How Hair is Harvested from the Scalp in a Hair Transplant

There are two processes that occur simultaneously in the balding individual. One is androgenetic alopecia — the patterned balding or hair loss programmed to affect only certain hair follicles in susceptible individuals. The other is hair loss due to aging itself, which to some degree affects all hair in everyone.

The donor region in the back of the scalp where hair is traditionally harvested from has been optimistically called the “permanent zone;” however, this zone is far from permanent. It may be spared from the process of genetic balding, but it is surely affected by the aging process itself. It seems that, on average, the donor site thins at least 30% over one’s lifetime due to simple aging.

In some men with extensive balding, the permanent hair seems to be affected by the genetic process as well. When these two processes occur together, the decrease in donor density can be marked with counts occasionally falling below one hair/mm2. This process is probably analogous to the extensive diffuse thinning seen occasionally in women. The continued loss of hair in the permanent zone over time must, of course, be accounted for in the planning of the hair transplant and in giving a realistic prediction to the patient of the long-term stability of the transplanted hair.

Two major factors determine the amount of hair that can be safely removed from the donor area. The first is donor density, and the second is scalp laxity.

The importance of accurately assessing donor density cannot be over emphasized. At the initial consultation, density determinations are made from a representative area in the permanent zone where the donor strip might be harvested. If there is significant clinical variability in the donor density or scarring due to prior surgery, then multiple measurements are taken. These numbers are used in the initial planning of the procedure. At the time of surgery, the density is measured again, calculations are taken to determine the length and width of the donor strip and the area is then prepped and shaved. The shaved donor site is then inspected for irregularities of density due to natural variability and those resulting from scarring due to past procedures. Multiple determinations are made again and averaged to accurately assess the density. Our experience has shown that the gross visual impression of density is often at variance from the true density by a factor of up to 35% and is far too imprecise to be useful in surgical planning.

Scalp laxity is a more subjective measurement, but with experience can be estimated with a reasonably high degree of accuracy. Judging scalp mobility by simply moving the scalp up and down with the hand or tenting of the skin between the fingers are the two obvious means of assessing laxity. Also useful is noting the thickness of the scalp (an abundance of subcutaneous fat makes for a mobile scalp) and observing the configuration (contour) of the cranial bones. Prominent mastoid processes and occipital notches decrease the ability to easily close a horizontal incision.

Many hair restoration facilities use a Rassman knife that, when fully loaded with 8 blades, produces a donor strip 21mm in width. By removing blades, hair restoration surgeons can harvest strips of 18mm, 15mm, 12mm, 9mm and so on. Generally, the widest strip that can be harvested without producing undue tension during closure should be used.

If a donor strip is too narrow, then its length must be increased to yield the same amount of hair and a longer incision produces more donor site scarring and distortion. If a strip is too wide, then tension on the wound edge may result in dehiscence, infection, excessive post-operative discomfort, prolonged wound healing or a hypertrophic or spread scar. In general, the greatest degree of tension occurs over the mastoid processes, and great care should be taken when estimating scalp mobility in this location. If it is anticipated that this area will be a limiting factor in the harvest, then it is best to use a more conservative width and excise a longer strip.

In patients having a very prominent occipital protuberance, the greatest tension may be at the midline. In this situation the surgeon may remove a blade to narrow the width as he or she extends medially. Or, the hair transplant surgeon may harvest an additional strip on one or both sides freehand. On occasion, when a patient with a prominent ridge has had multiple previous surgeries, the strip is harvested in two separate pieces neither extending to the midline.

The plane of dissection should be just below the hair follicles in the superficial fat to avoid damaging the larger nerves and blood vessels which lie deep in the subcutaneous layer, just above the galea apounurotica. If possible, the galea should not be violated as this fibrous band serves as the structural support of the wound closure and prevents its spread. Suturing a transected galea will never approach the strength of the membrane left intact. In addition, dissection in the subcutaneous layer avoids the necessity of a layered closure and its associated foreign body reaction.

In very large hair transplant sessions where up to 50 square centimeters of scalp may be removed and the incision length can be 30 cm, the importance of superficial dissection and leaving the galea intact cannot be over emphasized. In addition, a hair restoration surgeon must never undermine. In the rare instance where the wound edges cannot be approximated, it is better left to heal by secondary intention rather than to risk damaging hair follicles, blood vessels or nerves. It is important to remember that, during a hair transplant, any cosmetically unacceptable scar can easily be removed in the future after the scalp tension has decreased.

