What Is Hair Transplant Trypophobia?

Many people have different types of phobias. Some have a phobia of heights (acrophobia), or water (aquaphobia) while others of enclosed or small spaces (claustrophobia). Many types affect different individuals and for different reasons, and the fear of tiny holes on the head, when getting a hair transplant, is also a phobia that many patients have. Trypophobia, is the name given to this particular type of fear.

During the procedure of getting a hair transplant done, many patients, in the first stages, notice a honeycomb effect on their heads. This is normally a result of procedures such as FUE or Follicular Unit Extraction Transplant surgery.

To give you a brief idea of how it is done, the treatment which is performed by a surgeon takes individual hair follicles from specific areas on your scalp and places them into other parts where the hair is either thinner or absent. In comparison to its counterpart FUT or Follicular Unit Transplantation, this has become a more popular choice for many. 

With FUE, the specialist uses micro-punches to extract individual follicles and moves them, however no signs of extraction are noticeable. When this method first came out, the result was not as natural looking as one would have wanted, in other words, people would notice what looked like ‘hair plugs’ in a patient’s head. However, that has all changed now. As one of the less invasive, quick, and neater options, there is no evidence of holes once the scalp heals.

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, almost 12% of people in the United States alone, have some kind of phobia, and these include those who suffer from the fear of holes left on the scalp during a hair restoration. So, if you are one of them, you are not alone.

Studies have shown that the actual reasoning behind this is not entirely clear, however it may be linked to the fact that an individual’s survival instinct kicks in when averting the result of the procedure. It is linked to an autonomous nervous system response, which is in-built in all of us. This may also be the reason why many have other types of phobias.  

Typically, one would not want to look at themselves in front of the mirror, as it would trigger negative feelings. The good news is when you get the procedure done at a professional clinic, as well as through the right method, there are barely any holes or scarring on your scalp, both during and after surgery. 

Any professional and experienced hair transplant surgeon can tell you that normally, you would not find any large holes left behind, and when done correctly, there shouldn’t be in any case. None of the minimally invasive techniques specialists who know what they are doing will use the one that is quick, painless, and clean. 

The worse you will have when the surgeon uses the microneedles for the extraction or the micro-punch tool, is the tiniest holes, and nothing more. This will also only be around the donor sites and implant sites.  The diameter of these holes is merely 1 millimeter, which is hardly noticeable, and will only be visible to you when you look in the mirror. 

These will disappear when the hair starts to grow. Your scalp should start healing and these tiny holes closing, in as little as a few days. However, it is imperative to know that with the right treatment method and the right professional specialist, recovery is typically very fast.

A few criteria which fall under this result include:

• The minutest diameter micro-needle is used
• The patient properly follows all instructions and guidelines during the recovery period
• The right technique for the hair transplant is used
• The donor or stable site is not over-harvested, which could lead to damage, scars, and inflammation.
• Existing follicles are not damaged which could cause rejection when placed in the new regions or death of existing follicles.
• You take all prescribed medication such as anti-inflammatories given by the clinic

How to Manage Trypophobia

The majority of the medical professionals will recommend you to seek help and advice from a specialized doctor or a psychiatrist, to help you out in some way, shape, or form, as well as to determine where the phobia stems from. They will help you to discover what triggers it and there are ways you can get specialized treatment for it to cure or lessen your phobia.

For your peace of mind, it is a good idea to gather all the information you need on a transplant, the procedure itself, and things such as how it is done, what it is used, how much time does it take, and look at a few images of before and after hair transplants, to help you to understand things better and hopefully accept it for it is, and relieve your fear. 

A hair transplant or restoration procedure, no doubt, helps many people to reinstall their confidence levels and self-esteem, and the more you know about the topic, the better you may feel, and the less anxious you will get when it’s time to consider one for yourself. In many cases, surgeons also give their patients relaxants to calm them down during the treatment, as well as a local anesthetic is used in all cases to num the areas so you would not feel any sensations whatsoever. 

Doctors’ surgeries never have mirrors, so at no point will you be able to see what is going on, and neither will you see the clusters of tiny holes. Once it is completed they will use gauze or bandages to cover it up till it heals. The only thing that usually triggers a feeling of fear in patients is the thought of the procedure, so knowing more will help you feel more confident in it.

A Few Suggestions on Managing Your Fear and Anxiety Levels

Sedatives and Meditation

It is not only the patients that have this phobia that get anxious but also other people would usually get it, and your surgeon can prescribe the right sedative to help. You can also do various breathing exercises that will help calm both your mind and body down. When it is done and you are back home in your private space you can try a few meditation exercises too. 

Meditation is a well-known suggestion for many people who are stressed or irritated and can work wonders for your psyche. It can help you with different situations, for instance, if you need to focus on work more, you can do specific meditation techniques, if you need to get your mind off things, it can help with this too, and many people use it to relax and help them sleep better too. It improves your self-awareness and lowers many unfavorable and negative feelings within the mind and body.

Having A Friend Nearby

Sometimes also having company with you in the waiting room helps many people feel comfortable. Ask a trusted friend or relative to accompany you to the procedure and if possible wait for you till it’s done, or come back and pick you up. It will help lower your anxiety and help you not to feel alone afterward.

Immersion Therapy

Sometimes psychiatrists suggest immersion therapy. This is a technique that helps patients overcome phobias, by putting them in front of them. The object of the fear is placed in a manner where they are most comfortable, as opposed to merely having a conversation about it. It revolves around the idea of facing your fears as opposed to hiding from them.

In this case, you can speak to a surgeon and ask them if you can watch them perform the procedure however this will be largely dependent on the clinic and the patient they will be operating on. This is a touch-and-go method, as it may be either very helpful or it may work at all and have a reverse effect on you.

The majority of clinics, and their staff, who are professional and qualified to be aware of this instance of people having phobias, know what you are going through. As such, they will always work out a plan of action that will suit you and make you the most comfortable with the transplant. They will ensure that things will go smoothly and you just need to have a little trust in the right doctors.

Having said that, it is fundamental that the research you do when finding the right practitioners, or the recommendations you may be given by others, fits the bill. Always be open and honest with them and let them know exactly how you feel about it, and about your phobia, so they know what to expect and make any necessary arrangements or adjustments. This will be for both your, and the doctor’s benefit. 

When you are ready to get your done, book an initial consultation with the surgery, as the first and foremost step in the process and have a one-to-one open discussion with the person who will be handling your request.