Scarring After Hair Transplantation

I had a transplant at your L.A. Clinic in November 97. I have been reasonably happy with the results & would consider another transplant but I’m concerned about the scarring. Could you tell me what the extent of a 2nd transplant might have on the existing scar.

Thanks

Scarring is becoming less of a problem with the new method of closure we instituted a year and a half ago. Even for those who usually develop heavy scarring, we now have ways to treat these scars.

The new technique for preventing scars is what I call a modified fascial closure to the area where the scar might be a problem. I now use this technique in all of our patients. If a scar should occur, although it is rare with this new technique, we will attempt a scar revision (as the sole surgery without a hair transplant) at no charge. With a scar revision of any existing scar, the chances of improvement are as follows: 60-80% of patients will show some improvement, 50% will show a moderate-good improvement, 10% will show no improvement, 5% run a ‘risk’ of making the scar worse and 1-2% run the risk of making the scar much worse (although I have not seen that occur over the past 18 months or so since I perfected this new technique). The key to minimizing risk is to be conservative with the surgery, yet radical with the repair.

These are my three approaches to scars:

1. Scar revision with a modified fascial closures
2. Transplants into the scar with the Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) technique (this is applicable and can work well in almost all patients)
3. A balloon reduction (a radical approach to severe scarring usually caused by burns, car accidents, and following brain surgery)

With all of that said, I would doubt that scarring is a significant risk, but you can do a FOX Procedure (also known as FUE) which is removing one follicular unit at a time. The scarring is punctuate (small round 1mm wounds) that can only be seen if you shaved your head, but not with a close crew cut.

For more information on FUE / FOX Procedure, please see:

• FOX Procedure
• FOX Megasession
• Videos