• Life Style

First hair transplant a success

• 2 Months Ago - 2024-10-08 11:33:00

Local healthcare recently achieved a major milestone by performing the country's first hair transplant operation.
A skilled team of Namibian doctors received extensive training from the world-renowned hair transplant surgeon, Dr Pradip Atodaria from Surat, India. Dr Natasha Slabbert, Dr La-Toya Mwoombola-Hamutenya, and aesthetician Esmarie Smit were part of the operation late in September at the Aesthetics Centre Olympia.
"Our goal is to ensure that Namibians have access to world-class medical procedures in their own country," said Dr Jonathan Joffe, ophthalmologist and owner of the medical facilities at Olympia Eye Laser Centre where the procedures took place.
"By training local professionals, we are also building long-term capacity for high-quality care and paving the way for Namibia to become a hub for medical tourism."
The operation, and also similar operations, promotes the local provision of medical treatment. Patients will therefore not have to seek expensive and time-consuming treatment abroad.
According to a statement from the Emoneko group, under which the Aesthetics Centre Olympia operates, the availability of these services in Namibia also offers the potential to attract patients from neighbouring countries. This is expected to position Namibia as a destination for high-quality, affordable medical care.
Procedure
The team underwent specialised training in the advanced technique known as Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE). This method is minimally invasive in restoring one's hair and involves the extraction and implantation of individual hair follicles, producing natural results with minimal scarring.
During hair transplantation, small units of tissue are transplanted from an area on the head that is naturally less likely to go bald (usually from the back of the head), to the balding area.
During Namibia's first operation, around 1 200 hair tissue segments (hair grafts) - which usually contain one to four hair follicles - were transplanted. Further transplants were performed in subsequent days. This includes transplanting up to 3 000 tissue segments over three days.
"The success of the procedure was made possible by the collective expertise of the local team with the assistance of registered nurses, Jacobina Nampala and Armas Shifotoka," the statement said.
Boost
This operation is also considered a remarkable boost for local expertise and patient empowerment.
“The introduction of hair transplant services in Namibia not only empowers local professionals but also offers new hope to Namibians suffering from hair loss. Hair loss can have a huge impact on someone's self-esteem and emotional well-being. This service provides a much-needed solution for patients seeking effective treatments without travelling abroad.” – [email protected]