HAIR TRANSPLANTATION - SURGICAL

TRANSPLANT TYPES:
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Follicular Unit Extraction
Seems to be the best option for transplant surgery. It involves grafts of 1-4 hairs that are placed into receptor sites. It has fairly equal distribution of hairs, which looks more natural and no scarring on your scalp. It is usually performed with just a local anesthetic.

Mini & Micrografting
This hair transplant technique is more inexpensive option to follicular unit extraction and can be completed in fewer sessions than many other procedures. The cost is reduced because it uses larger grafts of up to 8 hairs, but it can leave a wound that takes longer to heal.
Micrograft: 1 to 2 hair grafts into needle holes.
Small slit grafts: 3 to 4 hairs into a slit recipient site.
Large slit grafts: S to7 hairs into a slit recipient site.
Small minigraft: 3 to 4 hairs into a small recipient site.
Large minigraft: 5 to 8 hairs into a small round recipient site.
Standard round or square grafting: Approximately 9 to 18 hairs in a 3-45 mm size graft placed into a slightly smaller round recipient site.

Strip Incison
Is an old hair transplant technique where small strips of hair are transplanted from one area to another. It has mostly been replaced with mini & micrografting, because it does not involve making an incison.

Laser Grafting
means that the graft receptor sites are made with a laser. This method scars the scalp and most hair specialist do not find any advantages to this method.

Punch Grafts
Is a technique where grafts contain up to 20 hairs. This does not give a natural appearance to the hair and besides cost there are no real advantages to this hair transplant method.


Marketing terms used by different physicians and businesses may be confusing. In hair transplants all grafting procedures will be one of the above or a combination.

HOW MANY GRAFTS DOES IT TAKE TO GET ADEQUATE COVERAGE?
A square of paper 3.3 inches long will give you a realistic idea of the area that would require approximately 500-600 standard grafts. This will indicate the importance of strategic planning and precise placement of grafts to give the illusion of more hair.

THE FUTURE
Instead of basing your decision on the immediate results, keep in mind androgenetic alopecia (male or female pattern hair loss) is progressive. Outstanding results may be obtained today that may not be there in the future. Plan your hairline and density conservatively as though you were already in the future.

FLAPS
Although flaps transfer the greatest amount of hair in the shortest amount of time, the surgery is more extensive and specific skill and experience is required by the doctor.
A much larger portion of hair bearing skin (a flap) is transferred from sides and back to the balding area. The flap remains attached at one end through which it maintains nourishment. Therefore the hair in the flap can grow continuously unlike grafted hair which falls out before regrowing.

SCALP REDUCTION
The surgical removal of bald areas of the top of the scalp. Usually multiple scalp reductions are done, with success dependent on the laxity of the scalp and the limited degree of hair loss as well as the age of the patient. Almost all scalp reductions are done with a combination of either flaps or grafts.

SCALP EXPANSION & SCALP EXTENSION
These are done to accommodate scalp reductions when the laxity of the scalp is too tight. Expansion is also used to prepare individuals for flap surgeries.