INTRODUCTION

Hair transplantation is currently performed by the majority of surgeons using a large number of naturally occurring individual follicular units (Follicular Unit Transplantation). There are two different techniques to harvest follicular units from the donor region: 1) the classical technique known as strip harvesting, which is followed by stereomicroscopic dissection of the follicular units, and 2) follicular unit extraction (FUE) in which individual follicular units are removed directly from the donor region through very small (≤1.00-mm) punches. In this chapter, the author will mainly review the strip harvesting technique, which is currently used by the majority of surgeons worldwide. FUE is a relatively recent technique whose main advantages over strip harvesting are that it does not leave a linear scar and the wound healing is more rapid. However, the biggest problem encountered while using FUE is follicular transection, which occurs very commonly when inexperienced surgeons operate, but can be reduced to acceptable limits by using specific surgical tools, and with specific surgical training. FUE will be discussed in more detail in another chapter of the present textbook.

SAFE DONOR AREA

The donor area refers to the zone where the hair follicles are obtained for the transplant process. In androgenetic alopecia, a horseshoe-shaped area of the occipital scalp is consistently spared, and this zone is considered the main source of hair follicles available for transplantation.