Eyebrow transplants and eyelash transplants were originally
introduced to patients who had suffered from burns or congenital
malformations of the eye. However, since this procedure has been
perfected, people suffering from either complete or partial eyelash
or eyebrow loss now have an available medical alternative. In the
past, some people opted for eyebrow tattoos to recreate lost eyebrow
hair, but tattoos can be obvious and look unnatural. This procedure
will restore natural looking eyebrows and eyelashes that will last a
lifetime. This procedure can also be used simply to thicken existing
eyebrows or to lengthen existing eyelashes for cosmetic reasons.
Causes
Many
reasons can cause both men and women to lose eyebrow or eyelash
hair. These include:
• burns;
• scars;
• diseases;
• congenital inability;
• self-inflicted obsessive plucking;
• medical or surgical treatments such as radiation therapy and
chemotherapy.
Procedure
Transplanting eyebrows or eyelashes involves extracting “donor” hair
one follicle at a time.. Dr Jones matches up hair form other parts
of your body for the desired thickness and curl. Eyelash hair, for
example, is coarser than eyebrow hair. The eyebrow or eyelash hair
is placed in the same direction as native eyebrow hair or eyelashes
to create a natural look. The direction of the curl is also chosen
when inserting the follicles to imitate the regular curl of your
lashes and the hole to receive the new follicle can be made with a
slight arc to promote a curl. Density varies with gender: women
often have more eyelashes than men. Patients feel no pain or
discomfort during the procedure, as local anesthetic is used. The
entire procedure takes a few hours to perform and usually requires
only one session.
With careful attention to the direction and angle of the growth of
the new hairs, we can successfully transform patchy or absent
eyebrows and/or eyelashes into natural-looking ones.
Results
The eyelashes and eyebrows are your own naturally growing hair.
Unfortunately, hair grows in cycles so you will have to be patient.
It usually takes a few months before the new hair starts to grow.
Both eyelash and eyebrow transplant surgeries yield very positive
results.
Post-operation
Few patients experience complications following the procedure. The
most common are a small area of purplish discoloration under the
eyelids for a few days, minor itching, pain and possibly swelling in
some patients. The results yield no visible scarring or tufting and
appear quite natural. Patients should avoid scratching the area. For
4 to 5 days following the procedure, tiny scabs appear like dots of
sand on the skin, but these fall off. Once the new eyebrow or
eyelash hair grows in, it is indistinguishable from natural looking
eyelashes and eyebrows. They will require regular trimming as they
will continue growing like hair on the scalp.
Eligibility and Cost
Not everyone is a candidate for this procedure. For example, victims
of trauma or burns may require reconstructive surgery before eyebrow
or eyelash restoration. The degree of hair loss must also be taken
into consideration before effectively evaluating the feasibility and
complexity of individual cases. In addition, it is difficult to
estimate the cost of the procedure since cases vary from one patient
to another.