Additionally, many hair restoration facilities are abandoning the process of electrodessication: a process using a small electrode to seal lesions, vessels or wounds. Bleeding generally occurs at the wound edges and is controlled with a running cutaneous suture. On rare occasion, a larger vessel is ligated using 4-0 Vicryl, if it would not be incorporated easily in the closure.

As a licensed dermatologist and clinical professor of dermatology, I recommend using a single running suture of 2-0 polypropylene. The sutures are generally left in place for two weeks. However, if there is significant tension during the closure then these sutures may be left in place for three or more weeks as polypropylene produces little tissue reactivity. The entire length of the suture line is kept covered continually with a topical antibiotic in an ointment base (Bacitracin).

At the time of suture removal, the sutures should protrude slightly above the scalp surface which indicates that edema and inflammation have significantly subsided. This is in sharp contrast to sutures left in glaborous skin, which become progressively more embedded the longer they are left in place. In patients without penicillin sensitivity, I recommend pre-medicating with Dicloxacillin 1gm PO, 1 hour prior to surgery, and then a second dose of 500mg PO 6 hours later if there was excessive bleeding, or wound tension.

In determining the position of the donor incision, it is best to assume that the patient may become a Norwood Class VII (class VII patients have extensive hair loss with only a wreath of hair remaining in the back and sides of the scalp). Therefore, the hair transplant surgeon should place the upper blade of the rake at least 1cm below the lowest point of possible hair loss. This will allow for coverage of the scar in the worst case scenario. As the incision extends laterally, it should be at least 1 cm superior to the top of the ear. It is important to stay very superficial in this area, especially as one extends the incision towards the temples, as the parietal branch of the superficial temporal artery and vein as well as branches of the auriculotemporal nerve lie very close to the undersurface of the dermis in this location. The excision should not extend anteriorly to a position closer than 3 cm from the hairline. Some patients may have extensive bitemporal recession, and this should be anticipated by carefully assessing the extent of the patient’s current recession, the degree of miniaturization at the free edge, and the family history of balding and hair loss.

Traditional surgical techniques have often left a “step-ladder” pattern of scarring in the donor area. When there is a preexisting horizontal linear scar (or scars), the scar may be totally avoided, totally incorporated into the new strip, or incorporated into one edge of the new incision. If the scar is in a position where it is already placed too high and may possibly be exposed with further balding, it is best avoided. If the scar had been placed too low, it is also best avoided to reduce the chance of hypertrophic scarring. Also if the donor area is relatively tight from prior surgery and if the scar is not visible, it may be left in place, as removing it will only increase wound tension.

Avoiding the scar will maximize the yield of hair for that particular hair restoration procedure. One may totally incorporate the scar if it is clinically visible and if there is enough laxity to remove it and still obtain the desired amount of hair. It is critically important to ascertain why the patient scarred in the first place. If the scar was a result of poor surgical technique and the problem can be identified and corrected, then excising it may be appropriate. If the scar (either stretched or hypertrophic) was due to the intrinsic healing properties of the individual (as seen in Ehlers-Danlos syndrome), then the scar is best avoided, because removing it will further increase wound tension, and the problem will most likely reoccur.

It is important to assess the impact of the scarring on the average donor density as small amounts of scarring can significantly decrease hair yield due to distortion of follicles in the surrounding area. In the majority of instances, I recommend hair restoration surgeons opt for the third choice (i.e., using the previous scar as the upper or lower boarder of the new excision). The surgeon will remove all but approximately 1.5 mm of the width of the scar to allow the suturing to be limited to the scarred area and not to extend into viable hair bearing scalp. In this way the amount of distortion and possible damage to existing hair is limited to only one free edge.

Dr. Bernstein is Clinical Professor of Dermatology and is recognized worldwide for pioneering Follicular Unit Hair Transplantation. Dr. Bernstein’s hair restoration center in Manhattan performs hair transplants and other hair restoration procedures. To read more publications on balding and hair loss, visit http://www.bernsteinmedical.com/.

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Will Shampoos That Claim To Stop Hairloss Restore My Hair To Its Former Fullness?

