FUE "Follicular Unit Extraction", Strip Surgery, Trico Closure, Coverage, Hair Density, Donor Area ............. Where do you start?
)).bmp)
Educate yourself to the principles of a hair transplant before you have a hair transplant.
A hair transplant is the placement of hair from one area of the scalp to another area. Because of genetics it will not suffer from Male Pattern Baldness...............
Does this mean it is suitable for everyone?
The medical term for shock loss is effluvium, meaning shedding. This can occur when grafts are placed in an area which has hair; there can be some trauma and tissue reaction to the surgery that can cause the existing hair to shed prematurely. Shock loss usually affects the miniaturised hair nearing the end of its life span and is most likely to be shed at some point in the near future. Some healthy hair will be shed, but it invariably regrows. Shock loss is more common when a large session is performed through thinning hair. Shock loss can also occur in the donor area, more so with larger strip procedures; it is less common, but can still occur.
For most patients, effluvium is not a major issue and should not be a cause for concern; their hair looks a little thinner or loses some body and lustre. This is generally during the first months post the transplant when the transplanted hair is still in the dormant phase.
It is certainly easier to place grafts around hair that is shaved, but this does not mean shock loss does not occur, it is just not as noticable because because the hair is shaved. Incisions must be customised to the individual patient; if you limit/customise the size of the incision site, and limit the width and length of the tool used to make recipient sites then you can greatly reduce the chances of shock loss.
There seems to be a multitude of factors that can help reduce the effects of shock loss, smoking/drinking in the coming days to the procedure. In general, the more miniaturisation one has the more likely will be shedding from surgery. In addition, the number of grafts placed in one surgery and the proximity in which they placed to one another will increase the trauma to surrounding follicles.
Dense Packing is a phrase used to describe a large amount of grafts placed per cm2; the amount of grafts and the definition of how large the number is you may find vary.
It has been shown that the higher number of grafts placed in an area the more chance there is of a lower yield, or growth rate. The cause of this could be because of excessive trauma to the skin, insufficient blood flow to concentrate on the new activity or incorrect slit placement.
Dense packing allows a natural result to be achieved in one pass, opposed to multiple procedures in the same area potentially causing more trauma. It is a technique that requires skill and an understanding of the hair placement within the scalp; making the new slit for the graft has to be carefully made so as not to impair the growth and skin tissue surrounding.
It is important to dense pack to a certain degree to ensure a natural looking result, be it hairline, mid-scalp or crown. That said it should be noted that there are varying views on dense packing and it is not just the density that is the issue, but also hair characteristics. Do not just rely on figures of density, but look at all the factors involved in a particular transplant. You may also find different doctors have different opinions on what they consider dense packing, especially in the hair line; so ensure your happiness and consult your doctor as to the result you that you are looking to achieve
© Copyright 2007 BHR Clinic LLC, 19052 CapeHart Drive, Montgomery Village, Maryland, 20886 USA. All Rights Reserved.
