Latest hair restoration techniques give more natural look

Getting a little thin on top? If you have avoided having anything done about it out of fear you'll end up with a "transplanted" appearance, it's time to give hair restoration surgery another look.

Today, hair restoration surgery is done using mini - and micrografts - tiny segments of hair-bearing skin - rather than the older punch grafts. The result is increased hair growth that appears totally natural. In fact, less-than-perfect results from a hair transplant done years ago can be refined with micrografts to soften the hairline and create a more natural appearance.

Mini - and micrografts:

Older hair transplant techniques relied solely on transplanting little circles of hair-bearing skin about 3 to 4 millimeters in diameter. The spacing of these "plugs" meant that hair would grow in little tufts, rather like doll's hair, necessitating careful styling to camouflage the effect.

Punch grafts may still be used in some cases, but today it is possible to space restored hair much more precisely using minigrafts of only 1.5 to 2.5 millimeters. Micro-grafts of a single hair follicle are then used to fill in remaining spaces and refine the effect.

How the procedure is done:

Hair restoration procedures are typically done in an office surgical suite under local anesthesia. There are two phases to the surgery: harvesting hair-bearing tissue from the donor site and transplanting it into the area needing treatment.

The surgeon uses a fine, multibladed knife to cut several tiny strips of skin from a hair-bearing area. These strips are cut into individual grafts of the needed size and transplanted.

To transplant the graft, the surgeon makes either a tiny incision or a small circular opening, just into the subcutaneous tissue of the scalp (the depth of a normal hair follicle) and slips the graft into place. Grafts are spaced evenly throughout the bald area, in a precise pattern that mimics natural hair growth.

Most patients require up to six procedures, depending on the individual's hair texture and color and the desired density. Treatments usually are spaced one to four months apart.

What comes next:

Little or no discomfort follows a hair transplant. Most patients put on a hat and head for home with plans to be back at work the next day. A small scab may form at the site of each graft; these sites heal within seven to fourteen days.

After the procedure, the transplanted hair follicle goes into a temporary resting phase for two to three months. Some of the transplanted hairs may fall out, but this is normal and not a cause for concern. Hair growth resumes after three months and continues indefinitely. Final results become apparent about a year after the therapy is completed.

For some men, natural-looking hair restoration may require a combination of treatments, including flap surgery, scalp reduction, and grafts. A facial plastic surgeon who specializes in hair restoration surgery can help you determine what treatment is best for you.

What about lasers?

The use of lasers in hair restoration surgery is getting a lot of media attention today, and some surgeons have begun using lasers to prepare the transplant site. Instead of making a slit with a scalpel to receive the transplant, the surgeon uses a laser device to vaporize the skin and create an opening slightly wider than a typical incision.

The wider slit allows easier insertion of the graft, some doctors say, and the incision is completely bloodless. On the other hand, there is almost no bleeding during traditional hair transplant surgery, and the little bit of blood at each graft site acts like glue to secure the graft in place.

What about the results? Some studies have shown that grafts placed with lasers grow faster and thicker than those placed in the conventional way. Other studies have shown little or no difference. This technology is still in its infancy and few surgeons use it routinely. It does, however, offer exciting possibilities for the future.

John D. Seifert, M.D., F.A.C.S., F.I.C.S.
12959 Jupiter Road, Suite 260
Dallas, Texas  75238

E-Mail: cosmetic@airmail.net

214-221-7117

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