Dubai : Mourad Lauritsan, a 42-year-old Danish businessman, was completely bald on top when he came to Dubai in early 2008.
In October that year, he underwent his first direct hair implantation (DHI) procedure at the hands of Dr Ziakas Dimitrios who used to visit Dubai on demand to perform such treatments.
In March this year, Lauritsan completed his second implant session for the 6,000th hair follicle.
Today, the electronics businessman is a happy man.
"I used to feel embarrassed when the wind or rain would blow my long side hair off my bald top part," Lauritsan told XPRESS. "I'm happy to have had this implant. Now, I can go into the pool, in the rain with no problems. It has given me more confidence … I feel 10 years younger," he added.
The DHI technique, at the Direct Hair Implantation (DHI) clinic, which requires local anaesthesia, involves harvesting hair from the "donor" side of the scalp using a 0.5mm-1mm DHI-patented "extractor" after which this hair is transplanted to areas of the scalp with less or no hair.
Before the procedure, the ‘patient' undergoes a hair density test using a Proscope camera.
Dr Dimitrios explained that hair-loss treatment is a very mathematical procedure. "Normal hair density is about 110 follicles per square centimetre. Even at 80 follicles per sq cm, it won't look like you're losing it [hair]. When hair loss is more than 40 per cent, you start to look bald," said Dr Dimitrios, while explaining that hair loss is a genetic issue, with stress, however, being an aggravating factor. According to Dr Dimitrios, they give a 100 per cent guarantee that after 10-12 months, all hair implanted will grow.
Emiratis account for about 70 per cent of the 200 patients treated in Dubai so far. Of those, four are women who had hormonal problems that led to hair loss. The DHI clinic, under Al Borj Medical Centre at Mazaya Centre, has 29 other branches internationally and boasts a 40-year track record in successful hair restoration. Dr Dimitrios moved to Dubai from Athens in June.
Depending on the case, the hair transplant procedure typically costs about Dh15,000. "When you think about the confidence and feel-good factor, money becomes less of an issue," said Lauritsan.
Dr Dimitrios explained that compared to a scalp transplant, their technique leaves no scarring and requires a much shorter downtime - three days to heal, (no swimming or lifting heavy weights for two weeks).
The direct hair implantation technique was developed by Dr Giotis Konstaine, founder of DHI, and more than 100,000 patients worldwide have been treated by this procedure.