Hair Transplants » Hair Transplant Procedure
Hair Transplant Procedure
Hair transplantation is a permanent form of hair replacement where hair is surgically moved from hair-bearing areas of the head (donor sites) to bald or thinning areas (recipient sites). At Alabama Hair Transplant, we believe that Follicular Unit Transplantation, the recognized gold standard for modern transplant techniques, provides the most outstanding and natural-looking results for the majority of patients. Hair transplants are performed as a convenient outpatient procedure at our accredited Birmingham, Alabama surgery facility.
Follicular Unit Transplantation Procedure
Unlike the hair transplant methods of the past where large grafts often yielded hair that grew in clumps or at unpredictable angles, Follicular Unit Transplantation is a very sophisticated and precise procedure. Small groups of hair follicles, called "follicular units," are taken from hair-bearing donor sites and individually transplanted into the recipient sites. Using follicular units instead of larger grafts allows our experienced Alabama Hair Transplant Surgeons to carefully place the transplants so that they grow in the proper angle and direction while successfully restoring a natural-appearing hairline and increasing density in bald or thinning spots.
To begin a hair transplant procedure using Follicular Unit Transplantation at our Alabama facility, your scalp is scrubbed with a disinfectant solution and local anesthesia is injected to numb the surgical area and control bleeding. Then, hair follicles are taken from the donor region in small strips (Strip Excision) or as follicular units of one to four hair follicles bound together by collagen fibers (Follicular Unit Extraction). With either method, scarring in the donor area is minimized by removing the transplants in a random fashion where the incisions will be covered by hair from above. If strip excision is used, the strips are placed under a special dissecting microscope where the individual follicular units are separated and temporarily placed in a holding solution.
At the hair transplant recipient site, tiny incisions are created in the balding or thinning areas of the scalp for placement of the follicular units. Care is taken to assure the proper depth, angle and distribution of these transplant sites so that a natural appearance can be achieved. Individual follicular units are then carefully inserted into the incisions. The proper placement requires the skill and artistic ability of an experienced hair transplant surgeon.
