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Hair transplant surgery involves moving
scalp hair and
hair follicles
from an area with a lot of hair to an area with thinning hair
or baldness. Single strands of hair, multiple strands of hair, or long and thin
strips containing 30 to 40 strands of hair may be transplanted. This technique
can produce a natural look on the forehead, and a natural, dense look on the
top of the head.
The follicles and hair are removed from one part of the head with either a tubelike instrument called a punch graft or with a scalpel. Stitches are used to close the opening made from removing the hair. The hair strands are then transplanted into tiny holes or slits in bald areas of the scalp.
In most cases, you will need several surgeries to achieve the coverage you want. To maintain healthy blood circulation, the transplants (known as grafts) are usually spaced apart during the first surgery. In the following surgeries, more hair grafts are used to fill in the spaces.
| By: | Healthwise Staff | Last Revised: June 4, 2010 |
| Medical Review: | Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine Alexander H. Murray, MD, FRCPC - Dermatology | |
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