If a comprehensive dermatological and medical evaluation has determined that your hair loss can be effectively addressed through a hair restoration treatment, you may be weighing your options to determine which solution is best for you.
At RVA Regenerative Wellness in Midlothian, Virginia, our team takes a fully individualized, multimodal treatment approach to hair loss that uses advanced techniques to halt hair loss in its tracks, revitalize or replace dormant follicles, and restore a full head of lush, healthy hair.
Read on as Jennylle Zanzi, FNP-C, our very own Direct Hair Implantation® (DHI) specialist, discusses what you can expect each step of the way when you opt to undergo DHI, the most advanced and effective hair transplantation treatment available today.
Although our team gives you specific, detailed instructions before your DHI procedure, there are a few pre-session guidelines that everyone should follow. If you’re a smoker, it’s imperative to stop for at least 2 weeks before your session. In fact, tobacco use of any kind can hinder the transplant process and undermine your chances of success.
Before your DHI session, stop drinking alcohol, taking aspirin or other blood thinners, or using nutritional supplements for at least 1 week, and avoid caffeine for 24 hours. If you take a hair loss medication, our team will let you know if you can keep taking it or if it’s a type that should be discontinued in the lead-up to surgery.
On the day of your DHI session, eat a light breakfast.
The average DHI session takes about 8 hours to complete, typically running the full length of the morning and afternoon. A scheduled break about halfway through your session gives you time to enjoy a light lunch, catch up on emails, or just relax.
The DHI process puts you on the path to recovering a full head of healthy hair in 5 steps:
First, our team shaves the area where the hair donor follicles will be harvested (usually the back of the head) as well as around the treatment area, where the transplant will take place. Then, we apply a local anesthetic to keep the donor and treatment areas comfortably numb.
Using the follicular unit extraction (FUE) technique, we use a very thin, hollow needle to loosen and remove individual hair follicles from the donor area. Unlike early, harsher follicle extraction methods, this approach doesn’t mar the donor area with unsightly scars.
Because we have separated your extracted hair follicles from their nutrient supply, we place them directly into a biotin-rich solution supplied with vital substances to keep them strong and optimally prepared to be implanted back into your scalp.
DHI hair transplantation uses an innovative precision instrument called a Choi pen to achieve direct transplantation without a separate canal opening. We individually place your harvested hair follicles (grafts) in the Choi implanter pen as soon as possible to ensure optimal vitality and a higher growth rate.
In the final step of the DHI process, we transplant your donor follicles into the treatment area. With the Choi implanter pen, we can create the canal opening and transplant the loaded hair follicle in one step. From location and depth to the angle and direction of hair growth, the device’s exceptionally small hollow needle makes high-precision graft placement possible.
After your session, we provide a light snack along with a bag that contains everything you need for the first few days following your procedure: a course of medication, saline spray, and detailed self-care instructions.
Although you shouldn’t engage in vigorous physical activity for a week, you can resume most normal activities (including work that isn’t labor intensive) right away. You can wash the donor area 24 hours after your session, and gently wash the treatment area after 3 days.
It takes 12-18 months to see the full results of your DHI hair transplant. During that time, we check your progress at regular intervals to see how your transplant is developing.
Depending on how well it’s going, we may recommend platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy to stimulate your graft follicles and encourage more vigorous hair growth, or we may advise you to take hair growth medication to support the process. When necessary, these supplemental strategies can be just as important for attaining dense hair regrowth and long-lasting results.
Got questions about your hair restoration options? We have answers. Call 786-971-0914 today, or use our online booking feature to schedule an appointment at RVA Regenerative Wellness any time.
