Q: I am 42 years old and bald. I would like to get my bald area filled with silicone hairs, which I have seen in magazines. Is it advisable to plant silicone hairs? Will there be any side effects? How much will it cost to transplant my own hair?

A:Artificial hairs like silicone are not good options for treating baldness, although they are marketed very aggressively on the net. Artificial hairs are like foreign bodies when implanted on to the scalp, and have a high infection rate. They usually fall off in 3-5 years, but once infection sets in, which is common, it becomes a disaster for the patient. It is for these reasons that they are not recommended, and should be avoided. The only option to treat baldness permanently is by hair transplantation, and it is done at our clinic by the Follicular Unit Technique. The hair which are transplanted in the bald area are permanent, do not fall, grow like normal hair and subsequently need haircuts. You can apply oil or shampoo to them and comb them to your desired style. The operation is done on an out patient basis and the patient goes home immediately after the operation. It takes 4 hours for one session where approximately 500 grafts (i.e.2000 hairs) are transplanted. The charges for transplanting 500 grafts is Rs. 25,000/-(@ Rs.50/- per graft). The Nursing Home charges are an extra Rs.10/- per graft, for using the O.T., instruments and medicines. Thus, the total charges are Rs.60/- per graft. We have transplanted more than 950 cases till now. For large areas of baldness, we have transplanted up to 2500 grafts (i.e. 5000 to 6500 hairs) in a sitting of 6-7 hours. In case of very large areas of baldness, you can get a second sitting done in the remaining areas 6 months after the first operation. There are no side effects of hair transplantation.