Hair Transplant Surgery
Step by Step - Recipient Area (RA)
What
is the Recipient Area (RA) or transplanted
area?
It is the bald area that will receive the
hair follicles removed from the donor area
(DA).
Upon
evaluating the RA, the surgeon must carefully
analyze the probable progression of hair loss
in that specific case.
This is done so that the areas likely to experience
hair loss in the future are identified.
The
analysis is done taking into consideration
age, degree of balding, family background
(going back 2-3 generations) of hair loss,
and, most importantly, a microscopic analysis
of the patient’s scalp.
See, for example, the two photos below. They
are of a father and his son, with a twenty
year age difference. The son may not realize
this, but likely his hair loss will progress.
Therefore, we must be prudent and not bring
his front hairline down too low in the hair
transplant, as we would run the risk in the
future of having a low hairline without recession
in the corners, but thin and unaesthetic.
| It is much better,
much more aesthetic, to have a smaller
area of transplanted hairs with recession
in the corners, but dense, than to have
a larger area of transplanted hair but
diffuse (thin hair coverage). |
The
same number of grafts distributed in areas
of different size. Note in the photo on the
left, how the density is much greater because
the area that received a transplant is smaller,
as the follicular units (FUs) were transplanted
more closely to one another.
Therefore, remember:
It is much better and much more aesthetic
to have a smaller transplanted area with
higher temporal recession, but dense,
than to have a larger area (with a lower
frontline) and diffuse (low) coverage.
Before designing the most appropriate
strategy remember: hair loss is a progressive
process. |
Marking
the Recipient (transplanted) Area
Marking should be unique to the individual,
taking into consideration: the size of the
bald area, the study and forecast of future
hair loss progression, and, primarily, the
Donor Area (DA) vs. Recipient Area (RA) ratio.
It is our point of view that this is one of
the most important steps in surgery.
Marking the frontline (FL), the first line
to receive the transplants, should be designed
in accordance with the type of face and balding.
As the donor area is finite, we have given
preference to designs with accentuated temporal
recession. This makes it possible to reduce
the recipient area and, consequently, permit
greater volume and density of the hairs that
will grow after the transplant. The result
is a combination of much more naturalness,
without changing the physiognomy and with
density.
|
