What is the difference between hair growth at 12 months and 18 months after hair transplant surgery? How much more hair growth can I expect?
This hair loss question was posted directly to Dr. Raymond Konior of Chicago, IL, who is a member of the Coalition of Independent Hair Restoration Physicians. See his professional answer below.
In my experience the final result for hair density following follicular unit grafting is seen around the one year mark. This is especially true for healthy first-time hair restoration patients who have the benefit of excellent blood circulation. Patients who have had prior procedures, especially those who have undergone minigrafting or old-fashioned hair plugs, tend to have more scar tissue and compromised circulation in the previous graft zones. These patients may take much longer to reach their peak density, in which case the 18 month result could look better than the 12 month result.
Another example where one may see a distinct difference between the 12 month and 18 month result is in those patients who develop a texture change in their hair during the early hair regrowth phase. The reason that a hair shaft assumes an altered texture following hair transplantation is poorly defined, but I believe it is related to the healing dynamics between the follicle and graft insertion site. Insertion openings for follicular unit grafts are typically less than 1 millimeter in length. Although this very small opening appears to heal very quickly, one has to understand that scar formation still occurs between the follicle and the scalp. After all, it is scar tissue that mends all soft tissue injuries. Even though the graft insertion site is a very small wound, the scarring process has the capacity to alter the physical characteristics of the follicle for some patients, in which case the result is a kinky or highly textured hair shaft.
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Hair Transplant Hair Growth Maturation and Healing Characteristics
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Read the full post (588 words, 1 image, estimated 2:21 mins reading time)Technorati Tags: hair growth, hair transplant, hair loss, hair density, follicular unit grafting, hair restoration, minigrafting, hair plugs, hair regrowth, hair shaft, hair transplantation, follicular unit grafts