Beard transplantation is taking hair from one part of the body and transplanting it to the jawline and where the beard is desired to grow. It may sound very simple, but it is a very complex process. There are two basic methods that a surgeon performing beard transplantation can apply;
Beard Transplantation Methods
The first is Follicular unit extraction (FUE). This method is done by removing complete follicular units from the donor area one by one. The FUE method is less painful, which may explain why it is the more commonly performed procedure.
The second is the Follicular unit transplantation (FUT) method. In this beard transplant method, the surgeon cuts a small strip of tissue from the nape of the neck and removes hair follicles from this tissue. Hair follicles taken from the donor area for transplantation are called grafts. In both methods, 2,000-5,000 or more hair follicle grafts are taken, usually at the same level as your ears or slightly lower, and these grafts are transplanted to the face.
How is Beard Transplantation Method Done?
There are many steps in applying the beard transplant method. The first of these steps is harvest; Whether the patient chooses the FUE or FUT method, the first thing the doctor performing the procedure will do is shave the donor area on the head. Shaving helps to see the hair follicles better. Before starting this procedure, the patient is given local anesthesia and the patient will not feel the harvesting process or the subsequent implantation process.
Another step of the beard transplantation process is implantation. After the hair follicles are removed from the patient using the selected method, the surgeon who will perform the procedure applies local anesthesia to the area where the grafts will be placed. Afterwards, each root is placed on the skin one by one, as agreed by the patient and the surgeon performing the procedure, and is shaped after the procedure.
The next step of the beard transplant process is transplantation. Only one day is needed for beard transplantation. After the procedure, small crusts may appear around the newly transplanted hair follicles, but this should not be a concern. These crusts will fall off within a few days. Approximately ten days after the beard transplantation procedure, the patient can shave and trim his new beard. However, beard may fall out two or three weeks after the hair transplantation and this is normal. New beards will grow in place of the lost beards.
Who is Beard Transplant Suitable for?
Since the grafts, that is, hair follicles, are taken from the nape of the neck, there must be healthy hair follicles in the nape of the person. The hair on the nape of the neck is strong hair that is not prone to shedding. Even patients with baldness have healthy hair on the nape of their neck.
The surgeon and his team performing the procedure examine your scalp and check whether there are enough hair follicles in the donor area. If the patient does not have enough hair follicles in the nape area, the doctor may offer alternative solutions for this procedure. For this reason, a doctor should be consulted before beard transplantation.
How to understand if the beard transplant procedure is successful?
There are some ways to understand whether the beard transplant procedure has been successful or not. Regardless of the method used, the transplanted hair follicles should grow naturally within three to four months. If the beard looks natural, full and healthy within eight to nine months, the beard transplantation can be considered successful.
A natural look can be achieved with FUT and FUE, which are beard transplantation methods, but beards transplanted with the FUT method appear to be fuller. The reason for this is that more hair follicles are reached since a strip of skin is removed from the donor area. The FUT method may be suitable for fuller and thicker looking beards, but the disadvantage of the FUT method is that it is relatively more painful than the FUE method and the recovery period may take a little longer.
Beard transplantation is generally a successful procedure. The general reason for failure is the incorrect harvesting process from the donor area. For this reason, it is of great importance to choose the right surgeon, team and clinic when undergoing beard transplantation. It is worth paying more for a transaction where the probability of success will increase.
What are the points to be considered during the beard transplantation process?
Beard transplantation is a surgical operation. Like most surgical operations, it requires special care as a result of the procedure. After the beard transplantation operation, the harvest area and the transplanted area should be kept very clean.
As a result of the beard transplantation procedure, the surgeon gives the patient care instructions that the patient can do at home. For example, this care recommendation could be an antibiotic ointment for your face or scalp.
There are at least a few situations that should be avoided after beard transplantation. Swimming, exposure to direct sunlight, smoking, use of a Turkish bath, sauna or jacuzzi, and all activities that require strenuous physical strength and mobility should be stopped. Touching, rubbing or scratching the harvested or processed areas are behaviors that can cause harm.
It may be advisable not to wash the face for a few days or at least avoid rubbing it. The skin will be sensitive and itchy, but frequent contact should be avoided to prevent irritation and infection.
