# Hair Transplant Repair

> Citation bundle for Hair Transplant Repair on The Treatment Registry.
> URL: https://thetreatmentregistry.com/procedures/hair-transplant-repair
> Bundle URL: https://thetreatmentregistry.com/api/citations/procedures/hair-transplant-repair

- Category: hair-transplant

## Description

Hair transplantation is a surgical technique that removes hair follicles from one part of the body, called the 'donor site', to a bald or balding part of the body known as the 'recipient site'. The technique is primarily used to treat male pattern baldness.

## Overview

Hair transplant repair uses the techniques of hair transplantation to improve on the results of a previous hair-restoration procedure and to fill in scarring left by earlier surgery. Hair transplantation moves hair follicles from a donor site, commonly hair at the back of the head that is genetically resistant to balding, to a recipient area, and it can specifically be used to fill in scars caused by accidents or by prior surgery such as face-lifts and previous hair transplants. Modern technique harvests and transplants hair in its natural follicular units of one to four hairs and places them at angles that mimic the original hair orientation, which is what allows a repair to look natural where an earlier result may not. Donor follicles can be obtained by strip harvesting, known as follicular unit transplantation (FUT), or by follicular unit extraction (FUE), in which individual units are removed one at a time to be redistributed. Planning is important: at an initial consultation the surgeon assesses the scalp, measures its laxity and existing density, discusses realistic expectations, and advises how many sessions are appropriate. The procedure is typically performed on an outpatient basis under injected local anaesthesia, with optional mild sedation, and careful extraction that avoids transecting the follicle helps ensure the added grafts survive. Because donor hair is placed in its natural groupings and direction, repair aims to soften unnatural-looking patterns and camouflage donor or recipient scarring left by the original procedure, working within the limits of the available donor hair.

## Common risks

- Temporary shock loss (shedding) of transplanted or surrounding hairs
- Follicle transection during extraction, reducing graft viability
- Wound or graft infection, which post-operative antibiotics are used to help prevent
- Poor graft survival, which alcohol and smoking can contribute to

## FAQs

### What is hair transplant repair?

It is the use of hair transplantation techniques to improve the results of an earlier hair-restoration procedure and to fill in scarring from previous surgery. It relies on the same follicular unit methods used in a standard hair transplant.

### Can it fix scars from a previous transplant?

Yes. Hair transplantation can be used to fill in scars caused by accidents or by prior surgery, including previous hair transplants, by placing grafts to camouflage the affected area.

### How does a repair look more natural than the original?

Modern technique transplants hair in its natural follicular units of one to four hairs and places them at angles that mimic the original hair orientation. This natural placement is what allows a repair to blend in where an older result may look unnatural.

### What is the difference between FUT and FUE?

Both are ways of harvesting follicles. FUT (follicular unit transplantation) uses strip harvesting, while FUE (follicular unit extraction) removes individual follicular units one at a time. Each has its own advantages and disadvantages.

### How many sessions will a repair take?

This depends on the individual case. At an initial consultation the surgeon assesses the scalp and existing density, discusses realistic expectations, and advises whether one or several sessions are appropriate.

### What are the risks?

As with any hair transplant, risks include temporary shock loss (shedding), transection of follicles during extraction, and wound or graft infection, for which post-operative antibiotics are commonly prescribed. Alcohol and smoking can impair graft survival.