So, is there a new shampoo that will stop my balding and thinning and restore my hair to its proper thickness and pattern? I hate to be the one to break the bad news but there are no shampoos that stop hairloss. If you run across a shampoo based product that claims to restore lost hair in record time you probably should take a closer look at some of the fine print or ask someone who has tried the product.

While there aren’t any shampoos that stop hair loss there are a few that create an environment conducive to new growth and may accelerate the growth of existing hair. Many of these shampoos contain ingredients that are both scalp and hair conditioning agents such as horsetail extract, jojoba oil, aloe vera extract, or essential oils such as lavender. These types of ingredients are a good start as long as a shampoo is not loaded with harmful chemicals whose names you can’t pronounce. Many experts believe that looking for hair and scalp conditioning ingredients along with a label stating the product is organic is a good rule of thumb.

The problem with this approach is that shampoo carefully formulated in this manner are quite expensive and may be out of the financial reach of many people. Others will deduct that the cost outweighs the benefits. Hopefully, over time high quality organic shampoos that stop hairloss will become more affordable and thus more mainstream.

Why aren’t there shampoos that stop hairloss? This is a great question and you deserve an answer! There is no denying that there are some very good natural shampoos which stimulate hair growth and condition the scalp but the problems lies with the cause of most balding and thinning hair; androgenetic alopecia.

Androgenetic alopecia is more commonly known as male or female pattern baldness and attack the hair follicle at the dermis level of the skin (just under the scalp). First it is an inherited condition which makes many people vulnerable to its damage. Second, it is hormone drive. The primary hormone responsible is dihydrotestosterone which accumulates within the hair follicle and actually causes the follicle to shrink to a point where hair growth is no longer possible. Shampoos are simply not capable of reversing this mechanism. In fact there currently is only one FDA approved topical ingredient that has been proven to slow androgenetic alopecia and that is minoxidil. But even minoxidil struggles with reopening damaged or dead follicles. The success rate is about 30 percent and of that number half of the re-growth is very fine or fuzzy.

In summary, it isn’t necessarily a bad idea to try shampoos that stop hairloss, in fact I have done it myself. What I found was that they did a good job of conditioning and a poor job when it came to restoring lost hair. A good way to look at these products is that they are gentle scalp and hair conditioning agents that may contain ingredients to stimulate the growth of existing hair, and don’t contain many of the damaging ingredients such as sodium laureth sulfate often found in cheaper shampoos.

What Next? There are currently a handful of hair re-growth products  (specially formulated for both men and women) which have been proven effective both in blocking harmful hormones and bringing the all important dead hair follicles back to life. These specially formulated treatments can be used both as a preventative tool, starting before hair loss becomes severe, or after loss of hair has become noticeable. Whatever the level of balding or thinning you are experiencing these products could be just what is needed to overcome this latest life challenge.

Rob D. Hawkins is an enthusiastic advocate for the use of natural health products and natural living with over 10 years
experience in the field.
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Natural Remedies For Hair Loss – Don’t Suffer Anymore

home remedy for hair loss

Hair loss can become a big problem, especially in today’s world where appearances are so highly regarded. If hair loss wasn’t the only concern, the price of having treatment for hair loss can also add a massive load.

Aloe Vera is one of nature’s miracle plants, it has been used for a long time for many things, one of them for it’s positive effects to hair health and hair loss prevention. It aids the scalp by healing it and balancing the pH level, therefore thus ensuring the scalp is a healthier place for your hair. Apply Aloe Vera jel directly to the scalp. Leave for at least 20 minutes. Rinse. Do this about two times a week.

There can be little contention that the nature of your diet plays a great role in the health of your hair and in handling hair loss. Studies have shown that individuals who are lacking in some nutrients have an increased risk of losing some of their hair. This means that you definitely have to cut down on fats, sugar and junk food. Rather make sure you keep a balanced diet, include plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, lean meats like chicken and turkey, pulses and lots of water to toxins from the body.

