Treating Small Patchy Areas of Hair Loss with Hair Transplant Surgery?

This question, from a member of our hair loss social community and discussion forums, was answered by Coalition hair transplant surgeon Dr. David Josephitis: 

I’ve previously posted, with regards to getting a [tag]hair transplant[/tag], and in looking through the [tag]hair loss[/tag] forums over the last few months, it seems the best candidates are those that have had quite a bit of hair loss.

In my own case I’ve got thinning in the crown, probably the diameter of a potato crisp, and some loss in the temples but generally have a full head of hair. I was reluctant to try [tag]Rogaine[/tag] as when you stop the hair falls out.. and [tag]Propecia[/tag] because of the side effects. So I considered a HT.. I’m 45 at the moment.

So my question is, given the fact that implanting in areas where there is diffuse loss, causes shock loss, and you get shock loss in donor areas, for people who mostly have a full head of hair. Is getting a few patches treated, something that causes more damage than benefit? Any input would be much appreciated.

People can have a hair transplant for a variety of reasons. Some, as you mention, get [tag]hair restoration[/tag] surgery they have had much loss. In these patients, the results can be quite dramatic. Others, get a procedure when they have some [tag]thinning hair[/tag] that is mainly not yet noticeable to the casual observer. These patients don’t want to go through that “thin” phase. Others like yourself with just small areas of loss wish to improve on those areas. While the overall change may not be as impressive as my first example, the difference is definitely welcomed by the patient.

One concern by doing a small session as you are discussing is that if you have any more hair loss, you will need to continue with additional surgeries in order to avoid an unnatural looking phase.

Yes, there is some concern of [tag]shock loss[/tag] after surgery. This is usually in the recipient area and, in my experience, usually occurs in patients with the diffuse thinning.

Dr. David Josephitis
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David

Editorial Assistant and Forum Co-Moderator for the Hair Transplant Network, the Coalition Hair Loss Learning Center, and the Hair Loss Q & A Blog.