Alopecia is a term used to describe various forms of hair loss, including complete or partial baldness. The condition occurs when damage or disruptions in normal growth cycles alter the normal activity of hair follicles. In some cases, you can reverse the effects of hair loss through hair transplantation, a procedure that involves the implantation of healthy hair follicles into areas where loss has occurred.
Hair Transplants
Hair transplantation is a surgical procedure that relies on the ability of healthy hair follicles to thrive in areas affected by baldness, according to the American Academy of Dermatology, known as the AAD. In the beginning steps of a transplant, your doctor will remove hair follicles and associated skin from areas of your scalp unaffected by baldness, such as the sides or back of your hair. He will then divide the follicles and skin into individual grafts, which are placed in balding areas. He will also repair the areas of your scalp where hair was harvested, making sure that your remaining hair covers any resulting scars.
Graft Types
Depending on your needs, your doctor may insert hair grafts of varying sizes into several types of skin openings, according to the American Hair Loss Council. The smallest grafts are micrografts, which consist of only one or two hairs placed into needle holes. Small slit grafts, placed in narrow skin openings, contain three or four hairs. Large slit grafts contain five to seven hairs. Small minigrafts, placed in round sites, contain three or four hairs. Large minigrafts contain five to eight hairs. Standard square or round grafts contain nine to 18 hairs. It takes roughly 500 to 600 standard grafts to cover an area of scalp slightly larger than three square inches.
Graft Considerations
If you undergo a graft procedure, most of your transplanted hair will fall out after roughly one month, the AAD reports. After a period of about two months, the follicles in the transplant area will begin producing healthy hair. Typically, your transplanted hair will blend naturally with your other hair within six months.
Flap Transplants
Your doctor may also transplant your hair with a more extensive surgical procedure that uses large sections of hair-bearing skin called flaps, the American Hair Loss Council reports. During this procedure, your doctor will cut a flap from your healthy hair and position it in an area affected by baldness, making sure that one end of the flap stays anchored to its original blood supply. As a result, your transplanted hair will grow continuously without the temporary disruptions associated with hair grafts.
Transplant Factors
A number of factors may affect the appearance of your hair transplant, according to the American Hair Loss Association. Typically, coarse hair provides superior scalp coverage, while curly hair and wavy hair provide improved appearance. Close matches between hair and skin color also produce superior results. To maintain adequate coverage, you may require additional procedures months or years after an initial transplant.
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