Hair
Transplants for Men with Advanced Hair Loss
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Hair
Transplants for Men with Advanced Hair Loss
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DISCUSSIONThe frontal forelock concept was first popularized in the early-1990s by the work of Beehner, Marritt, Stough, and others.(13-16) Recognizing both the progessive nature of hair loss, and the need to provide hair restoration to men already with or at risk for developing advanced hair loss, the frontal forelock was proposed as a natural-appearing solution. What is truly amazing is the ability of some of these pioneers to achieve reasonably natural-appearing results using traditional micrografts and minigrafts Today, follicular unit grafting offers hair transplant surgeons several distinct advantages over traditional micro/minigrafting. In addition to the fact that hairs are preserved in their naturally occurring bundles, what is especially relevant to the ongoing discussion is the maximal preservation of donor hairs by microscopic dissection. The additional 20% or more hairs can go a long way towards providing more coverage. Other advantages of follicular unit grafting are conferred by the smaller size of the grafts compared to traditional micro/minigrafts. The grafts require smaller recipient sites, which can be placed closer together for greater density, and which result in minimal to no scarring. Follicular unit grafting, however, is merely a technique and not a guarantee of a good result. Success, as measured by the ability to create undetectability, naturalness, and the appearance of reasonable density, is dependent upon the planning, the aesthetic designing, and the proper executing of the restoration. A number of different forelock patterns have been presented in the literature.(12,15) What they all have in common is a soft transition zone (created by the irregular placement of all 1, and occasionally 2, hair grafts) along the periphery, and the progressive increase in density as one proceeds centrally (once created by minigrafts with 3 to 6 or more hairs, now created with the close placement of 2 to 4 hair follicular unit grafts). The illustration and case presentations serve as examples, illustrating the key fundamentals of frontal forelock design. Much like the design of any hairline, considerations must account for the individual patient's facial morphology, expectations, and hair quality. The majority of men who undergo the frontal forelock procedure have sufficient
cephalic temporal hairlines to connect to the transplanted hairs. However,
in certain individuals, recession of the temporal horns requires deciding
whether to create an isolated, or a connected frontal fringe. It is the
author's experience that the majority of men prefer a connected forelock.
A relatively small number of 1 and 2 hair grafts can be judiciously applied
to build up the temporal horns to the level of the forelock. Key to aesthetics
is placing these grafts at an acute angle to the scalp in order that they
grow in an inferior direction. However, in certain individuals, the natural
direction of growth is in a more superior or anterior direction. The price of not adhering to a conservative restoration course in the young patient can be an unnatural appearance in the future, if the progression of hair loss occurs as expected. Possible features of the unnatural appearance, which are almost all due to the exhaustion of hairs for further transplanting, depend upon how the restoration was performed. Inadequate density, with "see-through" hair, can result if all 1 to 3 hair grafts were widely distributed along the entire top of the head. An abnormally low and dense hairline, sharply contrasting with the remaining thin fringe hair, can result if the hairline was solidly filled in and positioned according to the desired features of a young man, not that of a more "appropriate" older man. On the other hand, if in the young individual there is minimal progression of hair loss in the future, defying expectations, nothing has been lost. The conservatively created frontal forelock can be extended laterally, posteriorly, even anteriorly, by the transplanting of hairs that proved to be permanent, withstanding the test of time. Corresponding author: Jeffrey Epstein, M.D., 6280 Sunset Drive, Suite
504, Miami, FL 33143
FIGURE LEGENDS Figure 1: Illustration of the technique of follicular unit grafting. The single donor strip is then divided into narrow slivers, from which the individual grafts are dissected. All dissection is performed under binocular microscope. Figure 2: Forelock design with Class 6 hair loss pattern. The central region has the greatest density by closely placing grafts of 2 to 4 hairs. The cross-hatched area lateral to the forelock represents the "temporal horns" consisting of grafts of 1 and 2 hairs which convert an isolated into a connected forelock. The triangular shaped cross-hatched widow's peak is optional; created by grafts of 1 and 2 hairs (similar to the surrounding periphery demonstrated as the clear areas), its effect is to make the hairline appear lower. Figure 3: 47 year old, before (a, b) and 8 months after (c, d) 1 procedure of 1930 grafts. See text for more information Figure 4: 50 year old, before (a, b) and 8 months after (c, d, e) 2 procedures of 3800 grafts over 2 procedures. See text for more information. Figure 5: 58 year old, before (a) and 6 months after (b, c) 1 procedure
of 2150 grafts. See text for more information. Designing the Hairline | Female
hair loss
| Follicular Grafts |
Natural
Hairline Dr Shapiro |
The Hair Replacement Revolution |
Guidelines for Hair
Restoration
| Hair Restoration for Men
with Advanced Hair Loss
| What
Are Fullicular Units | How
FU Transplants Work | Corn
Row Correction | Hair Transplant
Density
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