After a long time the hair transplant clinics which were closed due to the COVID-19 crisis since March 20, 2020, have
opened up.
During the lockdown period, many clinics had stopped their hair transplant procedures. It was because elective surgeries all over the world had seized in this period.
Now since the government has allowed elective surgical procedures, clinics have also started hair transplant procedures again.
Many clinics have performed their first hair transplant procedure after the lockdown. Hair transplant is a very time-consuming procedure and requires patience of the surgical team as well as patients too. And the process has to be done with extreme care and caution. A hair transplant requires performing every step, whether it is slit making, graft extraction, graft preservation, or even implantation with expertise. Now, due to COVID-19, these things have to be done along with extra care.
The safety of the patient and staff is of paramount importance to any clinic. So they have decided on some precautions for performing hair transplant surgery. These precautions will ensure everyone’s safety.
They will also help avoid any transmission of COVID -19 from each other.
Let’s see the precautions which clinics are following during hair transplant surgery:
- There is hygiene and aseptic precautions in OT setup. Operation theatre and lobby are also thoroughly fumigated.
- There are HEPA filters in the operation theatre to filter out the air in the operation theatre. It keeps the air clean throughout the procedure.
- Your doctor will examine you before selecting you for the hair transplant procedure. They may enquire about any COVID-19 symptoms, history of any foreign travel and travel to containment zones in the last 1-month period. Also, whether there is an account of any contact with the COVID positive patient.
- All the investigations required are done, and then your fitness certificate is obtained.
- Once you reach the OT with a full stomach, your screening is done by taking your body temperature.
- Your hair transplant doctor will also check your oxygen saturation because the saturation drops in the positive corona cases. They may also opt to check your blood pressure.
- You have to fill an undertaking that you do not have any COVID – 19 symptoms and have no travel or contact history.
- You will then change into a sterile OT dress. You have to wear a surgical mask throughout the procedure.
- Your doctor also records your temperature, oxygen saturation, and blood pressure during the procedure.
- Your hair transplant surgeon will ask you to do betadine gargle after every 2 hours to keep your mouth and throat clean.
Staff protocols most clinics follow for hair transplant surgery during Covid-19:
- Your hair transplant surgeon and whole surgical OT staff are screened for COVID – 19 symptoms, only then they are allowed to work in hair transplant operation theatre.
- Surgeons and surgical OT staff screening are also done by taking their body temperature.
- The whole surgical team is in full PPE gear throughout the procedure. It includes surgical gown, N 95 mask with a triple-layer mask, surgical masks with face shield & double gloves.
With all these precautions, hair transplant clinics are making sure that you get the best possible care.
Along with precautions, clinics are performing all the steps of the surgery with safety and giving the best results to their patients.
Some clinics are even offering online screenings to their patients who need post-surgery advice.
If all the guidelines for doing any surgery are followed, then performing surgeries is not impossible during this time. So a hair transplant surgery can also be done with all required safety.
Make sure the clinic you are planning on visiting is taking all measures for your safety as well as the staff’s safety.
