HAIR TRANSPLANTATION TERMS YOU SHOULD KNOW
We all know hair transplant therapies are a great way to get rid of the stress and anxiety associated with hair loss. In the middle of your hair transplant consultation, what if the doctor starts using terms that are completely foreign to you? Though medical professionals try to simplify these terms as much as possible, complex language may be required to describe a medical procedure.
In this article, we aim to help familiarize you with commonly used hair-transplant terminology so you’ll be able to go into your appointment with a better understanding of the information that will be provided to you.
Androgenetic Alopecia
Also referred to as male pattern baldness, androgenetic alopecia is the most common reason for hair loss in males. This condition is hereditary, and the genetic vulnerability of hair follicles is the primary reason behind it. The crown, the middle, and frontal areas of the scalp are affected in androgenetic alopecia resulting in a U-shaped pattern of hair loss.
Miniaturization
Hair miniaturization refers to thinning of the hair follicles that results in baldness or a receding hairline. DHT (dihydrotestosterone) is a hormone that affects the hair follicle [1] causing a steady reduction in hair shaft diameter and length. Densitometry is used to detect early phases of miniaturization. It’s critical to analyze the degree of miniaturization on the back and sides of the scalp when assessing a patient for hair transplant surgery to ensure that the donor area is permanent.
Autograft
A hair procedure of autografting entails hair transplantation using tissue from your own body and moving it to another. The follicular-unit transplant is an autograft since it takes a piece of tissue from the back of your head and plants it to a foreign location in the area of loss, or the eyebrows and beard.
Allograft
A graft obtained from one person and transplanted to another is known as an allograft, just like a kidney transplant. After an allograft hair transplant, you’re given medications to suppress your immunity, encouraging your body to accept the grafts. This is not used during transplantation due to the suppression requirements.
Male and Female Pattern Baldness
Male and Female pattern baldness is genetic hair loss defined by widespread patterned hair loss and/or hair thinning of the scalp. This condition presents differently in men and women. This is just a layman’s term for androgenetic alopecia.
Club Hair or Telogen Hair
Club hair means hair that has reached the end of its growth cycle or that is in the telogen (resting) phase. Its club-like roots anchor it to the skin. However, each club hair will ultimately fall out and be replaced by a new developing hair.
Camouflage
In hair transplant surgery, camouflage is achieved by placing small grafts (micrografts or follicular units) in front of bigger ones to make them appear more natural. [2]
Alopecia Reduction
Alopecia reduction surgery involves removing balding scalp tissue and replacing it with hair-covered scalp tissues. This therapy has been used to treat male pattern baldness (androgenic alopecia) since the mid-1970s, and it can also treat cicatricial alopecia, which is hair loss because of scalp scarring. Alopecia reduction can be done on its own or in conjunction with other hair transplant procedures. This procedure is not very common due to the advancement of surgical technologies during FUE and FUT.
Follicular Unit Transplant
Follicular unit dissection is a type of hair transplant in which naturally existing single follicular units are removed wholly from a strip of donor tissue. The transplantation process is done through surgery. A dissecting stereomicroscope with a magnification of at least 5 to 10 times is used to separate the follicular-unit grafts.
Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE)
Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) is a process that involves removing single follicular units from the donor region. This procedure is less invasive, heals faster, and it’s the choice option for those who wish to wear short hair styles, such as a fade.
Graft
In hair restoration, a graft is the follicular unit that is being transplanted from the lower scalp near the nape of the neck and midline ears, known as the donor region, and transplanted to thinning or balding areas. Micrografting (one to two) and minigrafting (three to five hairs) are the most common types. [2]
Hair Economics
Hair economics is a theory that claims that there is only a finite or diminishing quantity of hair, but when balding patterns emerge, the demand for hair grows. [2]
Alopecia senile
Alopecia senile is a kind of hair loss that starts as you age. It generally begins after the age of 50. The time of hair development and the diameter of the hair follicle both decrease with age, resulting in finer and shorter hair. The process happens throughout the whole scalp and is more uniform than the miniaturization changes associated with DHT’s hormonal impacts. The specific cause of senile hair loss is attributed to several different body mechanics and healing priorities shifting as you age.
Tissue Extender
A tissue extender is a device for stretching the scalp’s tissues. Stretching the sides of the skull that contain hair to promote speedy removal of balding regions is a common way to accelerate the process of scalp reductions. The tissue extender is placed temporarily beneath the scalp and left intact for three weeks.
Incisional Slit-Graft
Incisional slit graft is an upgraded hair transplant procedure. Classical punch grafting uses fewer grafts, whereas incisional slit grafting uses a higher number of smaller grafts. This procedure preserves the blood supply, which leads to a higher graft yield. It results in a more natural frontal hairline. [3]
So there you have it. We hope that breaking down these medical terminologies will make you even more comfortable and prepared when discussing treatment options with your doctor. Now you won’t skip a beat the next time you hear one of them, whether during a consultation or elsewhere.
Meanwhile, if you have any hair-related queries or you’re weighing your hair transplant treatment options, go ahead and schedule a free consultation with MAXIM’s professional medical team. We’re ready to help with all of your hair transplant needs.
Footnotes
1. Jewell, Tim. (2019). What You Need to Know About DHT and Hair Loss. https://www.healthline.com/health/dht
2. International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery. (2002). Glossary. https://ishrs.org/patients/glossary/
3. Stough 4th, D. B.; Nelson, B. R.; Stough 3rd., D. B. (1991). Incisional slit grafting. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/1991881/
