February 1st, 2005
Q: Can you perform a hair transplant into scar tissue? A.H. – Rockland County, New York
A: Yes, hair grows in scar tissue, but not quite as well as in normal tissue. The scar is not as elastic as normal tissue so the grafts are at slightly higher risk of being dislodged; therefore, more care must be taken to protect the grafted area after the hair transplant.
In addition, the blood supply in scar tissue is less than in normal tissue, so that area should not be transplanted as densely and the hair replacement should be performed over multiple sessions.
Finally, grafts do not grow well in thickened scars. If a scar can be thinned using injections of cortisone, it may improve the chance that the transplanted hair will grow.
Topic: Hair Transplant into Scar
Tags: Blood Supply in Scar Tissue / Cortisone / Graft Dislodgement / Multiple Hair Transplant Sessions / Scar Tissue
Posted by
Robert M. Bernstein M.D. at
10:51 am
January 18th, 2005
Q: If a second hair transplant is performed before the first had a chance to grow could the second procedure destroy the follicles from the first?
A: Hair from the second hair transplant session would not damage the follicles transplanted in the first session, even if follicular unit grafts were transplanted in exactly the same spot as in the first session.
The reason to wait until the hair grows in, however, is so that you can better plan the subsequent hair restoration procedure. If two follicular units are placed on top of each other or very close together, you will essentially be creating a mini-graft and the results will not look natural.
We advise waiting at least 8 months between sessions with 10-12 months being ideal so that the grafts of the second session can be evenly distributed among the grafts of the first.
The extra few months not only allow the surgeon to identify all of the previously transplanted grafts, but enables him to get a sense of the “look” of the first session (i.e. the wave, the density, and how the patient will ultimately want to comb his newly transplanted hair). This is very useful in guiding the placement of grafts in the second session to maximize its cosmetic benefit.
Topic: Hair Transplant
Tags: Appearance After Hair Transplant / Follicular Unit / Hair Follicle / Second Hair Transplant
Posted by
Robert M. Bernstein M.D. at
11:15 am
January 17th, 2005
Q: I am twenty and think that I am starting to thin. I am also experiencing a slight tingling in my scalp. Are these related?
A: Most likely. Early androgenetic alopecia can be associated with a slight tingling or slight tenderness of the scalp.
You should see a dermatologist for evaluation and, if you have early male pattern baldness, consider starting finasteride (Propecia).
Topic: Hair Loss
Tags: Androgenetic Alopecia / Early Hair Loss / Finasteride / Hair Thinning / Male Pattern Baldness / Propecia / Scalp Tenderness / Scalp Tingling
Posted by
Robert M. Bernstein M.D. at
10:36 am
