The Basics of a Hair Transplant Surgery. 

Human hair emerges from the scalp in small bundles called follicular units that consist of about 1-4 (full thickness) hair follicles, plus 1-2 finer hairs, oil glands, a small muscle, tiny nerves, blood vessels and a band of collagen.  On the surface of the scalp, the tiny groups of hairs appear to grow together but when viewed under a microscope, individual follicular units can be seen as well-formed structures under the skin.

With hair transplantation surgery, small groups of follicles are carefully removed from a donor site.  Typically, hair is removed from the area in the back of the scalp where hair loss has not been affected by DHT. The doctor divides the follicular units into naturally occurring groups, removing and discarding the excess fatty tissues and skin.  These small grafts are then meticulously inserted into the bald or thinning areas of the scalp.  Once inserted, the transplanted hairs do not need suturing, as the sites heal quickly and then soon become undetectable once the new hair begins to grow.



What happens during and after the surgery?



​Hair transplant procedures take approximately 6-10 hours and are performed using local or "twilight" anesthesia, on an out-patient basis.  Depending upon the degree of hair loss and desired density, the transplantation may involve one to three procedures involving approximately 700-3,500 grafts each.  During the procedure, there is typically little or no pain.  In fact, most patients remain awake and can talk, listen to music or watch movies and television. 



Some people are concerned with how they will look after the surgery.  Often, a light bandage/dressing will be placed on the scalp in order to keep the grafts snug and secure overnight.  In most cases, it is removed the next day.  Although there may be some initial redness and swelling as small crusts from on the grafts, these are shed approximately 10-14 days after the procedure.  Most patients resume normal activities, such as work, the next day.  The hair can be cleaned gently with a special shampoo, and after your first shower, no further bandages are required.



The transplanted hair seen above the scalp will initially shed. However, the roots will remain dormant for approximately 6-12 weeks, after which the new hairs will begin to grow.  After a period of four to six months, 90-100% of the grafts which were transplanted will blend perfectly with the surrounding scalp.  The transplanted hair will continue to grow for a lifetime.





Follicular Unit Transplantation



Follicular Unit Transplantation (or FUT) is the most progressive method of hair transplantation available today. It is one of two hair transplant procedure used by the Chicago Hair Transplant Clinic to ensure the most natural, consistent and permanent solution to hair loss. 



Human hair emerges from the scalp in small bundles called follicular units  that consist of about 1-4 terminal (full thickness) hair follicles, plus 1-2 finer hairs, oil glands, a small muscle, tiny nerves, blood vessels and a band of collagen.  On the surface of the scalp, the tiny groups of hairs appear to grow together, but when viewed under a microscope, individual follicular units, can be seen as well-formed structures under the skin.



With a follicular unit transplantation procedure, tissue is harvested from the area in the back of the scalp where hair loss has not occurred as the hair in this area is typically not affected by DHT.   The doctor divides the follicular units into naturally occurring groups, removing and discarding excess fatty tissues and skin.  These small grafts are then meticulously inserted into the bald or thinning area of the scalp.  Once inserted, the transplanted hairs do not need suturing, heal quickly, and soon become quickly undetectable once the new hair begins to grow.



With detailed planning, individual consideration and an aesthetic approach, Dr. Panine, uses the follicular unit method to carefully place small grafts of hair at specific angles, depths, directions and widths, allowing the restoration of your original hair pattern.  Their result is a natural, unnoticeable and permanent solution to your hair loss.





Follicular Unit Extraction


While the single-strip method requires sutures, the FUE method does not. Holes left behind after the follicles have been removed, typically heal on their own within a week.  Either method leaves minimal scarring, which is normally not detectable once your hair grows out.

In order to prepare hair follicles for transplantation, the doctor must microscopically remove small groups of hair (follicular units) from a donor site; typically from an area in the back of the scalp where hair loss has not been affected by hormones. Unlike the single-strip method, where an entire donor tissue area is harvested using a scalpel-like blade, follicular unit extraction (FUE) removes hair through a series of small punches. These punches score the skin and mid-dermis to a level of about 1 mm around each follicular unit.  The hairs are then gently extracted, one-by-one, from within the punch area and are either used intact or divided microscopically into smaller units for transplantation.

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Since each hair loss problem is unique, a consultation can best assess your individual hair loss solution and help determine the best available treatment options.