Type of Surgery
Hair Restoration Techniques
Last updated: 08/19/2009
There are numerous plastic surgery techniques available for both male and female hair restoration however the most popular choice however is still hair transplantation. By transplanting healthy hair into the thinning or balding areas of the scalp, full and healthy hair growth can often be re-established.
Currently, the most common type of hair restoration technique is micrografting transplantation, mainly because of the aesthetically pleasing result.
Micrografting Transplantation
In simple terms the technique of micrografting follows the procedure outlined below:
1. Healthy hair follicles are harvested from a donor area of the body. This is often the back or sides of the scalp where hair growth is naturally thick and plentiful. Hairs can be taken from the back and even the chest areas if the hair of the scalp is unsuitable. Under local anesthetic, a very thin strip of scalp tissue is dissected along with the hair and follicles. This procedure rarely leaves scars because the micro patch is so small.
2. Acceptance sites are made in the area of the scalp that is undergoing the procedure. Male hair restoration sites are often on the crown and around the temples whereas female hair restoration often concentrates on the hairline or are placed diffusely. The acceptance sites can be made in two ways:
· Small needles made of titanium can be used to punch holes into the scalp. The holes are microscopic and are just big enough to take between 1 and 3 hairs. There is a very small amount of blood loss with this approach, if any.
· A laser can be used to make small acceptance sites although there is no blood loss in this case since the laser does not actually break the skin.
3. A single hair is then transplanted into each of the acceptance sites in such a way that the hair will grow in a similar fashion to the natural hair i.e. in the same direction. The number of grafts varies depending on the degree of transplantation needed and can range from 300-500 for a receding hairline, around 1000 for frontal thinning/baldness and over 1500 for advanced hair loss such as male pattern baldness. It is rare to receive more than 2500 grafts during a single procedure though.
4. Once the hair restoration procedure is complete the patient can go home—no hospital stay is required. Depending on the degree of hair loss a second transplant may be required around 6 months after the first, however the grafted hair is virtually guaranteed to be accepted and to grow as normal since it is from the person’s own head.
The hair restoration cost varies considerably from patient to patient because there are so many factors involved. It is advisable to get a number of quotes from leading plastic surgeons before making a decision and to ask for their patient portfolio i.e. pictures of people they have successfully restored hair growth to in the past. You might also want to try non-invasive laser hair restoration before hair transplantation surgery as this has recently been reported to have positive results with regards to stopping hair loss and promoting the re-growth of thick, natural hair.
Last Updated: 08/19/2009
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