Beard transplant surgery is a minimally invasive plastic surgery that aims to repair or enhance the hair density in the facial beard area by transplanting one's own hair follicle tissue. In recent years, as men's awareness of appearance management has increased, beard transplant surgery has become an increasingly popular cosmetic method. This article will systematically explain the specific process and precautions of beard transplant surgery from the aspects of surgical indications, preoperative evaluation, surgical operation steps, postoperative care and potential risks.
1. Indications for surgery
Beard transplantation is suitable for the following groups of people:
① Those with congenitally sparse or missing beard;
② Those whose facial hair has fallen out due to trauma, burns or infection;
③ Those who have local scarring alopecia after disease or surgery;
④ Those who have aesthetic requirements for beard shape and hope to improve facial contours.
It should be pointed out that beard transplantation is not suitable for everyone. Those with active skin diseases, folliculitis, coagulation disorders or serious chronic diseases should postpone surgery.
2. Preoperative Evaluation and Preparation
Preoperative evaluation is the key to the success of beard transplantation. Doctors usually conduct a comprehensive evaluation from the following aspects:
Hair follicle donor area detection : The most commonly used donor areas are the occipital region and the temporal region on both sides. The doctor will evaluate the density, diameter, direction and health of the hair follicles;
Facial beard design : Design a natural and coordinated beard style based on the patient's face shape, age, occupation and personal preferences;
Physical examination and blood test : including coagulation function, hepatitis B and C virus, HIV antibody, etc., to rule out surgical contraindications;
Psychological status assessment : Ensure that the patient has reasonable expectations and tolerance for surgery.
Anticoagulants and vitamin E drugs should be discontinued before surgery, and smoking and drinking should be avoided for at least one week.
3. Surgical Procedures
Beard transplant surgery uses autologous hair follicle transplantation technology, mainly FUT (unit extraction method) and FUE (unit extraction method). Currently, FUE is the mainstream. The specific steps are as follows:
Local anesthesia
Local anesthesia is used in both the donor area and the beard planting area to ensure that the patient completes the operation painlessly.
Hair follicle extraction
Use a micro punch (about 0.6-1.0 mm in diameter) to extract healthy follicular units from the occipital region. Each follicular unit contains 1-3 hairs. The doctor needs to precisely control the extraction depth and angle to protect the integrity of the hair follicles.
Hair follicle isolation and culture
The extracted hair follicle units are rinsed with saline and stored in a constant temperature culture medium to prevent the hair follicles from drying out and degenerating. This step must be completed by experienced technicians under sterile conditions.
Beard area planting design and drilling
According to the preoperative design, holes are made in the implantation area with fine needles. The direction, depth and density of the holes must highly simulate the natural beard growth state, especially the corners of the mouth, submandibular and cheek areas.
Hair follicle transplantation
Use tweezers to implant a single hair follicle into a pre-drilled hole. This process requires the doctor to perform extremely precise operations and ensure that the direction of the hair follicle implantation is consistent with the surrounding hair to prevent disorderly growth or hair falling over after the operation.
The entire operation takes 4-6 hours, depending on the number of implants. Usually, 1500~3000 hair follicle units are implanted at a time.
IV. Postoperative care points
Although beard transplantation is minimally invasive, postoperative care is still directly related to the survival rate and final effect, mainly including:
Avoid washing your face within 48 hours to prevent infection;
② Avoid scratching or touching the transplanted area to prevent hair follicles from falling off;
③. Avoid strenuous exercise and sweating within one week;
④. Avoid spicy food;
⑤. Take antibiotics and anti-inflammatory drugs as prescribed by the doctor, and apply cold compresses to relieve swelling when necessary;
⑥ Avoid sun exposure and shaving within one month;
⑦. Avoid laser beauty, facial massage or other behaviors that interfere with hair follicle growth within three months.
The hair shafts begin to fall out about 10 days after the operation, which is called "telogen shedding". This is a normal phenomenon. New hair will begin to grow after 3 months. Initial results can be seen in 6-9 months, and the final state will be reached after 12 months.
V. Complications and Risk Control
Although the complication rate of beard transplantation is low, the following potential problems should still be taken into consideration:
Infection : Failure to strictly follow aseptic techniques or improper postoperative care of patients;
Folliculitis : often caused by blocked hair follicles, so keep your skin clean;
Low survival rate : Damage during hair follicle extraction or implantation, poor quality of the donor area, and improper postoperative care will affect the survival rate;
Abnormal hair growth direction : due to lack of doctor experience or operating errors;
Local scars : Mainly seen in FUT surgery, while FUE scars are more hidden.
6. Factors that affect the effect of beard transplantation
Quality of donor hair follicles : High-density and healthy hair follicles are more conducive to the transplantation effect;
The surgeon's skill level : The doctor's beard shape design, hole drilling accuracy and hair follicle processing experience directly determine the final appearance;
Patient's physical condition and recovery ability : Good immune function and hair growth hormone levels help hair follicles survive quickly;
Compliance with postoperative care : Whether the patient follows the instructions for care has a significant impact on the outcome.
Beauty Encyclopedia Tips:
Beard transplantation is a highly safe and long-lasting cosmetic procedure, but it is not suitable for everyone. Those seeking beauty should receive a professional evaluation from a regular medical institution before choosing the procedure, choose an experienced doctor to perform the procedure, and strictly abide by postoperative care requirements. Beards are not only a decorative element on the male face, but may also carry personality, self-confidence, and cultural identity. Only by pursuing beauty scientifically and rationally can we truly achieve a change "from the outside to the inside."