<< Back to FAQs
What is Hair Replacement?
Hair replacement therapy/surgery has constantly been a source of comedy for many
people. Many don’t realize that it is a condition that affects two out of every
three men, as well as one in five females. There are many reasons for the condition
including frequent shampooing, hat wearing, hormonal changes, and other personal
habits. There are at times external factors such as burns and accidents. The process
of hair replacement requires that hair be harvested from the back of the head, and
used for the areas of hair loss, which means total baldness does not make for an
appropriate candidate. Hair texture and quality are indicating factors of how well
the treatment will take.
In achieving your goals, it is important to understand what the limitations of the situation
are. There is no perfect candidate, as there is no perfect surgery. The final result should be
improved appearance and increased self confidence. Depending upon your type of hair loss and
reasons for it, there may be some procedures that are better than others.
Pattern baldness in males and females tend to occur at the crown. Usually it happens over a period
of time, and is easily remedied, with multiple grafts from the back of the head, to the front. In
many cases surgeons will wait a specified length of time to allow for healing and other unforeseen
factors to ensure that the desired look is achieved.
Age and degree of baldness are not deciding factors in surgery. The main factor is that there is
sufficient hair and established donor sites to graft from. This procedure can be done with local
or general anesthesia, depending upon your surgeon, their experience and your health. Discussions
with your surgeon will include how the look will be achieved, texture of hair, and quality of
hair, and finally the contrast between skin and hair color- this helps in determining the outcome.
Surgery options vary, but there are several standard types of surgery. The most common hair replacement
surgery takes lengthy strips of hair with the scalp from the back of the head. That strip is divided
into smaller grafts, usually 200-300 smaller grafts. These are then inserted into small incisions in
the scalp; ensuring placement will allow the hair to grow naturally in the same direction. Each graft
can contain several hairs, but the goal is to maintain a natural look, so 1-2 hairs per graft may be
normal. This is known as mini- or micro-grafting.
Another option is skin flap surgery to cover balding areas. With a piece of bald scalp removed,
an appropriate section of scalp with hair naturally attached is relocated. In this procedure,
scars are covered by new hair growth. Any balding areas on the top of the head can be fixed by
stretching parts of the scalp with hair over the hairless areas.
Newer techniques involve tissue expanders. This technique allows for stretching of the skin with
hair attached, reducing the size of the bald scalp.
Once surgery is done, there are stitches that may be removed after a week, and you can get back to
a normal sort of routine within several days after the removal of your stitches. Your doctor will
prescribe appropriate medication for you to control the pain.
Newly transplanted hair will fall out for a month after the procedure. This is natural and will help
in the regrowth of the new hair. This type of surgery will need adjustments to remove excess tissue,
adjust the hairline and fill in areas that may have not been natural looking. This is to be expected
and will help in achieving the final outcome of the procedure.
Discuss with your surgeon what your options are and what the best option for you is. They will be
the best source of information and will be bale to tell you what expectations you should have. As
with any procedure there are risks, but your surgeon will be able to walk you through the procedure
giving you the confidence needed to attain the look you seek.
Back To Top