Beard transplant surgery may have some side effects on patients such as swelling, anger, tension, numbness and crusting.
It is common to have scarring at the donor area, but most of the time the natural growth of facial hair will cover the scar. FUE technique leaves small but difficult to notice scars. However, the FUT method leaves a stripe-shaped scar in the nape area.
Temporary crusting on the face after the procedure should not be a concern, but if conditions such as crusting, redness and swelling persist after a week or two, action should be taken in accordance with the instructions of the doctor who performed the procedure.
Beard transplant surgery is a way to fill in gaps in your beard or help you create a beard where none would have grown before. This is an expensive procedure, but its effects are long-lasting.
Depending on the type of beard transplant surgery, you may have a long scar on the back of your head covered with hair growth or many smaller scars that are often too small to see.
If you don’t want to go the beard transplant route, you can always try topical products like minoxidil or try taking supplements to speed up beard growth.
Whichever direction you choose, first discuss the risks and benefits of surgery, topical medications, and supplements with your doctor.
Your genes may be responsible for little or no facial hair growth, but if you want facial hair in the future, you have options.
How Much Does Beard Transplantation Cost?
You can learn the cost of beard transplantation by meeting with your doctor at your first consultation. The number of grafts planned to be transplanted in a beard transplant operation is one of the most important factors that determine the cost of the operation.
There is a correlation between the number of hair follicles and prices. If the hair follicles taken for transplantation are low, beard transplantation prices will also decrease. Pricing depends on the number of hair follicles to be transplanted.
In addition, the clinic that will perform the beard transplantation operation, the selected specialist doctor and his team, and the experience of these medical personnel and the reputation of the clinic are another important factor that determines the cost of the beard transplantation operation. However, the results are more important to patients than beard transplantation prices. The appearance of the beard after transplantation is important for patients.
Among those who want to have a beard transplant are those who cannot grow a beard or are not satisfied with the density of their beard. In these cases, beard transplantation will be inevitable. Beard transplantation is a procedure that can be applied to the cheeks, chin, sideburns and mustache areas. The procedure can also be performed to cover acne and scars in these areas. Transplanting hair follicles taken from the donor area provides a permanent solution for hair loss in these areas.
The Secret to a Natural Looking Beard
It is possible to experience hair follicle loss due to genetics, needle epilation, laser epilation, burns and surgery. Beard transplantation can be performed to increase the density of hair follicles in the area and to transplant hair to completely bald areas. The goal is to create a natural-looking beard.
Before the procedure, your doctor will need to examine your scalp and face to determine whether you are a good candidate. This consultation visit may also have a cost, depending on the doctor. When making your appointment, be sure to ask how much the consultation visit will cost.
Beard transplant surgery is not covered by insurance since it is one of the areas that plastic surgery deals with (cosmetics). Some doctors allow payment in installments, so be sure to ask about financing options.
Why Experienced Surgeons Are Expensive
If you want to work with an experienced hair restoration surgeon, given the cost, risks of complications and scarring, and the desire for optimal results, you should not try to save money by going with a less experienced or cheaper surgeon. You may end up with inflamed hair follicles. Or the surgery may not last and you will lose your transplanted hair permanently.
To make sure you’re working with the right doctor, check to see if they’re certified by the American Board of Hair Restoration Surgeons. Certification means that the doctor has logged a significant number of hours practicing and learning the craft.
There are questions you should ask during your visit with your doctor:
Is beard transplantation one of your areas of expertise?
How many years have you been doing these procedures and how many procedures have you performed?
Do you perform both FUE and FUT surgeries? What is your experience with each?
Personal references are always helpful. If you know someone who has worked with a particular doctor, ask about their experiences and results, but don’t make a decision based on experience alone.
What are the Alternatives to Beard Transplantation?
If a beard transplant seems too invasive, expensive, or both, there are some alternatives to consider.
Minoxidil (Rogaine)
Minoxidil (Rogaine) is a common treatment for scalp hair loss, but it can also be effective in stimulating facial hair growth. Topical minoxidil is sold in liquid and foam varieties. One downside is that when you stop applying it, your new hair growth typically slows down and stops completely.
