- More than 50% of men and 30% of women in Spain suffer from abnormal hair loss, which can lead to baldness.
- According to data from the International Society of Hair Restoration, the number of hair grafting surgeries has increased by 64% globally between 2014 and 2017
- Summer is the time of greatest demand. The patient can have a maximum of 4 hair transplant surgeries during his or her lifetime
Barcelona, April 23, 2019.- Spain is one of the European countries with the highest rate of alopecia. In fact, more than 50% of men and 30% of women are affected by abnormal hair loss that can lead to baldness. “In addition to having a seasonal component, with autumn being the time of year with the highest incidence, hair loss is influenced by people’s current lifestyle. Genetic and hormonal origin is the main cause of alopecia, but problems such as stress, anxiety, air pollution or poor diet are some of the main causes,” says Dr. José Luis Martínez, a specialist at the Dr. Paloma Surgical Capillary Institute and member of Top Doctors.
Hair loss has become a worrying issue among the population. The cult of beauty and the body has increased awareness of this issue and, therefore, the demand for treatments for hair maintenance and recovery has increased by up to 50% in Spain, and globally the number of surgeries has increased by 64% between 2014 and 2017, a figure that is expected to continue to grow according to data from the Society of Hair Restoration (ISHRS). This trend is encouraged by another factor, which is the advancement and sophistication of this type of interventions in our country, which have shown a highly satisfactory result. “The main advantage of performing this type of treatment in Spain is that the patient is guaranteed a quality of professionals and facilities in accordance with the standards of our country, while at the same time having the possibility of having a follow-up by the specialist, since a graft requires a year to identify and treat any complications that may occur,” assures Dr. Martinez, a member of Top Doctors, an online platform to find and contact the best medical specialists in private healthcare, audited and certified by the most rigorous selection process of doctors in the world, talk about it.
Summer vacations are the best time for hair transplant surgery
The time required for the postoperative period makes the summer season the favorite time to undergo this type of operation, although the demand is stable throughout the year. “The patient needs at least two weeks for recovery and postoperative care, which is why the summer vacations are usually the time of the year when there is the greatest demand for hair transplant treatments,” assures Dr. Antonio José Alcaide Martín, hair transplant specialist at BHR Clinic Spain and member of Top Doctors. However, it is also the time of year when it is necessary to take extreme precautions. After the treatment, a crust is created in the affected area that lasts a few days, and after it falls off, the skin is sensitive and reddish, so it is important to protect it from the sun to avoid permanent skin blemishes. “The patient should take extreme precautions to protect themselves from the sun, with caps or hats, and avoid intense and direct sun exposure for approximately three months. It is advisable not to swim in chlorinated swimming pools until after two months, nor in the sea until 20-30 days after the intervention,” explains Mrs. Lidia Opi, specialist in psychology and coordinator of CCCI, a Top Doctors’ member center.
The patient can undergo grafts up to 4 times during his or her lifetime. FUE and FUSS, the most demanded treatments
The progress and sophistication of this type of surgery achieves a success rate of practically 100%, although this depends on the patient’s perception. “The success of hair grafting begins with a personalized medical consultation by qualified personnel. It is very important that during this visit the assessment is carried out by the same specialist who will perform the surgery, guaranteeing a good evaluation of the case and thus achieving optimal results”, states Mrs. Opi.
Currently there are two techniques for performing hair grafts, FUSS (Follicular Unit Strip Surgery) and FUE (Follicular Unit Extraction) whose difference lies in the way the follicles are extracted from the donor hair zone. “In FUSS, the oldest technique, we extract a strip of scalp, leaving a linear scar on the back of the head; in FUE the follicles are extracted one by one, and therefore there is no apparent scar” explains Dr. Antonio José Alcaide Martín, hair transplant specialist and member of Top Doctors.
Spain vs Turkey. The danger of “low cost” transplants
Turkey has positioned itself as one of the countries of reference in aesthetic medicine, along with the USA, China, Germany and Brazil. Likewise, there are many offers that include flight, hotel and surgery at reduced prices, which has made Turkey a very popular destination for this type of surgery. However, choosing a foreign destination for this type of intervention can mean that the most important aspect of any intervention is lost: the personalized treatment and the follow-up before and after the case. “These clinics do not follow any medical criteria and operate on all the patients who come even when it is contraindicated. For some time now we have been seeing serious after-effects of low-cost transplants, with poor or non-existent results, over-extracted donor areas and scars with aesthetic results that are impossible to repair,” says Dr. Rolando Damevin, director of the surgical medical team of the Serrano Medical Unit and member of Top Doctors.
Hair treatments have proliferated in Spain over the last 5 years, and there are now many specialists, centers and facilities qualified to perform this type of intervention. Likewise, the centers are subject to regulations and control protocols not found in other countries, which in turn is a guarantee of safety against possible complications, infections or malpractice.
Dr. José Luis Martínez, specialist at the Dr. Paloma Surgical Capillary Institute.
Dr. Antonio José Alcaide, hair transplant specialist at the BHR Clinic Spain in Malaga.
Mrs. Lidia Opi, specialist in Psychology and Coordinator of the CCCI Hair Graft Unit at Tufet.
Dr. Rolando Damevin, director of the surgical medical team at the Serrano Medical Unit