Provider: Ronald J. Caniglia, M.D., F.A.C.S.
Procedure description: A procedure designed to restore hair to areas of thinning or baldness. The most common techniques involve mini and micro-graft techniques.
Best candidate: There are several factors that your surgeon will evaluate to determine who is a better candidate for hair transplantation surgery. Your surgeon will evaluate the age of the patient, the area of thinning, the skin-to-hair color match and the density of the donor area. This procedure can be performed on most patients, however some may be better candidates than others.
Location of the surgery: It is strongly recommended that any surgical procedure be performed in an accredited surgery center. Most hair transplantation surgeries are performed on an outpatient basis. All of my patients choose to have their surgery performed at The Plastic Surgery Center at Kierland (PSCK), located in The Caniglia Center. The PSCK is a state and Medicare licensed outpatient surgery center and is also AAAHC accredited.
Length of surgery: 2-3 hours.
Anesthesia: The preferred anesthesia is local with intravenous sedation (twilight sleep). Some facilities will perform these procedures under local anesthesia only.
Incision location: The donor site incision is placed in the posterior occiput of the scalp (back of the scalp).
Surgical technique: The donor site, posterior scalp is cleared for excision of three 1.5mm strips of hair bearing scalp. After adequate local anesthesia and sedation, a special knife is used that removes 3 strips of hair bearing scalp at a time. The strips are then stored in cool saline (water). The donor incision is then closed with one continuous suture. The three strips of hair bearing scalp are then separated and the individual hair follicles are separated and stored in cool saline. Once all the individual hairs have been separated they are ready to be placed in their recipient areas. A special instrument is used to create the recipient sites for the individual hairs. Using fine forceps, each hair is then placed in its recipient site. At the end of the procedure, the scalp is washed and a light gauze dressing is placed. The patient is then transferred to the recovery room.
Recovery: Most patients will feel fine the next day. The new hair grafts will go into a resting phase for 2-3 months, after which the hairs will begin to grow. It will take up to a year for each individual hair to grow and thicken in size.
Stitches removed: All sutures from the donor area are removed in 7 days.
Return to work: Many patients will return as early as the next day.
Return to exercise: It is best for patients to wait 2 weeks before undertaking strenuous activities.
Risks/complications: Risks are rare and may include bleeding, infection and poor hair growth.
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