Where does the hair come from in a hair transplant?

 

If you are at the start of your hair transplant journey then you are still researching about the process. There are so many questions such as ‘where does the hair come from for hair transplants?’

Another question we are frequently asked is does the hair grow back when it has been taken out in a hair transplant?

 

Let’s try to answer both of these questions .

When you have a hair transplant there are two areas the hair loss area and the area where the hair is taken to fill the balding area.

The area that the hair is taken from is called the donor area.

 

What is the donor area?

 

This is found at the back of your head above the neck. This is the last hair that will remain in balding men according to the Norwood scale. If you have a thick healthy area of hair then you are in a good position.

If you have a lot of hair at the back of the head it means that this can be removed and then inserted into the balding areas. Hair consists of individual hairs called follicles which are found in multiples called grafts.

 

How is the hair taken from the donor area?

 

There are two methods, FUT and FUE. The FUT method will involve taking a strip of hair from the donor area. Each hair graft is trimmed and then implanted into the balding areas. This method will leave a permanent scar where the strip has been removed. As the hair grows over the strip the scar will become less visible.

The second method is the most popular and newest method .

It is called FUE surgery. It involves removing each hair graft individually and inserting them into the balding areas.

The hair tissue is firstly trimmed using a microscope. It is then placed into the balding area, which is the final step in the process. This is a highly skilled part of surgery and is crucial.Poor placement of grafts can lead to bad results due to damaged grafts.

The donor area can become depleted by removing too many hairs. If it’s dense enough you are lucky. You will have enough hairs to cover your donor area.

The truth is that as at its your own hair it is completely natural hair.

Read more about FUE hair transplant surgery and FUT hair transplant surgery here.

 

Will my hair grow back when it has been extracted from the donor area?

 

The answer is no it will not grow back. Our expert FUE surgeon explains it like this. If you pull a plant out by the roots and replant it into another area it will grow. But the area you have taken it from will not regrow the plant. Each hair graft is a organ in itself with its own blood supply.

 

What if there is not enough hair in the donor area?

 

For some patients the hair loss is so great we cannot fill the balding area. There is not enough donor hair. If this is the case there is the option of using your body hair. This is only if your body hair is suitable. A consultation will determine if this can be used. It can be taken from your chest area but has to be thick and coarse. It can be combined with your own donor area from the head to give greater density.

However, there is another option if you have a poor donor area.If you’re generally happy with a short-haired shaved look SMP can create the appearance of a shaved hair look. This is called Scalp Micropigmentation. It easily carried out by with a trained person . This may also be used on scars but needs an expert in the field as this can go badly wrong. The ink can spread out and look very unsightly on scars.

SMP

SMP is like having a tattoo.

The tiny colour matched dots to recreate your shaven hair are tattooed into the dermal part of your skin. This is done using a pigment device which has needles.The pigment is distributed carefully colour matched dots cover hair loss area. Scalp Micropigmentation will give the look of a shaved head of hair.

The inks do fade and this will need to be redone every year.

To research more about how to find the best hair transplant clinic which is value for money read our guide here.

 

 

We’ve helped thousands of patients. To find out more about  male and female hair loss treatments visit our page here.

If you would like to talk to us about hair transplant or you have any concerns about your hair loss please do get in touch with us  and book a consultation click here for no-obligation advice with our surgeon in his hair transplant clinic London Harley Street.

Farzana

The Clinic Manager