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Losing hair is one of the biggest male fears. Just seeing a few hairlines in the shower drain is something like a reminder that death is slowly creeping in on us. Thanks to science, though, we’re now able to do something about it and, at least appear, as young as always thanks to hair plugs. So, how much do you know about them and its use? In this article, we will tell you all you need to know about hair transplants and hair plugs so you can decide for yourself whether they’re worth your time and, more importantly, money. Let’s begin.
What Are Hair Plugs?
So, the thing with hair plugs is – if they’re good, you won’t even know they’re there. The term is somewhat outdated as these plugs were mainly used in the ’50s. The procedure at the time involved cutting small pieces of tissue from the back of the head with some hair on them and inserting them in tiny holes on your bald spot. The problem with this procedure, though, is that it’s not extremely effective. It was easy to spot the hair plugs and they simply didn’t look real. Nowadays, the procedure is much more complex and the results are far more subtle.
Hair Plugs vs. Transplants
Considering how these procedures evolved in time, hair plugs became somewhat obsolete and was replaced by a more general term – transplants. These involve any form of modern surgery aimed at solving the problem of baldness. On the other hand, the term “hair plugs” is mainly used today derogatorily to point out someone’s poor attempts at hiding their baldness. This is mainly because the implemented hair patches don’t match with the rest of the hair. Transplants are a much better option if you’re set on dealing with it professionally. So what are your options here?
FUT Method
Have you heard of the Follicular Unit Transplantation (FUT)? This surgical procedure uses FUE method to ensure a more natural look and hair growth. In FUE, surgeons use special tools to extract the so-called follicular units – hairs that are grouped naturally and extracted along with glands, nerves, muscles, and so on. These units are then implemented where necessary to allow growth. The reason why this method is much more reliable than the old-fashioned use of hair plugs is that these are all fully functional units that continue to work normally, just in a new location.
Should You Get “Hair Plugs?”
Now, how will you know if it’s the right time to try out these modern versions of hair plugs? Most experts agree that you should first try your luck with various products, shampoos, and creams that might stimulate hair growth. There are numerous products out there, both natural, home remedies and proper, medicinal ones that might help you out. Just remember that you need to give them time to work. Sometimes it can take up to 6 months to see effects of some products, but it’s worth the wait. If all of those options fail, though, you could look into transplantation options.
Dangers of Transplantations
First of all, we should point out that every surgery is a risk, in a way. That being said, hair transplantations are fairly harmless and easy. When it comes to side-effects, they are usually minor and temporary. One of the main side-effects is certainly hair thinning that only lasts for a short time after surgery. Besides that, you could also spot some bald patches, but things go back to normal quite quickly. Interestingly, according to Wikipedia, about five percent of patients also suffer from post-operative hiccups but that’s not really much of a problem.
Have you had any experience with hair plugs? How do you feel about them?
