I am worried about the hair transplant damaging the hairs in the thinning area

A good surgeon can keep the recipient making instrument apart from the normal native hairs which he/she should be able to see when the recipient area sites are made.? Magnification and good lighting during the surgery allows the surgeon to see every existing hair without shaving the head. If you have it done with the robot with site making, the head must be shaved and then the robot watches out of the existing native hair, just as a surgeon would do.