Hair transplant surgery has become an increasingly popular solution for hair loss in recent years. It involves removing healthy hair follicles from the donor area of the scalp, usually the back or sides of the head, and transplanting them into the balding or thinning areas of the scalp. The goal of a hair transplant is to restore the natural-looking appearance of the hair and improve the patient’s self-esteem and quality of life.
However, as with all cosmetic procedures, risks are involved. Not all hair transplant surgeries are the same, and one of the reasons for this is hair transection. Hair transection occurs when hair follicles are accidentally cut or damaged during the harvesting process, which can significantly affect the success of a hair transplant. We will explore what hair transection is, how it can affect a hair transplant, and what steps can be taken to minimize it.
What is Hair Transection?
Hair transection is a term used in hair transplant surgery to describe the accidental cutting or damage of hair follicles during the harvesting process. The harvesting process involves removing healthy hair follicles from the donor area of the scalp using specialized tools such as punches or blades. The hair follicles are then carefully transplanted into the recipient area of the scalp, where they will continue to grow and produce hair.
Hair transection can occur for several reasons. One of the most common reasons is the use of inappropriate or inadequate tools during the harvesting process. For example, if a punch or blade is too large or too sharp, it can cut through the hair follicle, damaging or destroying it in the process. Similarly, if the tool is not positioned correctly, it can cause unnecessary trauma to the surrounding tissues, leading to hair follicle damage.
Another common cause of hair transection is the lack of experience or skill of the surgeon or technician performing the procedure. Hair transplant surgery is a highly specialized and technical procedure that requires a high level of skill and experience to perform successfully. A surgeon or technician who is inexperienced or poorly trained may not have the necessary skills to extract hair follicles without damaging them, resulting in hair transection.
How Does Hair Transection Affect a Hair Transplant?
The impact of hair transection on a hair transplant depends on the number of follicles that are damaged or cut during the procedure. The more hair follicles that are lost, the less dense and natural-looking the hair transplant will be. If a large number of follicles are damaged, the procedure may need to be repeated, which can be costly, time-consuming and cause the donor area to become unnecessarily large.
The success of a hair transplant procedure is determined by several factors, including the number of healthy hair follicles transplanted, the quality of the hair follicles, and the skill of the surgeon performing the procedure. Hair transection can significantly affect each of these factors, making it more difficult to achieve a successful hair transplant.
One of the main effects of hair transection is a reduction in the number of healthy hair follicles available for transplantation. If a significant number of hair follicles are damaged or destroyed during the harvesting process, there may not be enough healthy hair follicles available to achieve the desired level of hair density in the recipient area of the scalp.
In addition, hair follicles that have been damaged or cut during the harvesting process are much less likely to survive the transplantation process and also less likely to grow if they do survive. Hair follicles are delicate structures that require careful handling to ensure their survival. If a hair follicle is damaged or cut during the harvesting process, it may not survive the transplantation process, resulting in a failed hair transplant or unacceptable results.
Next time we will discuss the factors that increase the risk of transections and how to minimize them, along with a deeper look at how they could show up in FUE and FUT methods.
