Hollywood has long transformed simple human misgivings and imagination into fantastical stories of adventure and, at times, even horror. Today, we want to take a tongue-in-cheek approach to movies dealing with scary subjects, which coincidentally resemble the language used in hair transplantation. Hair transplantation is not scary at all, but October is a great time for these kinds of movies to capture our imagination, or fuel our bad dreams. (*Watch movies at your own discretion*)
Follicular Unit Transplantation (FUT)
Movies – The Fly (1959 and 1986) and the Star Trek movies (1979-2016) use teleportation, which is the transplanting of an object (or people) through space, sometimes with dire consequences. It has always been a dream for humans to bypass the time element when traveling, to simply step onto a platform and appear hundreds or millions of miles away in an instant. That’s a lot of atoms to rearrange.
Real meaning – FUT, also known as the strip method, involves removing a strip of scalp from the donor area, from which individual hair follicles are harvested. These follicles are then transplanted to the recipient area. The area from which the strip was removed is stitched back together, leaving a linear scar. FUT is often chosen over FUE (Follicular Unit Excision) for its ability to transplant a large number of grafts in a single session. It has many other benefits over FUE as well.
Shock Loss
Movies – Frankenstein (1931) and Re-Animator (1985) breathe life back into dead tissue through the use of shock/electricity/lightning. The fantasy of bringing something back from the dead has been instilled in us as humans because we all know that loss inevitably comes our way. If we could regenerate ourselves, would we? And a side question – would we come back as zombies?
Real meaning – Shock loss refers to the temporary shedding of hair that can occur after a hair transplant procedure. This shedding happens when the transplanted hair follicles enter a resting phase due to the trauma of the surgery. Although it can be alarming, shock loss is usually temporary, with hair growth resuming within a few months as the follicles recover.
Hair Cloning
Movies – Mickey 17 (2024), Jurassic Park (1993), and Us (2019) find ways to clone characters, including dinosaurs, which are more terrifying than our worst nightmares. While those are works of fiction, cloning became a reality back in 1996, when a sheep named Dolly was born/created. A nucleus was taken from an adult sheep cell and placed into an empty egg cell from another sheep, and Dolly was born 5 months later. There were cries of outrage, wonderment, curiosity, and eventually an agreement that the discovery should not be used to clone humans. Fingers crossed.
Real meaning – Hair cloning is an experimental technique that involves harvesting and multiplying hair follicle cells in a laboratory, which are then re-implanted into the scalp to grow new hair. While this technique holds promise for future hair restoration solutions, it is still in the research phase and not yet available as a commercial treatment.
Donor Area
Movies – Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956 and 1978) and The Thing (1951 and 1982) both have great remakes, featuring a “host” that receives DNA from unsuspecting donors, who are then replicated to look like exact copies. They do this through body snatching or the sped-up evolution of a parasite. This is used to incite confusion and terror when the characters cannot distinguish the real McCoy from the duplicate. This one is among the scarier tropes because it prompts us to ask the question, “Am I even the real me?!”
Real meaning – The donor area is the region of the scalp from which hair follicles are harvested during a hair transplant. This area is typically located at the back or sides of the head, where hair is more resistant to thinning and balding. The health and density of hair in the donor area are crucial factors in determining the success of a hair transplant procedure.
Stitches (Sutures) and Staples
Movies – Frankenstein (1931) is a very recognizable “creature” made using stitches (and bolts) for a macabre creation. The mad scientist turns out to be as resourceful as he is imaginative and crazy.
Real meaning – Stitches and staples are used to close the donor area after a strip of scalp is removed during an FUT hair transplant. The choice between stitches and staples depends on the surgeon’s preference and the patient’s specific circumstances. Stitches are usually removed about 7-10 days after the surgery.
Staples are preferred by some surgeons because they can reduce tension on the wound edges, potentially leading to a finer, less noticeable scar. These are typically removed after a week or two, during a follow-up appointment. Proper care and attention during the healing process are crucial to minimize scarring.
Low-Level Laser Therapy
Movies – War of the Worlds (1953 and 2005) and Honey, I Shrunk the Kids (1989). War of the Worlds is an invasion film in which aliens, who are far more technologically advanced, use lasers that can vaporize matter, including humans, in order to get what they want.
Honey, I Shrunk the Kids is a family adventure film that is included here because lasers are used to accidentally shrink humans, which can be scary to a person who is now only 1/4″ tall. Imagine how terrifying spiders or insects would be if they were hundreds of times larger than us. That’s easy to imagine because it’s the exact plot of Earth vs. The Spider (1958), Them! (1954), and Tarantula (1955). These are great science-fiction B-movies that are worth a watch.
Real meaning – Low-Level Laser Therapy is a non-invasive treatment using low-level laser light to stimulate hair follicles and promote hair growth. This therapy is believed to increase blood flow to the scalp and enhance the delivery of nutrients to the hair follicles. Laser hair therapy is often used as a complementary treatment to enhance the effects of other hair restoration procedures.
Scalp Micropigmentation (SMP)
Movies – Memento (2007) is the story of a man who suffers from short-term memory loss who needs to use tattoos to help him remember important “facts” in his life. The film The Illustrated Man (1969) tells the story of a carnival worker whose body is covered with tattoos that tell the sometimes bleak, but always stressful, future.
Real meaning – Scalp Micropigmentation is a non-surgical procedure that involves the application of specialized pigments to the scalp to mimic the appearance of a closely-shaved head or to add density to thinning hair. This technique is similar to tattooing, but it uses smaller needles and pigments designed to replicate the appearance of hair follicles. SMP is often used to enhance the appearance of hair density or to camouflage scars from previous hair transplant surgeries.
It’s Okay To Open Your Eyes Now
Here’s something really scary – knowing you have choices to regain your hairline…. but not taking any action! We’re here to help at Advanced Medical Hair Institute with whatever you choose. Dr. Joseph Williams has over 15 years of experience and will consult with you to provide options tailored to your individual case, as you may or may not be a suitable candidate for a full hair transplant. If that’s the case, he will give you other options. We are not here to scare you into anything, just to give you professional advice for your needs. Contact us today.
