Scalp Laxity

[sere]

Iam very seriously considering a HTP and wanted to ask the community about something thats not super clear to me at this point.

Scalp Laxity affects the surface area and therefore number of grafts a doctor is able to extract. I often hear of patients getting more than one HTP, often going back later in life or after botched sessions.

My question is, do doctors not take all they can in the first session? It seems like with multiple sessions that there is always more available. Are there a fixed amount of grafts available or do they somehow regenerate over time?

[Dr. Glenn Charles]

Each patient does have a specific amount of donor hair available to transplant from the back of the head to other areas. Donor hair does not regenerate. If I could figure out a way to make that happen I would not need to perform hair transplants anymore. The exact amount of donor hair each patient has varies depending on several factors including but not limited to actual size of donor area (how many sq. cm), the scalp laxity, general hair characteristics, and donor hair density (# of hairs per sq. cm). It is true that some patients have more available donor hair than others. The reason most doctors only take out so much in one session is that the donor wound needs to be closed preferably with minimal tension needed to approximate wound edges. It is the increased tension that leads to bigger scars. Most patients are looking for a minimal scar that is very hard to detect and can be easily covered with remaining donor hair. In most cases the patients has their greatest laxity before the first procedure. Therefore, it is wise to take the biggest piece of donor tissue and obtain the largest number of grafts in the first surgery. Hopefully, the patient will be taking Propecia and will not need future transplants. Unfortunately, in many cases additional procedures are necessary at some later point. More hair becomes addicting, and patients often request more procedures.

[gillenator]

MPB is a progressive disorder and a lifelong event. Some patients respond more favorably to finasteride (Propecia) than others.

So yes wanting more hair can be addicting but also patients progress in their hairloss in areas of their scalp such as the frontal zone where the hairloss drugs are not as effective.

And I also agree that the ideal would be to "safely" move as much donor in the first procedure as possible. Some HT surgeons believe the yield would be optimal in the first session where there is no prior scar tissue from previous HT procedures. In other words, an environment where the blood supply has not been compromised.

[sere]

Thanks very much for the responses guys.

[gillenator]

Thanks very much for the responses guys.

Best wishes to you!

[Mr. 4000]

this may sound strange but my head changes Laxity during every day.

For example, I workout my head gets slightly bigger
at night my head is bigger

I play hockey, my head get smaller from sweeting my ass off and losing water.

In the morning my head is smaller from being at rest.

Do any of you other people notice this?

THis has to impact a HT on some level.

[Dr. Glenn Charles]

I also play on two ice hockey teams, and know what you mean by sweating big time. However, even if you do have minor fluctuations in scalp laxity, I do not think it would be enough to have an impact on a hair transplantation procedure.
If scalp laxity is a real concern for you, you may want to try manually messaging the donor area or entire scalp with your thumbs for 5-10 minutes each day. I usually only recommend this for patients who have already had a procedure and have scarring in the donor area. However, I do not see any reason why a patient who has not had surgery yet would not also benefit from this technique.

[Mr. 4000]

I also play on two ice hockey teams, and know what you mean by sweating big time. However, even if you do have minor fluctuations in scalp laxity, I do not think it would be enough to have an impact on a hair transplantation procedure.
If scalp laxity is a real concern for you, you may want to try manually messaging the donor area or entire scalp with your thumbs for 5-10 minutes each day. I usually only recommend this for patients who have already had a procedure and have scarring in the donor area. However, I do not see any reason why a patient who has not had surgery yet would not also benefit from this technique.

What position do you play? What a great game. I'm out right now with a tear in the right groin. I have a bruise that runs from my hip to my knee (purple with a tint of yellow) What a disaster! I thought I would be back after a 4 week lay off, 4th workout on the skates it blows again. Almost to the point where i may have a sports hernia. I'm pissed Dr. C. I may be out for the fall season as well.

I play RW, love it, if you don't backcheck your not playing the game right.

Thanks for the advice

[Dr. Glenn Charles]

I play center and right wing. Still got good wheels for an old guy (43). I know those injuries don't heal up as fast the older you get. I also still play center field and lead off for a very competitive baseball team. I keep trying to teach my twin 11 year old boys that it is all the things you can do on the ice when you don't have the puck that can really make the difference. Ability is important, but without effort it only takes you so far.

[Mr. 4000]

I play center and right wing. Still got good wheels for an old guy (43). I know those injuries don't heal up as fast the older you get. I also still play center field and lead off for a very competitive baseball team. I keep trying to teach my twin 11 year old boys that it is all the things you can do on the ice when you don't have the puck that can really make the difference. Ability is important, but without effort it only takes you so far.

I played center field myself in college ball, #2 hitter. It good those 11's are playing the great game down there in the sunshine state.

I hear you, my wheels are holding up pretty good for my age too, it gets tough chasing those 20 year olds around, but I'm still getting it done.

Keep the head up.....