Biocompatible implants: |a solution to thinning hair?

Like a peacock’s brilliant feathers, the hair on the head is so much more than just protection for the scalp. The discovery of thinning hair is thus a stressful experience for both sexes and all ages. There are a few treatment options available when hair loss first starts, and both medication and laser treatment can be quite successful in the early stages. However, many people wait too long before realising or admitting their hair loss is getting worse. And while relocating healthy follicles to barren patches can solve the problem, hair transplant procedures are invasive, expensive and new hair takes time to become visible.

Continuing research into improved hair restoration techniques has helped considerably in the long-fought battle against hair loss or hair thinning and today the implant of biocompatible fibres is a plausible alternative or complementary treatment for patients.

Artificial hair implants first began in the 1970s as a quick solution for the coverage of the baldness but slowed as a result of scepticism among physicians due to the lack of clinical trial at that time. That has now changed. A study published in the Journal of Biological Regulators & Homeostatic Agents in 2015 reported the efficacy and safety of hair fibre implants through the three-year follow up of 133 patients. The study concluded that the biocompatible fibre hair implant procedure had been demonstrated to be safe and well tolerated by patients. The procedure involves using a special device to hook the reversible knots at the end of the biofibre hair and insert the strands manually one by one into the scalp, which has been numbed with a local anaesthetic, under aseptic technique until the desired hair density is obtained. The procedure doesn’t require downtime; patients can walk out of the clinic with a much fuller head of hair. 

The procedure is considered safe for patients because it uses a synthetic material that’s completely biocompatible, which means it is highly unlikely to be rejected by the body. This biocompatible material has received CE certification in Europe and is also approved for medical use.

The biocompatible fibre hair implant is suitable for patients with a healthy scalp but a poor donor area. It is also ideal for patients who need an immediate result. It can be used to increase volume of a patient’s hair following a hair transplant procedure as well. A consultation with a dermatologist will help identify if the procedure suits you or not. 

 

THANISORN THAMLIKITKUL MD| is a member of the American Society of Cosmetic Dermatology and Aesthetic Surgery and |certified in dermatological laser surgery. Send your questions |for her to [email protected]