Used in the U.S. since the 1950s, hair transplantation is surgery that involves removing a narrow strip of hair-bearing scalp from the back of the head and using it to fill an area with thin or no hair.
Most hair transplants are performed in the doctor's office under local anesthesia.
To transplant hair, the surgeon first cleans the scalp, then injects an anesthetic to numb the area where a 3- to 4-inch strip of scalp will be removed. After removing the strip of scalp with a scalpel, the surgeon sets it aside and sews the scalp closed. This area is immediately hidden by the hair around it.
Next, the surgeon divides the strip of removed scalp into approximately 500 to 2,000 tiny grafts containing an individual hair or just a few hairs each. The number and type of graft used depends on the hair type, quality, and color as well as the size of the area where it will be transplanted.
After the grafts are prepared, the surgeon cleans and numbs the area where the hair will be placed, creates holes or slits with a scalpel or needle, and delicately places each graft in one of the holes.
Depending on the extent of the procedure, the transplant will take approximately four to eight hours. Additional sessions may be needed if you continue to lose hair or decide you want thicker hair.