A Review of Surgical Methods (Excluding Hair Transplantation) and Their Role in Hair Loss Management Today
January 2011
in “
Journal of Cutaneous and Aesthetic Surgery
”
TLDR Surgical methods for hair loss are less common than hair transplants but still useful, especially for scarring hair loss.
The document reviews surgical methods for managing hair loss, excluding hair transplantation, and traces their historical development since 1822. It discusses various techniques such as scalp flaps, scalp reduction, and tissue expanders, with a focus on the anatomy of the scalp and the importance of understanding its laxity and vascular anatomy for successful surgical outcomes. The review details specific flap techniques, including the TPO flap, and emphasizes the need for careful patient selection. It also covers alopecia reduction (AR) procedures, their ideal candidates, contraindications, and the importance of preoperative preparation. The document concludes that while these surgical methods still have a role in hair restoration, particularly for cicatricial alopecia, hair transplantation remains the most common and preferred method for correcting pattern baldness due to its satisfactory results and lower morbidity.
