Plastic Surgery

Plastic Surgery

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HAIR REPLACEMENT SURGERY

 
Hair replacement surgery is done to fill in balding areas with a patient's own hair. There are a variety of techniques, including scalp reduction, tissue expansion, strip grafts, scalp flaps, or clusters of punch grafts (plugs, miniplugs, and microplugs). Surgery generally takes approximately 1 to 3 hours, and some techniques may require multiple procedures over 18 months or more. The procedures are usually outpatient with local anesthesia with sedation.  Flaps and tissue expansion may be done with general anesthesia. Side effects include a temporary achy, tight scalp, and there may be an unnatural look in the early stages. Risks include an unnatural look, infection, excessive scarring, failure to "take", and loss of scalp tissue and/or transplanted hair. Most patients are able to return to work in 2 to 5 days and to more strenuous activities in 10 days to 3 weeks.  The results are permanent; however, it may take 18 months or more to achieve the final desired look, depending on the procedure. Learn more about hair replacement surgery.
 
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Page Updated 05/18/2012