Follicular Unit Hair Transplant Method Workup

  • Author: Marc R Avram, MD; Chief Editor: Dirk M Elston, MD   more...
 
Updated: Jan 25, 2012
 

Laboratory Studies

Women who present for hair transplantation should have a thorough history, physical examination, and, if needed, blood tests before undergoing the transplantation. The differential diagnosis for female-pattern hair loss includes telogen effluvium, rapid weight loss/poor nutrition, hormonal imbalance (most often due to thyroid dysfunction), polycystic ovarian syndrome, and iron, protein, or other nutrient deficiency.

No preoperative blood test is required for the procedure itself.

Proceed to Treatment & Management
 
 
Contributor Information and Disclosures
Author

Marc R Avram, MD  Dermatologist, Private Practice; Clinical Associate Professor of Dermatology, Department of Dermatology, Weill Medical College of Cornell University; Chief, Department of Dermatology, Long Island College Hospital

Marc R Avram, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Dermatology, American Society for Dermatologic Surgery, American Society for Laser Medicine and Surgery, and International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Specialty Editor Board

R Stan Taylor, MD  The JB Howell Professor in Melanoma Education and Detection, Departments of Dermatology and Plastic Surgery, Director, Skin Surgery and Oncology Clinic, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

R Stan Taylor, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Dermatology, American College of Mohs Surgery, American Dermatological Association, American Medical Association, American Society for Dermatologic Surgery, Christian Medical & Dental Society, and Society for Investigative Dermatology

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Richard P Vinson, MD  Assistant Clinical Professor, Department of Dermatology, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Paul L Foster School of Medicine; Consulting Staff, Mountain View Dermatology, PA

Richard P Vinson, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Dermatology, Association of Military Dermatologists, Texas Dermatological Society, and Texas Medical Association

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

John G Albertini, MD  Consulting Staff, Dermatologic Surgery, The Skin Surgery Center; Program Director, ACGME Accredited Fellowship in Procedural Dermatology

John G Albertini, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Dermatology and American College of Mohs Micrographic Surgery and Cutaneous Oncology

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Joel M Gelfand, MD, MSCE  Medical Director, Clinical Studies Unit, Assistant Professor, Department of Dermatology, Associate Scholar, Center for Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of Pennsylvania

Joel M Gelfand, MD, MSCE is a member of the following medical societies: Society for Investigative Dermatology

Disclosure: AMGEN Consulting fee Consulting; AMGEN Grant/research funds Investigator; Genentech Grant/research funds investigator; Centocor Consulting fee Consulting; Abbott Grant/research funds investigator; Abbott Consulting fee Consulting; Novartis investigator; Pfizer Grant/research funds investigator; Celgene Consulting fee DMC Chair; NIAMS and NHLBI Grant/research funds investigator

Chief Editor

Dirk M Elston, MD  Director, Ackerman Academy of Dermatopathology, New York

Dirk M Elston, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Dermatology

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Additional Contributors

The authors and editors of eMedicine gratefully acknowledge the contributions of previous author, Bobby Limmer, MD, to the development and writing of this article.

References

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  2. Orentreich N. Autografts in alopecias and other selected dermatological conditions. Ann N Y Acad Sci. Nov 20 1959;83:463-79. [Medline].

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  6. Sinclair R, Patel M, Dawson TL Jr, Yazdabadi A, Yip L, Perez A, et al. Hair loss in women: medical and cosmetic approaches to increase scalp hair fullness. Br J Dermatol. Dec 2011;165 Suppl 3:12-8. [Medline].

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  10. Seager D. Binocular stereoscopic dissecting microscoping-should we use them?. Hair Transplant Forum Int. 1996;6:2-5.

  11. Bunagan MJ, Pathomvanich D, Laorwong K. Recipient area folliculitis after follicular-unit transplantation: characterization of clinical features and analysis of associated factors. Dermatol Surg. Jul 2010;36(7):1161-5. [Medline].

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  13. Bradshaw W, Unger WP, Nordstrom REA, eds. Quarter-grafts: a technique for minigrafts. In: Hair Transplantation. 2nd ed. New York, NY: Marcel Dekker; 1988:333-51.

  14. Fujita K. Reconstruction of eyebrow. La Lepro. 1943;22:364.

  15. Limmer BL, Buchwach KA. Hair transplantation using follicular unit micrografting. Facial Plast Surg. 1999;7(4):523-35, viii.

  16. Marritt E. Single-hair transplantation for hairline refinement: a practical solution. J Dermatol Surg Oncol. Dec 1984;10(12):962-6. [Medline].

  17. Nordstrom REA. "Micrografts" for improvement of the frontal hairline after transplantation. Aesthetic Plast Surg. 1981;5:97-101.

  18. Norwood O. Follicular unit transplant. Hair Transplant Forum Int. 1998;8(2):10-11.

  19. Norwood O, Limmer BL. Advances in hair transplantation. Adv Dermatol. 1999;14:89-113; discussion 114. [Medline].

  20. Okuda S. [Clinical and experimental studies of transplantation of living hairs]. Jpn J Dermatol Urol. 1939;46:135-8.

  21. Stough DB 4th, Nelson BR, Stough DB 3rd. Incisional slit grafting. J Dermatol Surg Oncol. Jan 1991;17(1):53-60. [Medline].

  22. Tamura H. Pubic hair transplantation. Jpn J Dermatol. 1943;53:76.

  23. Uebel CO. Micrografts and minigrafts: a new approach for baldness surgery. Ann Plast Surg. Nov 1991;27(5):476-87. [Medline].

  24. Vallis CP. Surgical treatment of the receding hairline. Plast Reconstr Surg. Aug 1967;40(2):138-46. [Medline].

  25. Vallis CP. Surgical treatment of the receding hairline. Plast Reconstr Surg. Sep 1969;44(3):271-8. [Medline].

 
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Pattern VI alopecia before and after follicular unit micrografting.
Dorsal view of pattern V alopecia before and after approximately 2000 follicular unit micrografts.
Comparison of donor densities. Left donor has 72 follicular units per cm2; right donor has 134 units per cm2.
Donor ellipse and sutured donor site.
Margin of donor ellipse and follicular unit micrografts of 1, 2, and 3 hairs.
Eyebrow transplantation. Left is preoperative. Right is after 400 follicular unit micrografts.
Close-up view of frontal hairline before and after micrografts.
 
 
 
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