Skin patch or hair transplant?

When you suffer from alopecia or severe hair loss, you are always looking for solutions, either for aesthetics or to feel more comfortable with yourself and be able to function more confidently in the social environment.

That is why today we are going to explain a relevant topic that can solve the problem of baldness: skin patches. In addition, we will compare this method with hair transplantation, analyzing the pros and cons of both.

What is the skin patch?

It is a modern hair prosthesis that allows to solve the problem of baldness without any surgery, quickly and painlessly. The hair is fixed to a completely impalpable base, which disappears in contact with the skin of the wearer, with a meticulous work done by hand by expert and specialized operators. The patch will be adhered to the client’s skin with special adhesives, hypoallergenic and suitable for human use.

Once attached, this patch is completely invisible to the human eye, even at a distance of a few centimeters and under any light conditions. With these modern hair prostheses you will be able to swim, play sports, sleep, in other words, lead a completely normal and satisfactory life. It will be like having the hair of yesteryear, in addition to the fact that you will not feel uncomfortable at all, since it is completely breathable and the base is impalpable.

This hair thickening system is also called a non-surgical transplant, since it faithfully reproduces the client’s hair. It is indicated for all forms of baldness, from simple and small receding hairline to the most common androgenic or total alopecia (affecting the entire scalp).

The skin patch is a modern and innovative hair prosthesis, comparable to a Ferrari of hair thickening systems. As proof of this we can see more and more skin patch users, including Hollywood stars such as Ben Affleck and Enrique Iglesias. This patch can be male or female and ensures a quick, definitive and painless solution to alopecia.

What is hair transplant?

Hair transplantation is a surgical procedure that allows the transfer of hair bulbs from thicker to thinner areas.

The transplantation, therefore, must be correctly defined as an autotransplantation, since one’s own bulbs (not from a donor) are transferred from one sector of the skin to another. It is a real surgery and therefore must be performed by a specialized surgeon, in an adequate structure and with the appropriate methods.

The hair can be taken from the donor sector with different methods and depending on these methods we have a different name for the transplant.

• Fut autotransplantation. In the FUT technique (Follicular Unit Transplant), a strip of skin (with its hair bulbs) is extracted from the donor area (nape). From this strip, individual bulbs are taken and then transplanted (inserted) into the area to be thickened. Fut autotransplantation is the first autotransplantation and is a technique rarely used today.

• It was autotransplantation. FUE (Follicular Unit Extraction) is a more recent technique. In this case the hair is extracted one by one from the donor area so as not to create strong scars and then transplanted to the hairless area. This is probably the most used and most modern method, as it involves less scarring problems in the donor area.

How long does the transplant operation last and how many sessions are needed?

The transplant must be performed by a doctor with experience in the field, in a suitable structure. This doctor will first visit the patient to see the situation and decide the most appropriate method to solve the specific problem of baldness. The operation is non-invasive and only requires local anesthesia. One 4-hour session is usually sufficient, followed by a second one, weeks or months later, for any thickening

Both methods have pros and cons and it is fair to analyze them to decide which method is better for specific needs.

Advantages of hair prosthesis

The hair prosthesis or skin patch is a hair thickening system without surgery and has several advantages.

• It is completely painless: The hair prosthesis is not an operation but an element attached to our skin, so it does not involve any pain or operation.
• It solves any type of baldness: The hair prosthesis solves any type of baldness regardless of the donor area, so it is suitable not only in cases of androgenetic alopecia, but also in cases of alopecia areata or universal alopecia.
• Immediate and fast results: Those who opt for a hair prosthesis will have immediate and fast aesthetic results. In fact, it only takes a few minutes for it to adhere to the skin and solve once and for all the aesthetic problem of baldness.
• Sustainable prices, suitable for all budgets: While other methods cost a lot, the hair system has very affordable prices, suitable for all budgets. For example, a Newlacecu frontal capillary system (made for cases of incoming hair) costs only 69 euros, a really ridiculous price compared to that of other anti-hair loss techniques.
• Invisible Impalpable: Modern hair implants are completely natural and intangible. Even at a distance of a few centimeters no one can see them, since the base literally disappears in contact with the client’s skin.
• Total perspiration, you forget to put them on: The modern skin patch with 100% perspiration, this means that once put on, you completely forget that you have it, the physical reaction is completely identical to having your own hair, because when you shower the water wets your skin and if you sweat, the sweat goes through your hair.
• You can play sports, have an active life, swim: This is the doubt that many have about hair implants, as it is believed that the wearer can not swim or play sports but it is not so. The new hair prostheses, properly attached to the scalp, allow swimming, playing sports (even at a professional level) and sleeping.
• It is a reversible option: This is the great advantage that the hair implant has over all other methods, you can always change your mind and stop using it, which is impossible with the transplant or tricopigmentation.

