Hair transplants have evolved with time and gained massive popularity over the past several years. Once thought of as a serious surgical procedure, it is now increasingly performed on patients, owing to innovation in technology and methods of performing surgery, which made the processes more uncomplicated than ever before. The traditional hair transplant methods make patients feel uncomfortable and deliver unnatural results. However, with the introduction of novel techniques such as Follicular Unit Transplantation (FUT), Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE), Simultaneous Harvesting and Implantation (SHI), Direct Hair Transplant (DHI), and more, things have changed for the better. Hair transplant procedures are chosen mainly by celebrities, sports athletes, and public figures who are more concerned about their hair and appearance.
Technologies Used in Hair Transplantation
Follicular Unit Transplantation (FUT)
FUT or Follicular Unit Transplantation involves cutting a patch of skin containing hair follicles, usually from the back or side of one’s head, where hair is more resistant to balding. The individual hair follicles or grafts are then isolated for implantation into the recipient zones. The patch size depends upon the number of strands required to cover the bald areas. The FUT process is much simpler and needs less effort in a single session than FUE.
Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE)
In FUE or Follicular Unit Extraction method, the individual hair follicles are removed directly from the scalp or donor area one by one and then re-implanted into the balding sites. The process is more time-consuming than FUT but offers several benefits, such as faster healing time, no significant scars, and fewer post-surgery pains. FUE is usually performed in a certain number of sessions over several days.
Many devices have been invented to make the FUE process more efficient. Robotic hair transplantation is an FUE technique that involves extracting and collecting grafts from the predetermined area using robotic devices and transplanting the grafts in the recipient zones by doctors and nurses. The robot first takes pictures of the patient undergoing hair transplantation before the procedure begins. Artas Robotic Hair Transplant is an FDA-approved system that adopts physician-assisted robotic technology to carry out FUE. The device’s built-in algorithm hairs that are good for transplantation and then harvest them. Additionally, it identifies hairlines and other thinning areas to determine the recipient sites before implantation.
Micro FUE is another advanced hair transplantation technique that involves extracting hair follicles from the donor area by loosening them from the scalp with micromotor tools whose tips are 0.6 to 0.9 mm in diameter. As the tips for collecting grafts are tiny, the intervention in the donor area is reduced, and the trauma is less. The process also delivers a more natural appearance. Moreover, the donor area is less damaged, and the healing is quicker.
Simultaneous Harvesting and Implantation (SHI)
SHI, or Simultaneous Harvesting and Implantation, is a new hair transplant technique that reduces operation time. Procedures such as FUT and FUE have extended treatment and recovery times, and SHI solves these issues. The method is similar to FUE, but the difference lies in that a group of around six surgeons implant around 3000 grafts in the recipient sites in 5 to 6 hours. In the SHI method, the grafts expose to air for less time, and the healing process is faster.
Direct Hair Transplant (DHI)
DHI, or Direct Hair Transplant, is another innovative hair transplant procedure that uses an implanter pen with a thickness between 0.6 mm and 1 mm to extract and transfer hair grafts to the balding site. The grafts are collected from the donor area (usually the back of the head). DHI offers the most natural appearance in hair transplant surgeries. The minimally invasive procedure allows for more dense hair implantation and partial head-shaving during a hair transplant.
Stem Cell Hair Transplantation
In stem cell hair transplant, scalp tissues are extracted from the donor with a tool, and then stem cells are extracted from that tissue. The process is similar to a traditional hair transplant, but the difference is that it involves the extraction of a small skin sample rather than a large number of hair to transplant to the balding area. The tissue from the skin sample is cut into small strips and centrifuged using a centrifuge. This mechanism separates the solution containing the stem cells from the tissue. The solution is put into an injection device which injects the solution into a patient’s balding areas on the scalp.
Market Trends and Analysis
The global hair transplant market has experienced robust growth in recent years. It is likely to gain impetus from the ever-increasing number of surgeries performed in males and females for treating androgenic alopecia. According to the research firm Allied Market Research, the global hair transplant market was valued at $4.90 billion in 2021 and is expected to garner $30.13 billion by 2031, thereby exhibiting a CAGR of 20.4% during the forecast period 2022–2031. Moreover, the growth of the hair transplant market is propelled by the growing number of hair restoration procedures, various genetic and environmental factors, medical conditions, poor diet, and an increase in sedentary lifestyles, which are affecting the health of individuals and technological advancement in the hair transplant industry. Moreover, an increase in the number of hair transplantation procedures in the U.S. and a rise in awareness regarding physical appearance among the population lead to market growth. Further, an increase in the prevalence of chronic diseases such as cancer, hyperthyroidism, and hypothyroidism, which lead to hair loss, fuels the market growth. In addition, an increase in the number of product approvals and product launches for hair transplantation procedures and an increase in initiatives taken by the government to develop healthcare infrastructure drive the market growth.
Covid-19 Impact on the Industry
The COVID-19 outbreak had a negative impact on the growth of the global hair transplant industry. Many clinics and hospitals were restructured to accommodate more patients diagnosed with COVID-19. Non-essential surgical procedures such as hair transplant procedures were either canceled or postponed as they were given less priority due to the rising number of COVID patients. However, the market is gaining traction with the pandemic situation improving.
Recent Developments in the Industry
Various players in the industry focus on adopting strategies such as new product launches, expansion, and more to gain a competitive edge in the global market and unlock revenue opportunities. For instance, in December 2022, VCare group, the South India-based skin and hair clinic, launched its 50th skin and hair clinic. The clinics offer highly advanced treatments, such as a hair transplantation procedure called activated follicular transplant, using FDA-approved equipment. In February 2020, Venus Concept Inc., a medical aesthetic technology leader, received the CE Mark approval to market NeoGraft 2.0 in Europe. NeoGraft 2.0 is an automated hair transplant device that uses the follicular unit extraction (FUE) method of harvesting and implanting hair follicles.
In conclusion, the hair transplantation sector sees constant innovation and has a massive scope of growth in the near future. The latest implantation tools and techniques have encouraged many to opt for hair transplantation. Faster and healthy recovery periods are what the industry focuses on at the moment and are the main reasons patients seek hair transplantation.
Key Market Players:
- Hair Transplants of Florida
- Hair Palace Clinic
- Hair Restoration BlackRockHRBR
- Medical Hair Transplants & Aesthetics
- GETFUE Hair Clinics Ltd
- vinci hair clinic
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Rachel Lee has always had a keen interest in reading and writing. An engineering graduate, she forayed into the field of writing due to her love for words and the urge to do something different. Allied Market Research has given her the chance to gain knowledge about different subjects as a Specialist Content Writer.
