A team of researchers from Tehran University has recently published a study showing that ‘there is a statistically significant difference between the self-esteem and quality of life of androgenetic alopecia (AGA) patients before and after hair restoration surgery.’ Is this news? Not really, given that it is just the latest in a long line of studies that have demonstrated the psychological and emotional lift that a hair transplant provides to the recipient. The real story lies in the very consistent, positive findings of those studies.
This article will take a look at what the findings mean for you and the hair restoration business. Keep reading!
Body of Work
Before we examine the evidence showing the benefits of hair transplant surgery, we should maybe look at why it’s necessary. Quite simply, hair loss doesn’t just affect an individual on a cosmetic level. It hits you at an emotional level, too. Researchers in Boston, for example, showed in June 2019 how ‘patients with alopecia areata (AA) are at higher risk of both anxiety and depression.’ In 2015, researchers from the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine concluded that AA sufferers are at risk of depression and anxiety, amongst other things.
There are many other studies showing the same kind of findings and spelling out the same message; hair loss is bad for your mental well-being. That’s why it’s reassuring to know that hair restoration treatments provide an effective antidote to the problem. Aside from the latest study mentioned at the top of this article, there have been countless academic and clinical studies showing the psychological benefits of a hair transplant.
In 2018, Chinese researchers produced a piece of work showing that hair transplant surgery raised a person’s self-esteem quite considerably. The science behind that shouldn’t come as a surprise. We all know instinctively that if we are comfortable with our appearance, we automatically feel better, too. Research into social inequalities and social hierarchies by academics from Stanford University in 2014 found that our perceptions of how we look can affect our attitudes, perceptions and even our behaviour.
Celebrity Perceptions
While these studies are important, they rarely make much of a splash outside the walls of academia. Instead, it often falls to that much-maligned category of individuals known as ‘celebrities’ to bring the same issues into the public domain. So, for example, when former tennis champion Andre Agassi linked the loss of his hair to losing his sense of identity, people got an idea of what hair loss could do to an individual’s psychological well-being. British media columnist Liz Jones also talked about how her hair was part of her identity: ‘My hair became my armour: shy and introverted, I’d hide behind it.’
Celebrity ‘testimonies’ like this are important. Hair loss is a common condition that affects millions of people worldwide, with men and women experiencing varying degrees of hair loss as they age. And yet often the conversation around the condition is muted, as if it was something too trivial to discuss openly. Hearing someone talk about hair loss or reading their thoughts about it in print brings the conversation into the open.
Modern Treatments
Modern hair transplant techniques have also helped bring hair restoration treatment into mainstream societal discourse. By providing great results, modern hair surgery has made the treatment a viable option, something which has not always been the case.
If you’re familiar with hair transplant procedures, you’ll know that there are two main techniques used, namely Follicular Unit Transplantation (FUT) and Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE). Different surgical methods are used in these two procedures, but the principle underlying both is the same. Hair follicles are removed from the back and sides of the head and grafted onto the areas of the scalp from which hair has been lost. FUE is now the more popular procedure. Many clinics, indeed, no longer offer FUT as an option.
Hair transplants are usually done using local anaesthesia and take several hours to complete. These days, the procedure is as safe as any surgery can be. Scarring is minimal and complications rare. Usually, the individual can return to their normal daily schedule within a short period.
Final Thoughts
Hair transplant surgery is rapidly becoming as routine a procedure as getting your teeth straightened or your vision corrected with laser treatment. If you are struggling with hair loss and are considering a hair transplant, be sure to do your research. Choose a reputable clinic with a distinguished record of work to help you achieve your desired results.
If you’re still uncertain about hair restoration treatment, Vinci Hair Clinic can help you with your doubts. That’s because we offer a free, no-obligation consultation to all our clients. That means you get to ask all your questions and consider our responses without committing to anything. Get in touch today – there’s never been a better time!