Vitamins are also important ways to naturally reduce or arrest hair loss. In particular for healthy hair vitamin E and A are critical, making certain you get plenty of these will certainly help cut down or arrest hair loss and keep your hair strong. These vitamins can come from the foods you eat and from fruits, or can be taken in supplement form for ease.}

Protein is important for hair. Obvious given that hair is in the main protein. Clearly then the amount of hair protein you have in your diet will directly affect the health and condition of your hair. With adequate hair protein in your diet, understandably your hair will grow better and be healthier. Cearly then, a diet lacking in hair protein will mean unhealthy hair that may start to thin. You can get protein into your diet in many ways. Meat, fish, eggs are good and simple sources, and if you don’t like meat, then you can eat nuts, cheese, tofu. For some individuals it might be hard to get adequate good protein from the food they eat, in that case it would be better to take powdered supplements from the local health food shop.}

Scalp massage is a very old and often ignored method to help stimulate the hair follicles and help promote a healthy scalp and healthy hair growth. It also stimulates the hair follicles and improve blood circulation to the scalp and so help promote healthy hair. Massage the scalp and neck frequently, best every night, and you will start to see improvements in the condition of your hair within a short time.

No matter what natural hair loss treatment you resolve to employ, you must be patient and steadfast in your pursuit. I’m sure you know, there are no quick fixes to hair loss, it can take many months for results to appear.

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Replacement Systems-Essential Hair Replacement Tips

 

 

Hair mislay is mutual trouble and great quantity of people are seemly hairless due to this trouble. Hair reduces essentially happen due to Hormones problematic or imperfect food. Become older and various alternative convert in figure and a personal confirmation of hair loss are the most important roots of hair reduce.

 

 

Earlier hair reduce can basis a real relentless hair loss. There are so many choices, which one can accept to regulate hair loss alike hair replacement or hair blending, remove etc.

 

Hair replacement surgery can improve and expand your facade and also support you to reach again your self assurance, however the results won’t certainly equal your perfect. Before going for a hair replacement surgery, think anxiously about what you wish for, what is your belief and confer your doctor or expert. Fixing of hairs can simply be workable by Hair transplantation medicine.

 

As it reach to hair loss replacement, we all aspire the alike product – a normal single and it can simply be achievable to selected area with micro-surgical hair transplants, this is an well ahead method consume in fixing hair, with hair replacement surgery system, the course of hair progress is not changed.

 

 

  1. The decision is entirely natural and effectively imperceptible. After the surgery and suitable hair growth hair replacement invisible whether the hair which develop are unique (natural) or strange (not natural)  

 

Your actual hairs are consuming in all these hair replacement method work your actual hair. The main aim of hair replacement surgery is to discover the largely effective uses for actual hair. Hair replacement patient or applicant must have skilled hair development. He must have skilled quantity of hairs at his end and on sides of his start so that these hairs or hair extent can supply as the donor scope of a surface.

 

 

A giver space is that space from which hairs are taken for surgery. Several method consume in hair replacement surgery. Occasionally, two or more method is consumed to accomplish the superlative promising decision. Doctors or surgeons consume several method on the patients or applicant who wants a skilled quantity of hairs on his head a number of the method consume by the surgeons are Mini grafts, hit grafts, micro-grafts, slit grafts, and uncover grafts.

 

 

An entity with real tiny hair might not be recommendation to undergo hair replacement surgery.

 

 

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Find The Natural Hair Loss Remedies That Work

With more people experiencing balding today, the increase in natural hair loss remedies is plain to see. The problem is that many are simply jumping on the bandwagon and have little to offer, so here are some of the ingredients to look out for that are proven to work.

Hair experts always advise to look for the proven ones and try not to fall for the advertizing claims which are rarely, if ever true! This can be hard when you desperately want a solution but patience will always pay off in the end and this is especially true with hair loss.

Natural hair loss remedies should be just that – natural, and not full of chemicals as many are so look for herb extracts, vitamins and minerals that are shown to support new growth and look after your existing ones too.

As one of the leading causes of male and female pattern baldness is a hormone that chokes the follicles, any natural blocker to that hormone is good.

Saw Palmetto and Nettle Root are probably the best known extracts for blocking the hormone (DHT) and for boosting circulation and new growth.

Saw Palmetto’s hair growing properties were discovered accidently as a side effect in patients being treated for prostate conditions and helps to give men the added benefit of good prostate health.

You want to have a sustainable way of keeping your hair so the right combination of vitamins and minerals is also vital.

Biotin is one of the very best ones for promoting new growth and healthy hair, nails and skin. Combine this with vitamin B6, zinc and magnesium and you will have a great foundation on which to build and maintain hair in the future.

