For a number of years, hair transplant surgeons have used either metal staples or, more commonly, a running suture of Surgilene (or Nylon) to close the donor wound. However, neither type of closure was completely satisfactory.

Metal staples were uncomfortable and disliked by many patients and they often left a fine, but very distinct line in the donor area. On the other hand, Surgilene sutures (made of a non-absorbable, synthetic, mono-filament) were more difficult to remove. More importantly, when there was any wound tension, or if there was significant post-op edema, the running suture could strangulate follicles and result is localized hair loss around the suture line.

To minimize any potential loss of the hair that was incorporated within the running suture, hair restoration surgeons began to place the sutures closer to the wound edge. Although this minimized the amount of trapped hair, it also made the sutures even more difficult to remove, as they became buried within days after the procedure.

In an effort to produce the best and most comfortable results for the patients, hair transplant surgeons have tried using various absorbable sutures, such as Chromic and Vicryl. Unfortunately, these were also not perfect solutions, producing too much tissue inflammation. The fact that they did not need to be removed did not offset the increased risk of follicular damage from the inflammation.

A New Suture

At the American Academy of Dermatology Annual Meeting in 1997, Johnson and Johnson introduced a new absorbable suture called Monocryl. The suture, made of Poliglecaprone 25, a synthetic, monofilament suture was touted as being easy to tie, very strong and preserving most of its tensile strength for up to three weeks post-op. Most importantly, it was broken down by hydrolysis rather than needing an active inflammatory response of the body to degrade the suture. This seemed to be the answer to the problem.

Hair restoration centers started using 3-0 Monocryl in a running stitch, placing it relatively close to the wound edge. Doctors quickly learned that 4-0 and even 5-0 was sufficiently strong to hold the entire wound together. With the finer sutures, hair transplant surgeons could place the stitches as close to the wound edge as 1.5 mm and still obtain a secure closure.

One of the tricks doctors learned was that advancing the suture on the surface rather than under skin (as surgeons traditionally did) had two advantages. It minimized the amount of suture that crisscrossed the follicles under the skin and allowed the clipped hair at the edge of the wound (that the suture did cross over on the surface) to keep the sutures from becoming buried too quickly -- if at all. This new suture and suturing technique soon became the closure method of choice.

The Study

To test the usefulness of this new technique, hair transplant surgeons conducted a bilateral controlled study comparing staples to the new Monocryl sutures. Although 4-0 sutures were used in the study, the research also used the finer 5-0 as the work-horse diameter, as this allowed the most precise control of the wound edges and the least tissue reactivity.

In the study, hair transplant doctors made objective measurements on the dimensions of the resulting donor scars and took subjective responses from the patients in the study. The two groups were evaluated with regard to healing, post-operative discomfort, resultant surgical scar, and closure material preference.

The average scar width on the staples side measured 1.78mm compared to a 1.42 mm on the sutures side. Fourteen of the 22 patients in the study preferred Monocryl for future procedures; one preferred staples and 7 had no preference. Of those that preferred sutures, post-operative discomfort from the staples and the inconvenience and occasional pain associated with their removal was responsible for their decision.

Based on this study, many hair transplant surgeons now use Monocryl sutures for the majority of donor incision closures. However, some cases occasionally require the use of staples in select patients, particularly in those with very high hair density and loose scalps.

Dr. Bernstein is Clinical Professor of Dermatology and is recognized worldwide for pioneering Follicular Unit Hair Transplantation. Dr. Bernstein's hair restoration center in Manhattan performs hair transplant surgery and other hair restoration procedures. To read more publications on balding and hair loss, visit http://www.bernsteinmedical.com/.

Labels: hair replacement, hair restoration, hair transplant surgeons, hair transplant surgery

When you think of hair transplants what pops into your head? Strange-looking dots on some balding person’s head? Rip-offs? Misleading advertising? Is a hair transplant something you would never in a million years do to yourself, much less pay thousands of dollars for?

Well times have changed. The science of hair transplants has come a long way, baby. Just ask Dave Bratton, a married 48-year-old carpenter from New York City, who always had a pretty full head of hair. He was the last guy you’d think of who would ever even consider hair transplants or even think about hair transplant surgery. But he was concerned with his looks, there’s no doubting that and even though his Dad was mostly bald on top except for that tell-tale, u-shaped ring around the back of his head that he combed-over the top, David had a nice head of hair. It was one thing his wife always loved about him.

But David knew enough to know that you inherit your hair loss tendencies from your mother’s side of the family and his mother’s hair was perfectly fine, hardly even thinning at all, so he was feeling pretty confident about never having to think about hair transplants or hair transplant surgery like some of his balding friends. That is, until he hit his 40’s and he noticed his hairline receding at his temples and around his forehead. After that he became obsessed with how much hair he had or didn’t have and every day felt the top of his head to make sure all his hair was there and watched as his hairline receded more and more around his forehead. Around his 48th birthday he happened to read an article online about how hair transplants had changed and improved both scientifically and artistically over the years. He almost clicked right past it but something caught his eye and then the idea of a hair transplant didn’t seem so far-fetched.

