Modern Hair Transplant Surgery Techniques

Many surgeons find it beneficial to use a combination of two or more type grafts in order to achieve the best appearance. The five different grafts lend themselves well to different looks and perform better at different locations on the scalp. For example, the smaller grafts work very well along the front of the hairline where we typically have much finer hair growing naturally. As opposed to the old days of hair transplant procedure when the large round grafts were place all over the head, including the frontal area, today the smaller grafts are used in front to gradually blend the forehead into the major portion of the hair. This makes it much easier, and more attractive, to begin using the larger grafts behind the smaller micro-grafts.

Depending on the procedures used, the entire process of a hair transplant surgery may take up to two years and involve more than just one procedure. When it is necessary for the patient to return for subsequent procedures, the physician usually requests the patient wait two to three months in order for prior surgery sites to completely heal before attempting another grafting session. Spacing grafting sessions any closer together than a minimum of two or three months can increase the risk for infection and many other dangers.

In the last few years, however; more and more physicians have been transplanting increasing numbers of grafts per individual session. At a maximum, some surgeries today can involve up to 3,000 grafts per session. Referred to as megasessions, may people believe that these procedures are better for the patient in the end. Not only do megasessions reduce the need to return for subsequent procedures, thus opening the site for an increased risk of surgical related infection, but it also allows the patient to achieve a full head of hair more quickly. The disadvantage to this type of procedure is that does take significantly longer than hair transplant procedures involves few number of grafts. On average, a megasession lasts up to eight hours. More staff are generally required to handle this long of a procedure, which can, of course; affect the total cost of the surgery.

There has been a tremendous amount of controversy regarding this subject in the recent past. Many physicians are strictly opposed to megasession procedures and believe that the results are not as good as natural looking as when numerous smaller graft sessions are used.

Another technique which is used by hair transplantation surgeons is known as scalp flaps. This procedure is not nearly as common as many of the other procedures, because it is more high risk, involves the procedure being performed in a hospital operating room rather than the doctors outpatient clinic and this type of procedure makes it impossible for the patient to maintain any privacy regarding the fact that hes had hair transplant surgery. The reason for the latter is due to the fact that the patient will immediately appear to have hair in the area where there previously was no hair at all. Since everyone knows hair doesnt grow overnight; this sudden sprouting of hair announces the surgery to the world. The scalp flap basically consists of spinning a section of scalp bearing hair toward an area that has experienced hair loss. Due to the number of risks involved, the fact that its hard to keep the procedure quiet and the fact that its tricky to get this procedure to produce natural looking results, it is not as commonly used as many other hair transplantation procedures.

A scalp reduction is also a bit more involved than grafting session and is used more frequently than the flap procedure. This procedure involves cutting away a section of the scalp that has begun to bald. Surgeons differ in opinion on the effectiveness and value of this procedure. Many believe than instant improved appearance can result due to the fact that there visually appears to be less baldness. Other surgeons recommend this procedure if the patient is considering having a hair transplantation procedure performed later so that there is less of a balding area that will need to be concealed using donor hair. Surgeons who oppose the use of the scalp reduction claim that it can lead to greater scarring and may possibly even promote additional hair loss.

It is quite common for physicians to use a combination of techniques and graft types to achieve the amount of coverage needed for each patient. Therefore, each surgery is unique based upon the needs of the patient. Patients who would like to explore the possibilities of less traditional hair transplantation procedures, such as the flap and the reduction, should consult their physician to discuss whether or not they may be a possible candidate for these procedures.