Surgical Hair Transplant - Hair Transplantation Surgery

The pioneer of hair transplantation surgery in the United States was Dr. Norman Orentreich, who introduced the procedure in 1959. His method involved taking hair from the back and sides of the scalp, and transplanting it to the area of hair loss (usually the top of the head) where it would take root and continue to grow. Since then, all subsequent surgical hair transplant methods have used this characteristic of hair, which he called "donor dominance".

Early hair transplantation surgeries did not produce very aesthetic results, and the large plugs of hair that were used gave a likeness to 'dolls hair'. While the technique was refined over time, many surgeries through the early 1990s looked unnatural, and hair appeared to be in tufts or bunches. However, by the mid 1990s, an improved method called follicular transplantation was implemented with remarkable results. The author of this method was Dr. Robert Bernstein, and he found that for the most natural results, hair should be transplanted exclusively in its naturally occurring groups called follicular units. This idea, coupled with the extensive micro-grafting methods of Dr. William Rassman and the stereo-microscopic techniques of Dr. Bobby Limmer, is the hair transplantation surgery technique that has received worldwide acclaim and is widely used today.

Surgical Hair Transplant Procedure

The first stage of surgery is the removal of the hair follicles from the area that is genetically resistant to going bald (usually the back of the head). This is done by first trimming the hair in the donor area. The area is then given local anesthesia, following which the donor tissue containing the bald resistant hair follicles is surgically removed and the area is sutured. These sutures are not visible when partially covered with hair and are usually taken out about ten days after the hair transplant surgery. From this tissue, using a sharp blade, individual strands of hair, or small bunches of hair are separated to prepare follicular units hair grafts. The recipient area is then anesthetized and tiny incisions in natural (irregular) patterns are made, into which the follicular unit grafts are placed. The procedure is usually completed over a few sessions. The tiny incisions close up on their own and heal quickly. A person will usually have some redness and scabs in the recipient area, which disappear within about one week.

The risks associated with the procedure are minimal. While infection and bleeding are the dangers one is exposed to during any surgery, one may be at the additional risk only of some scarring as the outcome of hair transplantation surgery. Most people have extreme tenderness of the scalp post surgery, and may need oral medication to cope with the pain. Along with pain medication, your surgeon may also suggest some antibiotics or anti-inflammatory drugs for a few days. Patients also wear a protective surgical dressing for a day or two after hair transplantation surgery.

The best results of hair transplantation surgery are achieved with people who have well-defined areas or patterns of baldness, along with areas of healthy dense hair. While hair can be transplanted to any region of a person's head, it is transplanted most often to the frontal region of the skull.

A hair transplantation surgery performed by a good surgeon using modern techniques will yield excellent hair growth within several months after the procedure. While no new strands of hair will grow, the transplanted ones will. The best part is that the surgery offers a permanent solution to baldness, needing no long-term care.