About Minoxidil
Minoxidil was originally created as a drug to lower pressure. A known side effect may be a drop in blood pressure, so check with your doctor if you have heart disease or are taking other medications for blood pressure.
Other products that may enhance facial hair growth include supplements containing the B vitamin biotin, which helps promote healthy hair growth. Another supplement called L-carnitine may also increase hair growth on your scalp and face.
Although hair growth is largely determined by genetics, some lifestyle behaviors can help you speed up beard growth:
Exercise to improve blood circulation, which supports hair follicle health.
Eat a healthy diet rich in lean proteins, zinc, iron, whole grains, and fruits and vegetables full of vitamins A, B, C, D, and E.
Get seven to eight hours of sleep every night.
What are the Types of Beard Transplantation?
The most frequently applied and preferred method in beard transplantation procedures is the Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) method. The specialist performing the beard transplantation operation collects the hair follicles one by one from the donor area agreed upon with the patient in preliminary discussions and transplants them to the desired and determined area.
The beard transplant operation takes approximately four to five hours and leaves only minor redness and scars in the donor area where the hair follicles are removed. While some of today’s beard transplant clinics perform this process manually, some prefer to use technological tools developed for beard transplantation.
A transplant performed with this method has a much faster recovery process compared to other methods, and a transplant performed with this method is preferred by most people because patients say that this method causes much less discomfort, or even almost no discomfort.
The other main type of transplant is Follicular Unit Transplantation (FUT). This is when a surgeon takes a strip of tissue from another area, stitches the wound, and transplants the hair on it. This leaves a long but very thin scar.
Although beard transplantation with the FUT method takes a little longer (both performance and recovery), it generally results in a fuller beard because more hair is transplanted overall.
How to Choose a Clinic?
Choosing a specialist doctor and team who are experienced and skilled in their field, and even choosing a clinic that is relatively famous and well-known; It contributes to the natural result of the procedure and to the patient leaving the clinic satisfied. Here are some tips to check before handling your face.
Training: All reputable beard transplant surgeons have trained under established experts; they often mention these figures on their websites or biographies.
Experience: It is one of the most basic features sought in the beard transplantation process. It takes time and regular practice to master the FUE technique. Find out how many years your surgeon has been doing this and how many patients they have helped. If you prefer a technically clear technique such as the normal FUE technique, you should make sure that the specialist you choose is experienced in the type of technique you have chosen.
Expertise: Doctors who specialize in beard transplantation have more experience and knowledge than doctors who provide services in more than one field.
When you look at the Reputation of the Industry, you should find out whether the doctor you choose has membership in associations and organizations such as the International Association of Hair Restoration Surgeons, abbreviated as ISHRS, or the International Association of Hair Restoration Surgeons, abbreviated as IAHRS.
You can understand that the experts who are members of these associations and organizations have a reputation for their competence in their work and that they quickly adapt to developments in technology.
Importance of Personnel
Good Personnel is one of the important criteria. Good personnel is not just about the doctor. Choosing a clinic with knowledgeable, educated, polite, helpful and communicative staff will be of great benefit.
You should make sure that the clinic you choose for consultation offers a consultation that can help eliminate all the reasons that may affect the growth of your beard. Additionally, doctors must check the patient’s hair density and volume with various computer software. The purpose of this control is to calculate the number of grafts in the patient’s donor area and the number of roots that will be required for transplantation.
Not everyone is suitable for beard transplantation, clinics control and know this. If the clinic you choose forces its client to undergo an operation even though they are not suitable for this procedure, you should be careful about this and think twice when making your choice.
The Importance of Instruments Used in the Clinic
Good Tools are very important for the beard transplant process. Ideal FUE needles are very sharp and cannot be re-sharpened. It is important that the clinic you choose uses technological facilities to the fullest. Technological tools used in such surgical procedures must be of high quality, clean and well-maintained, and operate smoothly.
Before and After Photos: Most clinics have a gallery of these. Clinics that are good at what they do use high-resolution capabilities to photograph their patients. The before and after photos taken are clear, understandable, and the originality of the image is not tampered with, such as light.
