Both men and women can develop thinning hair over time. In the otherwise healthy patient, there are limited options for hair loss. Minoxidil or Rogaine® may be of value to help retain hair in both men and women who are losing hair. Occasionally, hair growth may be induced by Rogaine. For men only, Propecia® has been shown to aid in hair retention and hair regrowth.
Hair transplantation is a simple procedure where hair in dense areas of scalp are removed and transplanted into areas of thinning hair. First, a strip of hair is removed from the back of the scalp. The scalp skin is then stitched back together. The strip of many hair follicles is divided into grafts consisting of one to three hair follicles. Small slits are made in a random pattern in the thinning areas of the scalp to be the hair graft recipient site. Next, the 1-3 hair grafts are inserted one-by-one into each recipient site. Once all recipient sites are filled with hair grafts, the transplantation procedure is complete.
Over 95% of the transplanted hair grafts will survive and show growth 2-3 months after the transplant surgery. A second session of hair transplantation to provide increased density may be recommended 6 months after the first surgery.
