C O L L E C T I O N O F H A I R

T R A N P L A N T

A R T I C L E S / D O C U M E N T S

D R T Y N G TA N | S I N G A P O R E

Collection of Hair Transplant Articles

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DR. TAN TYNG YUAN

THE HAIR & LASER CLINIC, SINGAPORE

Dr Tan Tyng Yuan is the Clinical Director of The Hair & Laser Clinic in Singapore, a clinic with special interest in Hair Transplants, Hair Regrowth and Medical Aesthetics. She is one of the few Medical Practitioners who are able to perform Hair Transplants using Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) and Follicular Unit Transplant (FUT) techniques. These Transplant techniques are similar to those used by famous celebrities like Elton John, Wayne Rooney and Nicholas Cage to battle Male Pattern Baldness. She also administers Low-Level Laser Therapy (LLLT) to stimulate the scalp for Hair Regrowth. The Hair & Laser Clinic is a one-stop Clinic for effective Medical solutions for Hair Loss, using both Surgical and non-surgical treatments. Dr Tan's The Hair & Laser Clinic is affiliated to the renown Cole Hair Transplant Group based in the USA. Led by Dr John Cole, one of the pioneering doctors in Hair Transplantation (FUE), he has clinics both in Florida and Georgia. You can find out more about Dr John Cole and his special FUE technique- known as the CIT, here (www.forhair.com). She has also trained overseas under famous plastic surgeons both in Asia and in the USA in Hair Transplantation before returning to start her practice in Singapore.

Dr Tan spent more than 10 years in the United Kingdom in her pursuit of academia and medical training. She obtained her Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) from the prestigious University College London. She then worked in England covering postings in Medicine, Surgery and Orthopaedics. Dr Tan has also extensively certified in the operation of Aesthetics Lasers, Botox, Fillers, IPL and Chemical Peeling. Dr Tan believes in the importance of putting her patient’s interests first and keeps up to date with the latest medical advancement. She is an active member of various prestigious hair and aesthetics international organization, such as the International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery, The Asia Association of Hair Restoration Surgeons, The American

Academy of Anti-Ageing Medicine and The American Academy of Aesthetic Medicine. http://www.hairandlaserclinic.com/

Collection of Hair Transplant Articles

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Table of Contents

Topic 1 What is Hair Transplant? 4

1.1 The Benefits of Hair Transplant.

1.2 What Causes My Hair Loss While Under 30?

Topic 2 Different Hair Transplant Procedures 7

2.1 FUE: Is it a Better Option?

Topic 3 Choosing the Right Hair Transplant Surgeon 9

Hair Transplant Singapore 11

Resources 13

Collection of Hair Transplant Articles

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What is Hair Transplant?

1.1 The Benefits of Hair Transplant

It is a technique in restoring hair by way of using grafts of hair whether coming from the

patient’s own head or from other donors, to treat baldness. It involves many techniques

as well depending on a lot of factors that can affect the patient during and after surgery.

The two most common methods of hair transplantation is FUE hair transplant and

follicular unit transplantation or FUT.

In a hair transplant procedure, healthy hair follicles are transplanted from a donor site,

which is usually the back portion of the head, to a balding area. There are two

approaches which can be used individually or with each other, and these are the FUT

(Follicular Unit Transplantation) and the FUE (Follicular Unit Extraction) method.

So, why would you love a hair transplant when in fact it is the most invasive hair

restoration measure? Well aside from the poking and incising that you might

experience, a hair transplant provides a permanent solution for this problem. Aside from

rare instances where some have to get it redone, a procedure done with a skilled and

certified surgeon often goes without any problems.

Aside from hair restoration, a hair transplant also establishes a new hairline. This,

however, depends on the artistry and skill of the surgeon to make it suit the general

profile of your face. When properly done it will provide good hair coverage to the scalp

and it will frame the face better.

The general effect of a hair transplant once your locks are fully restored is a natural-

looking result. When the hairs are strategically distributed and placed according to the

natural direction of the surrounding hairs, this will give amazing results afterwards. It’s

as if you’ve never even lost a strand!

With the improvement that you have in your physical appearance, this will give you a

better or renewed self-confidence. Most people feel more youthful and attractive and

most find it to give them a better edge in the workplace and even in dating.

Having a hair transplant is also more cost efficient because you only get to do it in one

go, given that it was carefully done with a good surgeon. Unlike medications which you

have to continuously take every day, or hairpieces which you have to be refitted and

changed after a couple of months.

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Hair transplants also give less hassle since you only get to care for it just like what you

would do with normal hair. With other hair loss management you have to perform

specific rituals for hairpieces, or remember timings for medications.

Despite it being pricy or invasive, a hair transplant procedure provides a more

permanent solution for your hair loss problem. It is more economically efficient and most

of all a natural-looking outcome!