There’s no doubt that the best natural hair loss remedies can really provide you with a sustainable route for restoring lost hair and help to prevent any further loss from occurring. The key is to be patient as it can take some time to see the results.

Experts advise sticking with any treatment for at least 6 months to give the natural cycles a chance to work and taking pictures at regular intervals is also suggested as a good way of keeping track to see just how much new growth you are getting.

If you would like to learn more about a new and effective treatment for hair loss that is excellent for promoting new hair growth, visit my website today.

Discover the best natural hair loss treatment available today.

Rob Hawkins is a dedicated researcher of nutrition, diet and hair loss issues that affect both men and women. Take a moment to visit his site now at http://hairloss-solutions-site.com to learn about a new natural remedy that he recently discovered.

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How To Reverse Hair Loss Naturally

One of the best ways to reverse hair loss is by using natural ingredients to give you a lasting and healthy way of preventing further loss while promoting new growth. The key is selecting the right ones that are proven to work.

It is worth knowing that your loss of hair could be temporary if, for example, you are pregnant, suffering from illness, encountering a particularly stressful situation or undergoing treatments like chemotherapy.

In these cases you shouldn’t have to worry about the long term affects as once the situation has passed, your body will reverse hair loss itself. It is only if it continues on that it is advisable to seek out a treatment.

Natural treatments should contain a synergistic blend of herb extracts, minerals and vitamins that specifically target new growth and that sustain it. This will give you lasting results and help to keep you healthy at the same time.

The main cause of most loss today is called male and female pattern baldness or androgenic alopecia and affects millions of people around the world. The main culprit is a hormone called DHT that disrupts the normal functioning of the hair follicles, leading to thinner and weaker hair which eventually falls out.

The best herb extracts to combat this are Nettle Root, Saw Palmetto, Muira Puama and Horsetail Silica. They have been used by the Native Americans successfully for hundreds of years to cure baldness along with many other conditions too.

Increased circulation, delivery of essential nutrients and blocking the DHT can be achieved by using the right blend to gradually restore your hair and prevent any further loss.

It also helps to get the right vitamins and minerals, especially with the low nutritional value of our food today and zinc, magnesium and biotin will all help to maintain your hair in excellent condition.

To reverse hair loss effectively and naturally, look for these ingredients and you will be giving yourself the best chance of success and over the coming months should start to see the signs of new growth appearing.

If you would like to learn more about a new and effective treatment for hair loss that is excellent for promoting new hair growth, visit my website today.

Discover the best natural hair loss treatment available today.

Rob Hawkins is a dedicated researcher of nutrition, diet and hair loss issues that affect both men and women. Take a moment to visit his site now at http://hairloss-solutions-site.com to learn about a new natural remedy that he recently discovered.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/hair-loss-articles/how-to-reverse-hair-loss-naturally-1589916.html

Mega Session and Giga-Session Made Easy Through Laxometer

Not too long ago, Dr. Parsa Mohebi, Medical Director of US Hair Restoration Los Angeles, gave a lecture on a new way to use the Laxometer during mega and giga-session hair transplants at the annual ISHRS (International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery) gathering in Amsterdam, Netherlands. As mentioned in other hair transplant industry gatherings, the Laxometer has the ability to make more accurate the strip removal method during a follicular unit hair transplant and, at the same time, minimizing the risk of donor scar complications.

At the 2009 ISHRS Meeting, Dr. Mohebi discussed a new manner in which to utilize the Laxometer for patients who have limited laxity of the scalp because of previous hair transplant surgeries or for people needing a max number of grafts in one session (3000+, 4000+, 5000+, etc.). In 2008, Dr. Mohebi  tried a different method by which he removed the strip in sequences for hair restoration procedures using the Laxometer before and after removal of every part of the strip. This particular way of using the Laxometer has resulted in a safer strip removal and, at the same time, has lessened the risk of donor wound complications.

The results presented at the ISHRS meeting proved that the Laxometer is the ideal surgical tool for increasing the number of hair grafts during a strip hair transplant while minimizing donor wound complications of a hair transplant surgery. Because of the results Dr. Mohebi found, he has been using the Laxometer at his California hair transplant offices quite often and it has resulted in a lot of satisfied patients.

For other cosmetic-related questions and answers, do a Web search on teeth whitening in Woodland Hills. Also, if you’re interested in dermabrasion, dysport, or botox, check out an Encino Laser Hair Removal center.

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