There are several different procedures that may be used to replace hair. From non-surgical hair restoration to full in-patient hair replacement surgeries. A qualified, experienced surgeon is the best judge of what procedure or procedures will be best for suit your needs. He or she will assess the amount and pattern of your baldness and make a decision as to what procedure will best benefit you. Hair replacement surgery can involve one or more of the following processes: Hair transplantation, flaps, scalp reduction, and tissue expansion.
Hair transplantation ranks as the number one cosmetic procedure performed on men. Technology has advanced significantly in the last six or seven years and the results have a much more natural look than they did in the past. The major difference in hair transplantation today is related to graft, or plug size. Hair transplantation involves removing small pieces of hair-bearing scalp from a donor site and relocating them to holes or slits in a bald or thinning area. No new hair is added in this procedure, hair and skin are simply relocated. Several surgical sessions may be needed to achieve the desired fullness and several months of healing between sessions is required; therefore it could take up to two years to achieve desired results.
The procedure known as flap surgery involves transferring a much larger portion of hair-bearing skin (basically a flap of skin) from the sides or back of the head to the balding area. The size and placement of the flap depend on the needs of the patient. The hair-bearing flap is brought to its new position and sewn in place, still attached on one end to its original blood supply. As healing occurs the scar is hidden by relocated hair. Although his surgery transfers the greatest amount of hair in the shortest amount of time, it is more extensive and requires very specific training and experience. It also requires the patient to be put under general anesthesia, and leaves scars both above and below the flap.
Scalp reduction surgery is sometimes referred to as “advancement flap surgery” because sections of hair-bearing scalp are pulled forward and advanced to fill a bald crown. After the scalp is injected with a local anesthetic, a segment of bald scalp is removed. The section surrounding the cut-out area is loosened and pulled, so that the sections of hair-bearing scalp can be brought together and closed with stitches. Usually, multiple scalp reductions are done; their success depends on laxity of the scalp and the degree of hair loss as well as the patient’s age. Scalp reductions are almost always done in combination with either flaps or grafts.
Tissue expansion is a procedure developed initially to repair burn wounds and injuries with significant skin loss, but has been adapted to hair restoration with dramatic results; significant coverage in a relatively short period of time. This technique involves inserting a balloon-like device called a tissue expander beneath hair-bearing scalp adjacent to a bald area. The device is gradually inflated with salt water over a period of weeks, causing the skin to expand and grow new cells. When the skin beneath the hair has stretched enough, about two months, another procedure is performed to bring the expanded skin over to cover the adjoining bald area.
Again, your surgeon will decide which type of surgery will achieve the best results for you. However, before the surgery make sure you fully understand the procedure and any question you may have are answered.
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