology, is the answer to the question ‘is hair transplantation permanent?’
Final Thoughts
Hair transplant is unquestionably a permanent option for anyone assessing their hair restoration possibilities. The permanence of the hair transplant procedure is what makes the option so valuable to those suffering from hair loss.
The robust, genetically resistant hair follicles that were taken from the donor site at the back of your head, and transferred to the desired area will develop and grow for a lifetime and will do so in their new location. While you will be tasked with the care of your existing hair, your transplanted hair is forever. Your long-term results will depend on the quality of your logic in choosing a good doctor and following their post-op care instructions.
