Use of Hair Grafting in Scar Camouflage
August 2011
in “
Facial Plastic Surgery Clinics of North America
”
TLDR Hair grafting is a key method for improving scars, especially in areas with hair, by transplanting hair to hide the scar while maintaining its original characteristics.
The 2011 study by Lucy Barr and Alfonso Barrera discussed the use of hair grafting for scar camouflage in areas like the scalp, eyebrows, eyelashes, and beard. The technique involves placing hair grafts into a wound to conceal a scar, either alone or with other methods like serial excision or scalp expansion/reduction. The study highlighted the concept of "donor dominance", where transplanted hair maintains its original characteristics. It also emphasized the importance of understanding and recreating natural patterns when camouflaging a scar. The document suggested grafts should be placed at a density of 20 to 30 grafts per cm², with adjustments for scar size. It concluded that hair grafting is a critical part of scar improvement and is a standard of care in reconstructing scars in hair-bearing areas. However, it did not provide specific data on the number of patients or success rates of the procedures.