Hair Transplants in India


Background

India’s cuisine is so well-renowned in the UK that it is a regular part of many British people’s diets now. However, Indian culture is shaped by its religions, social hierarchy and traditional family values. The diversity of religious culture is reflected in the architectural, cinematic and musical diversity. Due in large part to the Bollywood industry, India boasts the largest and most prolific film industry world-wide.

How to get to India

Flying is obviously the best way to travel from the UK to India. You can expect a flight to India to last between 8 to 9 hours when departing from London. Shop around when looking at flights – it may be cheaper to fly into or from a different city than the closest airport.


Accommodation in India

There are a range of different types of hotels available, from budget to more expensive and luxurious accommodation. It is best to book ahead to ensure that you have somewhere to stay when you arrive as places can get booked up. It is usually a little more expensive when staying in the city than in a resort or beach area. It is a good idea to check whether an airport pick-up is included in the price of the room as many hotels do offer this service.

There are also hostels widely available for booking. In India the term ‘hostel’ tends to cover a range of accommodations including guest houses, budget hotels and resorts, bed and breakfast accommodation and actual hostels. Read the description of your chosen accommodation carefully along with reliable reviews to get an idea of the place and what you can expect before you book. Airport pick-up may well be included in the price of your room too.

Travelling around India

India is renowned for its abysmal, and often dangerous, traffic and congestion. Many people therefore do not rent a car and try and drive around themselves. Instead a popular option is to hire a car with a driver. This is a lot cheaper than you might expect and you may be able to benefit from some local tips from the driver.

Travelling by bus is a good option in India – it is cheap and quick with frequent service. If you are travelling through the mountains, buses are often the only mode of transport. Be careful though – accidents are not uncommon given the condition of the roads and the fact that the drivers are not overcautious. For longer distances the train is perhaps a better idea, particularly if you are facing an overnight bus journey. Private buses tend to be crowded and, although cheaper than the state government buses, the drivers will usually speed shockingly. If you do choose to take the bus over a long distance, make sure you have ear plugs with you!

Train travel is a great way to see India and is affordable and quite convenient. Travelling by train is advisable, especially if you are facing a long journey. You can buy Trains at a Glance from train stations to help you plan your trips. At peak times and seasons it can get exceptionally crowded and there have been deaths during festival periods due to pushing on train platforms.

Other considerations

It can be more inconvenient travelling to India due to the cost and extra time involved in comparison to travelling to another Western European country.

As mentioned above, doctors qualifying in India do not have to undergo the same amount of training or scrupulous testing that is standard in Britain and other countries. You may therefore want to check that your surgeon has adequate hair transplant surgery experience so that you are comfortable going on with the procedure with them.

Hair Transplant Techniques used in India

Strip Treatment

The most frequently used and most long-standing treatment is FUT (Follicular Unit Transplant). Also known as strip treatment, because the procedure is comparatively convenient and allows maximum hair coverage it is particularly helpful for patients whose hair loss is characterised by advanced thinning. The procedure involves thin strips of hair, hence the name, being removed from the back and sides of your head and transplanted into the desired areas on your head to reduce the thinning. This will leave some scarring at the site of removal, however this should not be visible generally as the rest of your hair should cover it, unless of course you wear your hair extremely short.

FUE

For those with only less severe thinning FUE, or Follicular Unit Extraction, may well be a good option. Similarly, you may have previously undergone FUT and over-used your donor. If this is the case, then you can still undergo FUE treatment as this method can access areas of hairs and follicles that FUT cannot. The procedure takes very small clusters of hair, of approximately 1 to 4 hairs. These little groups are extracted exceedingly slowly and carefully and then transplanted onto the areas of your head which suffer from thinning, or other hair loss. Because of the precision required, it is likely that your procedure will not culminate in any scarring, unlike FUT. However, you will probably have to have your head shaved so that the surgeon is able to achieve this precision.

Combination Treatments

Other treatments and surgical procedures can be more complex. If you want either a repair procedure or Body Hair Follicular Unit Extraction (BHFUE) then it may be necessary to have combination of these treatments. In this case, the time taken and potential scarring caused will obviously vary in the case of each individual and their needs.

Hair Transplant Surgeons in India

Qualifying as a doctor in India takes less time than in other countries, although it can be quite competitive in order to get into medical school there. Here students must complete four and a half years of undergraduate study followed by an internship year to gain an MBBS medical degree which entitles them to be a basic doctor.

Specialisation in hair transplant surgery takes another two or three years’ of post-graduate study. It is then possible to specialise even further in the student’s chosen field and they can opt for further study programs. It is best to look at your particular surgeon’s qualifications to ensure that you are happy with their qualifications and experience. 

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