What Is the Optimal Width of a Hair Transplant Strip Scar?

This question, from a member of our [tag]hair loss[/tag] social community and discussion forums, was answered by Coalition hair transplant surgeon Dr. Bijan Feriduni:

Dr. Feriduni, In your experience, how wide is the average hair transplant strip scar in mm?

A linear [tag]hair transplant[/tag] scar is always influenced by various factors and those factors are often decisive in the outcome of a linear scar, such as:

Patient factors:

• Patient’s age (in general better scar results in older patients)
• Smoking or non-smoking patient
• Diseases that influence wound healing, such as Diabetes, Ehler-Danlos syndrome etc.
• Previous surgeries

Surgical factors:

• Area/position of the linear strip
• Width of the linear strip – tension
• Suture technique (single, double layer suture technique, [tag]trichophytic closure[/tag] technique)
• Experience of the [tag]hair restoration[/tag] surgeon

Postoperative factors:

• Aftercare (infection, scabbing, etc.)
• Sports (weight lifting)

In general and under ideal conditions, a linear scar will be between 1mm and 4mm in width and invisible when the hairs are buzzed in grade 2-3. In case of a full buzz cut a linear scar will always be visible, even when the outcome is optimal, due to the scar tissue and difference in skin structure.

Kindest regards,

Dr. Bijan Feriduni
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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.