Many individuals encounter grey hair and feel uneasy about it, thus seeking to enhance their appearance through aesthetic treatments.
By the age of 50, it’s estimated that 50% of people have half of their hair turned grey. When someone faces alopecia issues, a viable and long-lasting solution often involves a hair transplant, a widely practiced technique with commendable feedback.
However, what about grey hair? Can a hair transplant be performed then? Is it more challenging? What outcomes can be expected?
In the subsequent paragraphs, we will address these inquiries and more.
Can you prevent hair from turning grey?
Grey hair emerges when hair lacks a protein called Wnt, which regulates hair growth and structure according to studies.
This protein influences melanocytes’ function, a group of stem cells responsible for hair pigmentation. In the absence of this protein, melanocytes don’t function properly, resulting in grey hair.
Nonetheless, there are methods to prevent or slow down greying hair. Grey hair typically exhibits thicker and less flexible characteristics compared to regular hair.
Its occurrence is often associated with age and genetic factors, although other factors like certain diseases and stress can contribute as well. Once grey hair appears, it cannot revert to its original color, but its progression can be delayed by maintaining a healthy diet low in fats, rich in vitamins and antioxidants, engaging in moderate exercise regularly, and avoiding alcohol, tobacco, stress, and anxiety.
Although it may be tempting to pluck grey hairs, doing so won’t prevent more grey hairs from emerging, nor will it cause additional greying.
Plucked hair grows back in the same follicle, thus regrowing grey. Another misconception is that grey hairs don’t fall out, which is untrue; they do fall out just like pigmented hair.
Is a hair transplant possible with grey hair?
Performing a hair transplant on individuals with grey hair and alopecia issues is feasible as long as they meet the same criteria as those with pigmented hair: stable hair loss progression and adequate quantity and quality of follicles in the donor area.
Nonetheless, performing a hair transplant on individuals with greying hair is more complex due to visual density issues and difficulty in locating discolored follicles for extraction.
The operation’s outcomes are contingent upon the hair available in the donor area. If grey hair is available, the transplant will utilize grey hair, and vice versa for pigmented hair.
Regardless of natural pigmentation, transplanted hair will eventually lose color and turn grey over time. In terms of recovery period, hair density, and duration of results, outcomes remain consistent whether transplanted hair is grey or not, as pigmentation absence does not affect quality or durability.
Why is experience crucial in this procedure?
Performing a hair transplant with grey hair is more challenging for the medical team than for the patient. Attention to detail is critical during follicle extraction and implantation.
The supervising surgeon assesses the patient’s suitability for the procedure. Hence, the experience, skill, and knowledge of the surgeon and their team are paramount for a successful hair transplant with grey hair.
At Novesthetica, we boast the finest hair surgeons in Turkey and state-of-the-art medical equipment.
Reclaim your hair now!