Despite the above, the skin patch also has some drawbacks.

Disadvantages of hair prosthesis

1. The hair does not grow: The hair always keeps the same length, this is undoubtedly the most important disadvantage of wearing a hair prosthesis. However, the problem can be solved by alternating hair prostheses of different lengths, thus avoiding always wearing the same haircut.
2. Basic maintenance and cleaning: The skin patch, despite its modernity, is still partly fake, so every 15-30 days it should be removed from the head and sanitized. This procedure takes 15-30 minutes (less than going to a hairdresser to get a haircut) but it is still an inconvenience to be taken into account, since what for many may be a small problem, for a few may become an insurmountable obstacle.
3. It must be purchased every few years, it does not last forever: Although the hair prosthesis is cheap, it does not last forever because it has to be completely replaced. In fact, with use and time, both the hair and the base tend to wear out and, therefore, it is necessary to put on a new system and discard the old one. As a general rule (much depends on the base you choose) the duration of a hair prosthesis ranges from a minimum of 3 months to a maximum of 24 months. Therefore, if you opt for the skin patch, you will have to calculate that you will have a fixed cost to incur throughout your life, similar to the cost of having to go to a hairdresser periodically to get a haircut.
4. Social taboo: although we are in the era of transformism and respect, hair prosthesis is still a social taboo for many, and wearing it causes embarrassment. This is an element that should certainly be considered before deciding on a hair prosthesis.

Hair transplantation, what are the advantages and disadvantages?

Always start with the good news, so let’s look at the advantages of this method.

Benefits of hair transplantation

1. Hair grows: Without a doubt, this is the main advantage for those who opt for a hair transplant. The hair grows, it can be cut, it is 100% alive.
2. The change is gradual: In fact, once the operation is done, you will not go home with thick and long hair, but the change will be slow and gradual. In about 4 months you will have the desired result.
3. The pain is not permanent: the operation causes a limited pain in time, the discomfort will last about 10-15 days, not for a longer period.

Disadvantages Hair transplantation

1. It is not suitable for all types of baldness: This is undoubtedly the most important drawback since those affected by high androgenetic alopecia (which has too limited donor sectors and areas to thicken too large) or other types of alopecia, such as alopecia areata or chemotherapy alopecia, cannot resort to this method.
2. It is not safe, it is not forever: Contrary to what we read in many sites that sponsor this technique we must clarify that the transplant is not safe and is not forever, ie, alopecia could worsen and in that case would increase the area to be covered, which would result in an unnatural effect of a first line with hair and behind a sector without hair. Therefore, when deciding to use the transplantation method, one must be prepared to bet that the baldness will not worsen. It is also not clear that the transplanted hair does not fall out, in fact, it often does, since some years after the transplant the hair falls out and all the hair that had been gained is lost.
3. The mistake is forever: If the chosen doctor has not been good at grafting or has exaggerated to remove bulbs from the donor areas, you will have an inadequate aesthetic result that will last forever, with many unnaturally transplanted areas and very thin donor areas.
4. There can be major complications: Transplantation is a surgical operation and therefore can have complications, some really important ones: cysts, hematomas, loss of sensibility, paresthesias. But undoubtedly the biggest problem would be the imperfections caused by a bad transplantation method that cannot be solved and become irreversible.

Is it better to choose a skin patch or a hair transplant?

It is a totally subjective choice that depends on specific needs and personal taste. However, in our expert opinion after having solved aesthetic problems of many people who had undergone transplantation and were desperate because of the damage it had caused them, we believe that the patch is the best option.

A hair prosthesis has more advantages.

There is no doubt that a hair prosthesis brings more benefits to those who use it, and although we have talked about some of them, here we emphasize the main reasons to choose a skin patch:

• The prosthesis is a reversible option, it does not change your appearance forever, if you do not like it, you throw it away and you have already solved the problem. On the other hand, if the transplant was not successful, the aesthetic damage is irreversible and there is no way out.
• The prosthesis is suitable for all types of alopecia, including alopecia areata or chemotherapy. In the meantime, a series of requirements must be met in order to be a candidate for transplantation.
• The hair prosthesis does not require surgery, it is fast, safe and immediate.

If you are new to the world of hair prostheses, take a look at our forum where you can interact with thousands of skin patch users, who can explain why they have chosen a hair prosthesis instead of a transplant. This way you will be better informed to make the best decision to solve your baldness problem once and for all.