Evolution of Techniques in Hair Transplantation: A 12-Year Perspective
February 2007
in “
Facial Plastic Surgery
”
TLDR Hair transplantation techniques have improved over 12 years, with follicular unit grafting providing more natural results and potential future advances in automation and genetics.
The document from 2007 reviews the advancements in hair transplantation techniques over the previous 12 years, noting a significant shift from older methods to follicular unit grafting, which offers more natural results. The author, Jeffrey S. Epstein, discusses his own practice's approach, which includes transplanting up to 3600 grafts per procedure and extending transplantation to body and facial hair. The rise of the Internet as a referral source, the importance of conservative hairline work, and the increased efficacy of transplantation in women are also mentioned. The document acknowledges the legitimacy gained by the field through the certification of surgeons and the role of the ISHRS. It introduces follicular unit extraction (FUE) as a recent advancement, applicable to a minority of patients, and anticipates future developments in graft storage, medical treatments, automation, cloning, and gene therapy, which could revolutionize the field by addressing the limited donor hair supply and preventing hair loss genetically.