Principles and Techniques of Surgical Hair Restoration
September 2007
TLDR Surgical hair restoration involves moving hair from a non-balding area to a balding area, with the transplanted hair not subject to male pattern baldness. Medications can slow hair loss and regrow some hair, but successful treatment needs careful planning, skill, and ethical responsibility due to progressive hair loss and limited donor hair.
In 2007, Samuel M. Lam and Emina Karamanovski outlined the principles and techniques of surgical hair restoration. The process involved harvesting hair from the occipital region of the scalp, which is not genetically programmed for hair loss, and transplanting it into areas of aesthetic importance. The transplanted hair retained the characteristics of the donor site and was not subjected to male pattern baldness. The authors emphasized the importance of understanding natural hair patterns for proper graft survival and growth. They also discussed the role of FDA-approved medications, finasteride and minoxidil, in slowing down hair loss, strengthening miniaturized hair, and regrowing some hair. The paper also highlighted the importance of considering the progressive nature of hair loss and the limited donor supply for hair transplantation. The document stressed that successful hair restoration required ethical responsibility, good clinical judgment, artistry, and a skilled team.
