Hair Implant (Hair Transplant)

This surgery is addressed to both, men and women, for biggeror smaller areas of alopecia. Baldness (alopecia) occurs more frequently to menin the parietal and/or frontal region and could extend to the entire scalp. The causes of the baldness could be local or general.

Following a dermatological consultation, that excludes or treats all local causes, the general causesremain, more exactly the hormonal causes for which practically there are nottoo many options of treatment. These patients are recommended hair transplant.

The procedure consists of sampling a strip of tegument with hair in the occipitalregion (hind head), which is processed through multiple incisions to obtainvery small skin fragments, with one or two hair follicles.

These will beinserted at the level of the hairless tegument, step by step, until all follicles have been completely transplanted. Another practice is to use asampling instrument, specially created, to sample round and small skin and hair fragments.

The donor area does not require suture due to it healsspontaneously. Not all transplanted follicles will "catch roots",some of them being removed. More than one procedure of this type is required inthe same area to obtain a satisfactory result.

The donor area is directly sutured. Another option to cover the alopecia area is to useexpanders. These devices are inserted in the area covered by hair in the immediate proximity of the bald-head, and are expanded throughout more than oneweek until obtaining enough hair skin.

Through a subsequent procedure the expanders will be taken out, the hairless tegument area will be excised and thefailure thus generated will be covered by the skin in excess covered by hair.(see scar correction). In any moment of the procedures and with any form ofalopecia the surgical treatment must be doubled by application of lotions containing aminoxil or minoxidil having the role to regenerate hairy follicles but specially to prevent the destruction of the new ones.

In small alopeciaareas some injections of cortisone agents could be tried on, provided to berepeated after few weeks to regenerate the hairy follicles. Although the treatment is very efficient, 1% of the patients do not obtain the results they want!