1. Tell me what is autograft?

A graftn is taken from one part of the body and moved to another. In a hair transplant, the follicular unit grafts are autografts.

2. What is dissection?

To separate tissue so that the internal structure can be examined and its function and relationship of its components discerned. In follicular unit hair transplantation, it refers to the isolation of follicular unit grafts from a donor strip using a stereo-microscope.

3. What is follicular Unit Dissection?

A hair transplant technique in which naturally occurring, individual follicular units are dissected intact from a strip of donor tissue that is removed during the hair transplant procedure. The technique involves the use of a dissecting stereo-microscope of at least 6-10x magnification to isolate the follicular unit grafts.

4. What is grafts Cut to Size?

A dissection technique used in hair transplants where the donor strip is subdivided to produce grafts of specific sizes defined by the number of hairs they contain and/or the size of tissue that will fit into a specific recipient site. The dissection is usually performed without microscopic control.

5. What is mini-Micrografting?

A method of hair restoration surgery which uses grafts containing 1-6 hairs, in groups that do not necessarily correspond to the naturally occurring follicular units. In this type of hair transplant procedure, the micro-grafts are generally placed at the frontal hairline and the mini-grafts behind them (for density). Mini-micrografting procedures, although technically easier to perform, do not look as natural as follicular unit transplantation.

6. Tell us what is compression?

Can occur when putting grafts into slits when the existing tissue ‘compresses' the follicle, which can cause poor growth and/or improper direction of the hair.

7. What is megasession?

This term describes a transplant operation in which a large number of grafts (1000-3000, usually mini and micrografts) is performed in one operation. Proponents of the operation say it prevents multiple operations while still providing good results. Opponents say it may put too much stress on the blood supply and cause a low yield of hairs growing back.

8. What is scalp Reduction?

The simplest scalp reduction surgery is one in which small areas of balding scalp are removed in a succession of several small surgeries to reduce the area of balding scalp so that better results can be gained from transplantation.

9. What is transpositional Flap?

Commonly known as a flap rotation, this surgery takes strips of surgically removed hair bearing scalp and uses them to form a new hairline and/or cover reduced balding areas of the scalp.

10. What is androgenetic Alopecia (Male Pattern Baldness)?

The most common type of hair loss in men. It is caused by the genetic susceptibility of hair follicles to the hormone DHT. It affects the central and frontal area of the scalp and the crown. It may eventuate in a U-shape configuration of hair loss.

Download Interview PDF

11. What is donor Area?

The donor area, also known as the safe donor area, is the region in the back of the scalp (occipital scalp) that remains throughout one's lifetime even in the setting of advanced male pattern baldness or androgenetic alopecia . This horseshoe shaped area is harvested during a hair transplant by strip harvesting and transplanted into the recipient area. What was discovered in the 1950s was that this occipital hair genetically programmed would not be lost when moved into bald areas of the scalp through a condition known as donor dominance.

12. What is follicular Unit Graft?

A graft that is comprised of a single, intact follicular unit of 1-4 hairs. It is the only type of graft that is used in follicular unit hair transplant procedures.

13. What is lateral Slits (Coronal Slits, Horizontal Slits)?

A specific orientation of recipient sites made so that the length of the slit lies parallel to the hairline. This hair transplant technique is felt to offer better coverage than other recipient site orientations, as the hair from the grafts placed in lateral slits tends to fan out over the scalp.

14. What is recipient Site?

A tiny hole or slit made in the recipient area by a needle or other sharp instrument to accommodate a graft during a hair transplantation procedure.

15. What is follicular Unit Extraction (FUE)?

A method of removing follicular units from the “Donor Area” where the follicular units are individually removed instead of being removed in one long strip. The method heals the quickest, is less painful with less complications, and has minimal or no scarring. Currently it costs more than the standard strip method.

16. What is random Flap?

A flap which isn't tied to a particular blood supply. Typically used to correct remaining bald areas after remaining after procedures such as a scalp extensions.

17. What is transsection?

Occurs during harvesting of the donor hair or dissection of the grafts when follicles are accidentally cut by the blade, resulting in a loss of the hair, typically anywhere from 3-20% depending on technique. It is currently being debated how important this is since the latest cloning information shows most follicles should regenerate even if transsected.

18. Tell me what is allograft?

A graft is taken from one person and grafted to another (i.e. kidney transplant). Immunosuppressive agents must be used with allograft transplants so that the grafts are not rejected by the host.

19. What is donor Dominance?

The phenomenon discovered by the famed New York Dermatologist, Norman Orentriech, in the 1950s that when hair was transplanted from the back of the head into the balding frontal region would continue to grow and not be lost, i.e., the transplanted hair would maintain the characteristic of the donor site and not be influenced by the recipient site. This is the principle of modern hair restoration but is not entirely true as the recipient site can have some influence.

20. What is front of Scalp?

In surgical hair restoration, this term refers to the frontal portion of the scalp that includes the frontal hairline and the area immediately behind it. In a hair transplant, the greatest density is often placed in this region of the scalp. In an average person, the frontal area measures approximately 30-50 cm2.

21. What is post-Hair Transplant Effluvium?

Also referred to as shock loss, is shedding of some of the patient's existing hair in the area of the transplanted hair following a hair transplant procedure. The term does not refer to the shedding of the transplanted hair – which is almost universal. The shedding generally begins a few weeks after the hair transplant and can persist for three or four months.

22. What is graft?

A bundle of hairs that has been removed from the donor area of the scalp for transplant into the recipient zone.

23. What is slot Correction?

A random flap procedure developed by Patrick Frechet to correct remaining bald areas left over from procedures such as scalp extensions or median scalp reductions.

24. What is senile Alopecia?

A type of hair loss that naturally occurs with age. During the process of aging, both the duration of hair growth and the diameter of the hair follicle decrease, producing finer and shorter hairs. The process occurs over the entire scalp and tends to be more uniform than the changes of miniaturization associated with the effects of DHT. The exact mechanism of senile hair loss is unclear.

Download Interview PDF

25. What is hair Shaft?

The dead portion of the hair that protrudes from the surface of the skin. It is made predominantly of the protein keratin.