After anesthetizing the hair donation scalp area, a strip of scalp about ½" to 1" wide and 4-5" long removed. Since the scalp is very elastic, so the resultant gap is easily pulled together and sutured shut. The hair on the back of the head conceals the small thin suture line. Photos of the placement of hair transplants on a person's head are at www.cybersim.com/cotlar/default.htm.
The surgery team then divides the donor hair strip, which contains thousands of hairs, into individual "grafts”. Micro-grafts contain one or two shafts of hair. Mini-grafts contain three to eight shafts of hair per graft. With these techniques the surgeon transplant as few as one or two hairs at a time, which creates a more natural look rather than the "toothbrush" or "plug" effect. Photos of micro-grafts and mini-grafts are at www.cybersim.com/cotlar/proced.htm.
These hair grafts are then implanted into recipient sites in the balding area. Micro-grafts are inserted into tiny punctures in the skin and mini-grafts into extremely small (0.5 mm to 2 mm) openings. This achieves a more natural appearance. The improves over previous techniques where transplants were inserted into slits in the scalp. This often resulted in an abnormal, compressed hair.
Recipient sites are made in several ways. Some physicians use punch holes, some linear slits, and others use a "slot" method that creates a narrow elongated oval incision. As techniques develop, we may expect that in time a standardized method will emerge. The goal of all the various procedures is to obtain a more dense, natural appearance for the patient which allows the hair to grow in its natural manner.
The cosmetic effect of the placement of the grafts, the insertion angles, and the combinations of grafts are dependent of the skill and the “artistry” of the transplant surgeon. The shape of the patients face and predictions of areas of future hair loss must be planned carefully for optimal cosmetic results. |
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