1.2 What Causes My Hair Loss While Under 30?

Hair loss often comes later on in life especially with men. But in some rare occasion

there are times when individuals lose it early on. As much as it becomes disturbing for

older men it turns into a whole new level of distress when hair loss happens in your

twenties or in your teens. What most people don’t know is that there are actually a

growing number of young men who lose their hair at a young age.

Unbeknownst to common knowledge, old age is not the only cause for hair loss and

heredity may also bring this out. But one of the causes that results to this devastating

change is the hormone called dihydrotestosterone or DHT. If this is your first time to

encounter this culprit, you might be interested to know that it is a naturally occurring

chemical in your body. It is responsible for male attributes, sex drive and even

aggression.

DHT is formed when changes occur in the metabolism of androgen. When androgen

crosses paths with the enzyme 5-alpha reductase this is the unfortunate blend that

forms DHT. The moment DHT comes in contact with your hair follicles is the time where

it unleashes its hair loss capabilities. It thins and then shrinks your hair follicles as it

hinders vitamins, minerals, and proteins from nourishing them. The process off

shrinking these hair follicles is what is called miniaturization and then leads it to fall off.

Overtime the hair follicles reproduce at a much slower rate until it reaches a point where

it actually ceases to produce new hair

To top off the detrimental effects of DHT it creates a wax-like substance around the hair

roots further aggravating the situation. This results to what is called male or female

pattern baldness.

For younger individuals, especially teenagers, the chances for developing this condition

increases as the hormones around this time tend to be very unstable.

The hair loss pattern often starts out at the crown or presents as a receding hairline. For

women, a diffuse hair loss occurs with increased gravity near the top portion of the head

or the mid hairline.

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To treat this condition there are a lot of methods already introduced nowadays. You can

choose from an array of hair loss pills, topical creams, hair pieces (e.g. weaves, wigs or

toupees), or the most reliable and permanent of them all, a hair transplant surgery.

If you choose the easy route of regularly taking pills or topical medications, this has also

shown amazing results. However most people find it too costly as it requires continued

use in order to maintain the effect. Hair pieces are also good methods to conceal the

problem and they can look natural too, but they don’t actually correct the condition. It

can sometimes become uncomfortable and can even result to more hair loss, especially

with weaves, and the traction it makes on the hair follicles.

If you ask people who actually had their hair loss problem managed, they would tell you

that the most cost effective way to do it is with a hair transplant. If done by a good

surgeon, the effects are impressively natural looking and you can enjoy it for many

years to come. However before resorting to this invasive procedure, your surgeon still

needs to evaluate you on whether you will be a good candidate for it.

Those who are still on their teens, they are often advised to wait a couple of years until

they reach their mid-twenties because there are instances where hair loss will stop on

its own.

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Hair Transplant Procedures

2.1 FUE: Is it a Better Option?

In hair transplantation, there are certain techniques that a surgeon can use that will yield

certain results. And over the years hair transplant surgeons use either the FUT

(Follicular Unit Transplantation) or FUE (Follicular Unit Extraction) method, and

sometimes even both in a session. But today, let us focus on Follicular Unit Extraction

and dig down deeper to know if it is really a better option.

In an FUE procedure, your surgeon will extract the donor follicle by harvesting it directly

from the area using a device that acts like a punch. It will make a circular incision

around the single follicle that will be taken out or harvested when it comes in contact

with your scalp.

With FUT on the other hand, the surgeon takes a strip of donor hair from the back of

your head before individually removing the grafts microscopically. This one can be more

invasive and can form a more visible scar.

People, especially those who like to have their hair really short, would opt for a Follicular

Unit Extraction procedure because it only creates minute scars that can easily be made

less visible. This is actually the reason why this approach was developed.

Healing time with FUE is also faster since there are only little trauma involved. There is

also less to a total absence of pain during recovery because there are no stitches

involved here compared to the strip method in FUT. Another factor that makes it less

risk free is that it bleeds less.

For those who like to go back to normal activities much earlier, this type of approach

would suit them best. This can also be another option for individuals who naturally have

a tight scalp, where a strip method would not be possible.

FUE takes longer compared to FUT because due to the individual removal of the hair

grafts, plus the implantation process to the donor sites. This is the reason why it is also

more expensive. You would also need more sessions for this procedure due to the

amount of time that it takes for it to be done. Whereas with an FUT, you can be through

with it in a single session alone.

You also have the risk for damaging follicular units removed with this method, compared

to those done microscopically from the strip of hair taken out in an FUT.

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However, a lot of hair transplant surgeons have been getting good harvests and good

growth rates with the FUE method. But ultimately this would depend on the skill and

expertise the surgeon has. It will also boil down on his assessment of your case, and on

whether a Follicular Unit Extraction would be more suitable for you than a Follicular Unit

Transplantation.

If you want to shell some extra cash for faster, safer, less invasive and impressive

results, then Unit Extraction is an excellent choice. Although it may have some risks

involved, it does yield impressive results, also given that your surgeon is skilled enough

to pull it off. So choose and decide wisely, in months’ time, you will regain all those

crowning glory, like you’ve never even lost it!

