Surgical Hair Restoration
Follicular unit extraction, follicular unit graft, follicular unit micrografting, and etc.
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- FOLLICULAR UNIT: A follicular unit is a naturally occurring grouping of one, two, or three (and rarely, four) hair follicles found in the skin. The average follicular unit contains about 2.4 hairs.
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- FOLLICULAR UNIT EXTRACTION (FUE or FOX): Follicular Unit Extraction is a method of extracting single follicular units, one at a time, from the donor site by using a tiny punch excision. A punch used to extract single follicular units is typically 1mm diameter or less.
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- FOLLICULAR UNIT GRAFT: A graft consisting of a single follicular unit. In appropriate patients, artistic planning – in addition to the correct angulation, orientation, and positioning of follicular unit grafts – can yield an exceptionally “natural” appearance of the transplanted hair.
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- FOLLICULAR UNIT MICROGRAFTING: A method by which large numbers of follicular units are harvested from the donor site (usually in a long strip or ellipse) and then microscopically dissected into grafts containing single follicular units.
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- MICROGRAFT: A graft containing 1 or 2 hairs, obtained from the donor area with a micropunch or sliced off from a round graft (see below). A micrograft is typically placed into holes made in the scalp with a microneedle or punch.
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- MINIGRAFT: A graft containing 3 or 4 hairs (small minigraft) or 5 or 6 hairs (large minigraft). There are many variations of minigrafts derived from round grafts.
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- MULTI-UNIT GRAFTS (MUG): Grafts that contain two or more follicular units in a single graft. This term replaces the older “minigraft”. In practice today, MUGs contain 2-6 follicular units per graft.
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- MULTI-UNIT GRAFTING: Hair transplantation using multi-unit grafts. In practice, these grafts may be placed into small round holes, slots, or slits. This would always be in combination with the use of FUT in the same procedure.
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- ROUND GRAFT: The first type of graft used in hair transplantation, a round graft has many variations. Harvested with punches of various sizes, a large round graft may contain many hairs (20 or more). The round graft is obtained from the donor site by surgical removal and may be used “as is” or may be sliced into smaller sections for micro-, mini- or slit grafts.
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- SCALP REDUCTION: A procedure that removes bald scalp and brings the edges of hair-bearing scalp closer together. Scalp reduction is most often used in patients with crown baldness. See also “Alopecia Reduction.”
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- SCALP ROTATION FLAPS: A type of procedure that involves the lifting and rotation of a strip of hairy scalp which is placed into an area of simultaneously removed balding skin.
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- SLIT GRAFT: Hair obtained from a donor site directly or sectioned from a larger round graft is inserted into a slit made in the scalp by the tip of a scalpel blade
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- TISSUE EXPANDER: A reconstructive balloon-like device which can be used to enlarge hair-bearing scalp on the sides of the head, providing a larger supply of hair with which to replace the bald areas. Often used in hair flap techniques and scalp reductions.
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- TISSUE EXTENDER: A device used to stretch scalp. Often used to speed up the process of scalp reductions by stretching the sides of the scalp that contain hair to achieve rapid elimination of bald areas. The tissue extender is temporarily inserted below the scalp and remains in place for a three-week period.
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- VERTEX AREA: The area in the top/back portion of the head which contains a swirl or spiral pattern of hair growth. Also called the ‘crown,’ it may be the first area where male pattern baldness is noticed.
- Category
- Surgical Hair Restoration