Hair transplant surgery is available in the countries of the United Kingdom. The cost is not covered by the government insurance plan and it can vary a lot depending on what is being done.
The price can be anywhere from £1000 to £30,000 depending on how much hair has to be transplanted and how many times you need to have the procedure done. In some cases, the costs may be even higher, especially if you need multiple hair transplants done.
In the United Kingdom doctors are supposed to be registered with the General Medical Council (GMC). It is important to check that the person you choose to be your doctor for the hair transplant surgery is registered with the GMC.
Before having a hair transplant you should do due diligence in checking that you have found a well- established and experienced medical clinic with accredited and certified doctors. Getting advice from colleagues and friends is also a good idea if they have recently had work done.
You should realize that there are clinics outside of the UK that also offer excellent hair transplant surgery, and it may be much cheaper for you to do this.
There are clinics in other locations in Europe such as Turkey, where you can choose to have a hair transplant done. Visit https://www.veraclinic.net/en/ to get more information on what types of hair transplant procedures are available.
What to do before a hair transplant procedure
You should cut out smoking and alcohol. Smoking really is not good for the body and for tissue repair, which means the odds of the hair grafts being successful actually decrease if you smoke.
Alcohol and certain types of medications can also interfere with the success of the operation. You should not drink alcoholic beverages right before the procedure and tell the doctor what medicine you normally take.
Medicines that are anti-inflammatories can increase the risk of bleeding. Aspirin is also likely to increase this risk. Heart medications can also be a problem. The doctor will advise you on what medicines to stop before the transplant.
What to expect after the hair transplant procedure
You may find that your scalp does hurt after the procedure, but your doctor will most probably prescribe some pain medication. You may have to wear bandages for one or two days and you will probably be given antibiotic and anti-inflammatory medication as well.
Recovery does not take too long and you can probably return to work quickly within a few days. It is common for the transplanted hair to fall out about 14 to 21 days after the surgery. This is known as shock hair loss and is completely normal if you have had an FUT or FUE hair transplant procedure done.
Hair will grow after a couple of months and by about 9 months most patients will have 60% of hair growth back. Doctors may also prescribe minoxidil, which is a drug that is supposed to help hair growth.
To read more on topics like this, check out the health category.