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Hair Transplant Surgeon

3.1 How do I choose my Hair Transplant Surgeon?

One of the important things that you have to consider when planning to get a hair

transplant done is to find the right hair loss doctor. You have only very little chance to

get it right with a limited amount of resources or should I say “hair donors,” therefore

your first should ideally be your last. So how do you find a good hair surgeon? I will give

you some tips to help you make sure that you get the service that you deserve and your

money’s worth.

Find a surgeon who is board certified. A license or a certification would mean that the he or she has the proper education and training to perform a very delicate procedure.

Aside from counting in education, experience should also be considered. A good amount of experience can ensure that the surgeon is capable of doing a skillful job and techniques that will render impressive results.

A hair surgeon who maintains an active membership and participation in hair restoration organizations is a plus. This goes to show that he is taking measures to keep his practice up to date by keeping abreast with what’s current in the industry.

Looking at a surgeon’s portfolio will take you through the kind of work he does. This will stand as your gauge on whether one surgeon gives better results than another.

Ask around from friends or in forums which you can find in the web about good hair surgeons in your area.

Sometimes a good doctor would have a list of names of his past clients who are willing to share their experience. This way you get to understand the procedure from the viewpoint of patients. You get to know how they were treated throughout the procedure and how it actually went. But best of all, by taking the time to contact these clients you can actually see for yourself how the surgery resulted.

When checking for excellent results, it should be that the directions of the hair go along with the surrounding hair. It should also have a good distribution, and not one that are arranged like doll hairs.

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It is also important to ask a hair surgeon on the number of transplants he does on a daily basis. You should be worried if a surgeon states that he is able to do ten patients in a day. Remember this procedure takes a good amount of time to finish and it is not physically possible to do so with excellent results with a dozen patients in queue. The lesser the patients the surgeon receives in a day, the better.

You can also do personal visits to the clinic to personally see the facilities. Is the clinic really equipped with the adequate instruments and whether they are practicing proper infection control to better ensure your safety?

You also need to clarify the cost the surgeon charges. Compare the price he gives against the quality of work, and then compare it to the services given by other clinics. Remember never rush your decision because you don’t have the luxury of resources with this procedure.

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Hair Transplant Singapore

Singapore nowadays has grown to be one of those countries who are able to provide

excellent hair transplant results. Over time the country is among those who are

traditional medical tourism destinations such as the US or Europe, as the quality of their

hair restoration and cosmetic surgery outcome continuously improve.

Hair restoration by nature is a delicate procedure and it takes a good amount of time,

effort and expertise to come up with a highly satisfactory outcome. Most of the good hair

restoration services were concentrated on western countries, but even then they are still

yielding poor results.

Singapore being a country that strives for development and innovation also managed its

way up in terms of improving the practice of hair restoration. This is evidenced by the

majority of its surgeons obtaining their degree internationally. The education and

training has given them better competency as they practice with the best innovations for

hair transplant surgery.

In addition to their training and impressive credentials, these surgeons also maintain an

active membership to internationally renowned hair restoration agencies. This gives

them a close collaboration to different surgeons abroad and the most current knowledge

related to their practice.

These internationally trained hair surgeons bring to Singapore an elevated level of

quality in practice and services to the highly demanding clientele. This later on attracted

not only the locals but even those abroad who are looking for a good hair transplant

service that is affordable but of excellent quality as well.

Speaking of affordability, hair transplant clinics in Singapore has proven themselves to

be highly competitive when it comes to producing impeccable results. The usual price

per graft is around SGD $5, with a thousand grafts allowed per session. Although there

are other clinics that work on 1500 grafts in a single setting, but this depends on the

surgeon. There are still additional fees on top of the price for hair grafts. There is the

surgeon’s fee and a payment for the use of the facilities. But overall it still surmounts to

a much affordable price.

It was estimated that you can save up to 25% if you opt to have your hair transplant

done in Singapore than in the US. Many find this highly appealing because the country

has gained that reputation for excellent service and facilities.

In addition to that, there are also financing services available to help those who are on a

very tight budget to still be on track.

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It also comes as no surprise that Singapore is one of the most famous medical tourist

destinations because as the visitors stay, prepare and recuperate they are also

entertained by a plush cityscape that just teems with the vibrant culture of the city.

Therefore the Lion City remains to be among the top destinations for a good hair

transplant in Asia because they offer amazing and realistic results at a very good price.

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Resources

Helpful Websites:

1. Australian Institute of Hair Restoration http://www.aihr.com.au/

2. Dr Cole Hair Transplant Procedures http://www.forhair.com/

Contact US

Contact Name: Dr Tyng Tan

Company: The Hair and Laser Clinic Singapore

URL: http://www.hairandlaserclinic.com/

email ad: doctor@HairAndLaserClinic.com