Hair Transplant is One of the safest cosmetic surgeries

The greatest myth in hair transplant surgery is that anybody and everybody can perform it in any setting without any risk.Interestingly enough Hair Transplantation Surgery is one of the safest cosmetic surgeries that there is to date. There has been no hair transplant surgery that has directly contributed to death and yet sadly enough there have been three mortalities in India that have been reported,the most recent one being in Mumbai.Dr. Mohan Thomas, Senior Cosmetic Surgeon, Cosmetic Surgery Institute,talks about the checklist to be followed by patients before surgery.

A good surgical facility is important. It should have sterilization at its best, clean environment, the latest monitoring devices, a crash cart with emergency drugs, and qualified personnel. While Hair Transplant Surgery for the most part is a safe procedure, things can go wrong due to excessive bleeding, allergic reactions, irregular heartbeats and even heart attacks. Doctors must be trained in ACLS which is an advanced form of CPR. Drills must be conducted on a regular basis to test the competency of the staff / team / SOPs in place for transfer of a patient to a medical facility in the fastest way possible if required.

All of this comes at a price, and this is where the price conscious patients looking for a bargain get something they did not bargain for - a disaster. At this present time the hair transplant field is a rat race, with each one trying to beat the other either in price or number of grafts performed.

Patients considering a hair transplant procedure should use the following checklist:

1.     The doctor in question should be well trained and qualified. He should be attached to a major hospital (adds to his credibility). The patient should be examined to see whether he/she is a good candidate for surgery or medical treatment. A battery of preoperative testing and clearance from an MD Physician is required, if there are any underlying medical problems.

2.     The patient must visit the surgical facility a few times so that their queries are answered and they get to inspect the conditions under which they will be treated, and their level of preparedness for an emergency.

3.     What is also less known is that if 1000 grafts are done, then there will be 1000 points of entry into the scalp in the donor area and another 1000 where the grafts are placed. In case the instruments are unsterile or poor, the risk of infection that the patient is subjected to gets compounded.

4.    There arethree parts of a surgical procedure- pre operative evaluation, intraoperative monitoring (with the latest equipment- almost fail safe) and post-operative surveillance and discharge with instructions and an emergency number, which is of paramount importancefor a safe and successful surgical outcome.

5.     Do not take short cuts and compromise care.

Book Appointment:: Dr. Mohan Thomas, Senior Cosmetic Surgeon, Cosmetic Surgery Institute