Restoring a lost patch of hair through hair transplantation has come as a boon for thousands of men and women and saved many more the embarrassment of a wearing a wig.
Such surgical hair restoration techniques, now available in the city, guarantee 80 percent success with a centimetre of hair growth every other month, post-treatment. It is attractive enough for the common man to visit the trichologists for the procedure.
Hair loss is a growing problem, said transplant expert Narendra Patwardhan. ‘One out of every three persons complains of hair loss. We deal with at least two consultations pertaining to hair transplant every day. People take pride in their hair and want to sport a healthy mane. Awareness about hair transplant techniques have increased and those in need get appropriate treatment from an expert’, he said.
Patwardhan, along with his team of experts, performs around seven hair transplants every month, as compared to four such procedures per month, last year. ‘Common causes of hair loss include stress, improper lifestyle and eating habits, cosmetic chemical treatments, use of steroids and antibiotics, iron and protein deficiency, and thyroid problems. We put the patient on medication before performing the actual hair transplant. Patients are screened and only those above 25 years of age are accepted for the treatment’, Patwardhan added.
Hair transplant surgeries cost between $6,000 to $20,000 and sometimes more, depending on the area of the scalp to be treated. ‘We have several interested clients to get hair transplants as there are already various techniques of the surgery that are deemed to be cost-effective’, said Patwardhan.
Dermatologist Pradyumna Vaidya said awareness among people about hair transplant was rising. ‘Some five to six years ago, people thought such treatments were beyond their reach and budget. There has been significant development in hair transplant treatments’, said Vaidya. He gets around 25 enquiries a month. ‘Those who call include people suffering from premature balding. Many are from the IT sector, middle-aged businessmen, and middle-aged women who suffer from hair loss’, said Vaidya.
