Technical refinements in Hair transplants – Part 1

Baldness is a major problem in today’s world. The high stress jobs, late night work, poor diet, smoking, all contribute in their own way to the genetic pattern of baldness. Microfollicular hair transplant technique is the most natural way to cover bald areas and produce hair growth, which is permanent, maintenance free and comfortable to be with. As the process is being better appreciated, it is important to continuously define newer refinements to help get better results

Step wise technical refinements

Harvesting of the strip

As we can see that the hair bearing strip is taken from the back of the head. Now the scalp has 5 layers of tissue. The galea layer is an important layer in the scalp, because all the nerves, which carry sensation, travel below it, and all hair follicles end above it. The level below the galea is easier to work in, is fast, almost bloodless, but leads to higher sensory losses, and abnormal sensation on the back of the head. It is more difficult to take the strip out from above the galea, because of greater bleeding and chances of injury to hair follicles, but it is not associated with any permanent sensation problems. So refinement No. 1 – always harvest the strip above the galea for a happier patient

Injection of local anesthesia

It is better to use a tumescent technique of anesthesia while taking out the strip. Try to infiltrate each layer of the scalp with the local anesthesia solution. By doing so the strip gets turgid, hardly bleeds at all, and the distance between hair follicles increase, making it far easier to splice each individual hair follicle

While implanting hair also, it is better to use tumescent anesthesia in the bald areas. By doing so. There is hardly any bleeding when making slits for the hair follicles, and the process proceeds much faster. There is also a greater density creation by following this step