SEATTLE — Operation Restore is a program that provides free hair transplants, including travel expenses, for patients suffering from hair loss due to disease or trauma. Organized by the International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery in 2004, the non-profit enables patients to undergo hair restoration treatment even when it may be financially out of reach. So far, Operation Restore has provided over $700,000 of services for 67 patients.
Physicians like Dr. Robert Niedbalski of Northwest Hair Restoration volunteer their services to perform the surgeries, "Most of this is done outpatient, but any transportation, food, hotels, all those incidentals add up. They cover all of that.”
He has performed 4 of procedures for Operation Restore, including one for Daniel Lyon, the lone survivor of the 2015 Twisp River Fire incident that took the lives of 3 of his fellow firefighters.
"I ended up being burned, over 70% of my body and spent about three months in the hospital. I sadly lost three of my brothers that day, but have spent the last four years recovering and focusing on really nothing but getting better. I'm finally at a point where I'm feeling really good and enjoying life again," says Daniel.
The day of the fire, he was wearing a helmet and sunglasses, which melted into the side of his head. Part of his recovery process included undergoing hair transplant surgery at Northwest Hair Restoration to cover burns on his scalp and restore his sideburns and eyebrows.
"Initially I had a lot of insecurities. I have severe facial scarring, and my hair was severely messed up, you could say. Now, having hair restoration and being able to have a nice haircut, gives me a huge boost in my confidence."
Thanks to a process called Follicular Unit Excision, or FUE, hair restoration is possible for those with injuries or scarring. Instead of removing a strip of hair, which wouldn't be a suitable option, the hair follicles are removed one by one - allowing hair to come from different places to work around the injury. Patients can see a difference in as little as 10 days.
SPECIAL OFFER
In celebration of Northwest Hair Restoration’s 10th anniversary, mention New Day Northwest when you schedule your hair restoration procedure and Dr. Niedbalski will donate $200 to the Wildland Firefighter Foundation (or the local charity of your choice). You will also receive a full-size sample of their newest product: APEX hair fibers, which makes thin hair look amazing in just seconds.
Northwest Hair Restoration has consultation offices in Seattle and Spokane, and treat hair loss in both men and women caused by a myriad of conditions.
This segment is sponsored by Northwest Hair Restoration. Watch New Day Northwest 11:00 weekdays on KING-TV Ch.5 or streaming live on KING5.com. Connect with New Day via Facebook, Twitter, Instagram.