The Surgeon Does Most of the Work. Experienced surgeons who care about their patients’ surgical experiences and results, such as beard transplantation, handle most of the work that needs to be done themselves and know how those jobs should be done, so you can benefit from their training and skills.
They will only ask a nurse or technician to stop when they need a break. Many careless and inexperienced surgeons may leave many tasks to their team that would be healthier for them to do. Always ask the surgeon how much personal commitment they have to each procedure and the roles of the surgical staff.
Extra Treatments
Extra Treatments have an important place in the beard transplantation process. Some beard transplant clinics affect the outcome of the beard transplant by applying various treatments such as blood serum. These treatment methods, recommended by the doctor and his team performing the beard transplant, can increase the healing speed, help the beard achieve its natural and thick appearance, and even enable the growth of thicker and thicker hair.
Doing all this research may seem scary, but it’s worth the effort. Good beard transplantation contributes positively to the patient’s self-confidence, both aesthetically and psychologically, and this contribution lasts a lifetime. Likewise, a poorly completed operation will make the patient unhappy and the team performing the operation unhappy.
Points to Consider When Performing Beard Transplantation
Since the hair follicles in the beard area do not resemble hair, the hair follicles to be transplanted must be suitable for the beard. Since hair usually has a thinner structure than beards, the roots collected for beard transplantation must be suitable. Therefore, the neck area is preferred as the donor area in beard transplantation procedures.
A natural look can be created with the hair follicles in this area. At the same time, the nape area is a suitable area for collecting the hair follicles required for beard transplantation. However, the first choice for hair follicles to be collected has always been the neck area.
Another issue to consider during beard transplantation is that hair transplantation is essential for a natural appearance. No cutting tools are used during FUE. This is effective in giving the result after the procedure a more natural appearance.
Importance of Grafts
The grafts used in beard transplantation must be one by one. In other words, the hair follicles taken from the donor area must be taken separately and added separately when transplanting. The reason for this is that the natural hair follicles in the beard area are always single. In this way, the rough appearance that may occur as a result of the beard transplantation process is prevented.
In beard transplantation, the color condition of the collected hair follicles and the area planned to be transplanted is important. For example, it is undesirable to add gray hair follicles to a patient with a black beard or if hair follicles of different colors and shades are not distributed in a natural way. Therefore, it is very important that the surgeon and his team who will perform the beard transplant operation, and of course the clinic, are competent in this field and that this competence also affects the practice.
Since the collected hair follicles are still living tissue, they should be transplanted to the planned area without losing their functions, otherwise the hair follicles will become dysfunctional due to lack of oxygen. This is a situation that should be especially emphasized in patients with few hair follicles in the donor area. Beard transplantation is a procedure that requires knowledge, skill and a lot of experience, so the hair follicles planned to be transplanted must be transplanted to the relevant area without shedding. People who want to have a beard transplant definitely need the support and opinion of an expert.
How to Open Channels in Beard Transplant Operation?
In the beard transplantation process, small channels are needed to transfer the collected hair follicles to the area where the transplantation is planned. Since it is easier to create the correct angle by creating micro channels with a needle instead of a knife, it is important to open them with six to seven millimeter wide needles in order to determine the location and angle of the channels to be opened. Thanks to these small needles, the hair follicles to be transplanted can be easily transplanted under suitable conditions for the beard area.
Can Beard Transplantation Be Performed on Burn Scars?
Beard transplantation is not only done for those with sparse beards or those without beards. Also burns, scars, etc. It is a suitable procedure for people who have regional losses due to problems. Burns or scars in the beard area may cause problems for the patient, both aesthetically and psychologically. It is possible for patients with such problems to meet with a competent specialist in their field, get information, be examined, and if they are found suitable for beard transplantation, they can have this procedure done.
There are no disturbingly obvious scars in people who have had a beard transplant. The techniques and devices used during the beard transplantation process prevent wound formation. Some temporary redness and scars may occur immediately after beard transplantation. These conditions may cause small crusts on the skin for a period of time. However, these crusts fall off and disappear in a very short time. In such cases, it is important for the patient to pay attention to hygiene rules, consult his doctor on issues such as washing his face and shaving, and comply with the rules and treatments given by his doctor.
RELATED PROJECTS