After clicking around online, David learned that the technology and skill used in hair transplants had vastly improved. He found some hair transplant surgery doctor’s Websites who had described their newest advances in the procedures, their extensive training, board-certifications and even national and world-wide hair transplant associations that test and certify Medical Doctors who specialize in hair transplant surgery and provide hair transplants.

So, David made an appointment with a few hair transplant surgery facilities in his hometown and was surprised to find that there were several available. He had no idea how prevalent hair transplant surgery had become! At the first one he visited, he saw several men in the waiting room with different degrees of hair loss, similar to his and one guy who had lost most of the hair on the top/back part of his head. It was a huge bald spot. One man caught him staring and said, “My hair used to look just like that before my hair transplant!” and he whipped out some pictures of how his hair looked before and David saw that this guy’s hair had been receding far back from his face at the time the pictures were shot. But it didn’t look that way now! His hair looked perfectly perfect all around his face especially and at the top of his head too (in fact, when he first saw the guy sitting in the waiting room, David didn’t know WHY he was there at all!).

The guy introduced himself as Mark, a 42-year-old accountant, and explained that this hair transplant doctor whose waiting room they were in, performs a surgical technique called Follicular Unit Extraction where each hair follicle is removed and replaced under a microscope so that the end result is perfectly natural-looking, instead of big spotty plugs. Mark said that if you show the surgeon a picture of yourself with your full head of hair they can mimic your personal hairline exactly. David couldn’t wait to get started talking about his hair transplant surgery with this doctor and didn’t care at all how much money his new hair transplant would cost. He knew that having is hair back would be priceless!

Author Bio:
Travis M. Keeler is a hair loss expert with specialized knowledge of nonsurgical hair replacement and hair transplant surgery. For more information about the opportunities and pitfalls of hair replacement, please visit: Hair Replacement Video.

Labels: hair restoration, hair transplant surgery, hair transplants

Hair transplant is a successful form of hair loss treatment for men or women. It's one of very few forms that we can call a permanent solution.

The hair on the back and sides of your head is called donor hair, or glandular hair. Hair loss can be attributed to the attack of DHT on the hair follicle but your donor hair isn't affected by DHT and will continue to grow regardless of what's happening on the top of the scalp. Male hair loss can very stressful so it's good to hear a bit of good news every now and then.

If you're looking for a treatment without having to continually search every month for something better then transplant is the way to go but be wary. It can be expensive so be prepared to dig deep into the wallet but the results are impressive.

Good surgeons are hard to find these days and I have heard of many cases where people have paid good money for a botched surgery. Make sure you do your research. Don't be afraid to ask a surgeon how many procedures they've performed and be sure to check their reputation for that particular procedure. You are about to pay out an awful lot of money for a hair loss treatment so you are well within your rights to ask all the questions you want.

I know exactly what I'm talking about because I've been where you are. I started losing my hair when I was nineteen years old and I spent a lot of time looking around for a good treatment that actually works and after a time I found it. I have been through the best and the worst and poured over the internet gathering together some of the most relevant information for hair loss treatments.

I started my own website here: http://www.myhairsolutions.co.uk

Feel free to have a browse. I'm not trying to sell you anything on the site but just to give you some information on hair loss treatments before you jump in head first and sign up for something you may regret later in life.


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I started losing my hair when I was nineteen years old and decided to pass on the knowledge I gathered to you. I designed my own website here: http://www.myhairsolutions.co.uk

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Labels: hair loss, hair replacement, hair restoration, hair transplant surgery, hair transplants

Hair loss in both men and women can be a disheartening experience. Women especially find hair loss depressing and a factor contributing to lowering of self-esteem and self-confidence. With modern day lifestyles becoming more and more stressful, the count of people affected by premature hair loss is also increasing. Consequently, the number of hair loss treatment products has risen sharply. The market is flooded with hair oils, head massage oil, and drugs including anti-biotic. Some manufacturers even specialize in female hair loss treatment products. The remedies are many and the products numerous.

If you have tried all these methods to control hair fall and still not satisfied with the results, hair transplant surgery is the only and the best hair loss treatment for you. Most people find this as the most effective method for treating baldness. The procedure involves removing the scalp from a hair bearing portion such as the back of the head. It is then transplanted onto the bald area of the head. With advances in technology, this process has now become easy, convenient, and also affordable. You should be aware that this best hair loss treatment is more of a cosmetic procedure than a surgical one.

Before going for female hair loss treatment, you are required to go through an evaluation process. The surgeon has to ascertain the areas from where the follicle has to be removed and transplanted. The surgery process may consume several hours depending on the extent of baldness. First of all, antibacterial chemicals are used to treat the scalp. After this, the hair is shampooed. Then the actual surgery takes place. In this method of hair restoration, the surgeon does not increase the number of hair on your head. It merely re-arranges the hair by shifting their location. Follicles from the fertile portions such as side and back are removed and transplanted onto the bald portions. Always visit a hair transplant clinic equipped with the latest technologies. Also, make sure that the surgeon and his team are well qualified to give you the best hair loss treatment.
Anirban Bhattacharya

Myself webmaster of http://www.truedorin.com - a website for hair loss treatment , get female hair loss treatment done from hair restoration surgeon in New Jersey. H

Labels: hair loss, hair restoration, hair transplant surgery, hair transplants