Hair Transplant (Hair Restoration)

As for now Hair Restoration has been proven to be the only effective method for patients experiencing hair loss. As various methods are recently being performed worldwide with outstanding results it will be necessary to summarize the latest and most effective techniques.

Strip Technique

Being performed by numerous hair surgeons until now the FUT – Follicular Unit Hair Transplant features a method to restore hair on balding areas by simply cutting out a strip of the scalp from the donor area being marked as the safe and permanent zone for hair follicles which are not susceptible to DHT and inherited balding.

The hair surgeon is using a blade to extract a wedge of tissue which is then being prepared under a microscope for the transition to the recipient site. Most patients are undergoing a scalp biopsy before scheduling a procedure since the final number of grafts (hair follicles) and the laxity of the skin have to be examined prior to the surgery. The scalpel being used by the doctor will slice out a wedge of tissue containing an estimated number of hair follicles. Depending on the individual predisposition and the number of follicles needed the size differs from patient to patient. The wound being left behind will lately be closed with surgical sutures.

As hair grows in natural groupings of about 1 to 4/5 follicles each (follicular units) the tissue will be dissected into the number of grafts being used for the relocation process. The recipient site will then be prepared for the placing of the grafts. In most cases the Lateral-Slit-Technique is performed for the replacement of follicles. Another number of hair surgeons uses needles varying with a different gauge. Eventually all extracted grafts need to be delicately placed in the prepared incisions with accuracy and precision by the operating physician.

During the extraction process of a conventional strip surgery a linear scar on the back of the patient´s head will be left behind. The size will range in a different way depending on the size of the tissue being cut off and the individual skin laxity of the patient. As this marks a drawback with many patients hair have to be carried longer for the rest of the life-time in order to publicly disguise the scar.

Single Extraction – Non-Strip Hair Transplant > FUE (Follicular Unit Exraction)

The latest alternative to prevent scarring at the wreath of the scalp can be considered as a state-of-the-art technique for hair transplant. With FUE – Follicular Unit Extraction – every hair folllicle will be extracted individually from the donor area. No linear scar is made on the patient´s scalp as no scalpel is needed. The Follicular Unit Extraction technique allows to pick single grafts from a larger and much wider area of the horseshoe-shaped fringe of the scalp being exclusively chosen by the surgeon for the transplant. This method is proven as minimally invasive and is efficiently reducing the recovery time of the patient since no sutures are needed and only little, nearly invisible crusts will be left for a short period of time after the procedure.

Dr. John P. Cole´s latest inventions are based on the FUE-method displaying an advanced standard for hair transplant instruments. Dr. Cole has personally been involved in the development of precision instruments leading to his personal hair transplant technique CIT ® (Cole Isolation Technique).

Patients can migrate back to their daily life much faster and easier than with other methods as only finest and accurate instruments are used for the harvesting process. A punch will help to extract the grafts (follicles) individually after numbing the patient´s donor area. The mechanical functionality can differ from the clinic being scheduled. As manual punches have been proven to be effective for the extraction process many surgeons still trust their personal skills and continue to harvest follicles manually. As this method is very time-consuming a regular session will feature a daily workload of about 1000 – 2000 grafts only. Motorized punches will rise the extraction rate and offer a faster and higher yield during the extraction process.