Repairing Old Hair Transplant ‘Plugs’ with State-of-the-Art Follicular Unit Transplantation

In this article, Coalition hair transplant surgeon Dr. William Lindsey shares his expert technique for repairing outdated hair transplant plugs:

This patient had a bunch of “plug” hair transplants 25 years ago or so and felt that he was too pluggy to go without a hat. Fortunately, that suited his line of work for years, but that changed and he had to take the hat off.

The analogy that I’ve used in the past is that these plugs are like an organized Christmas tree farm. They grow fine but look odd. If we can irregularize the hairline, like the front edge of a random forest you drive by, and pack it well, you can’t see the regularity farther back “in the forest”. And while some hair restoration physicians remove the plugs and re-use the hair, I don’t for two reasons.

That hair is growing fine.
What if you take it out, weaken the roots and then re-insert and get no growth?

So, our philosophy is to pack around what is already there.

We excised a plug-scar filled strip and packed his front. Many of you know that, particularly in these plug repairs, the scarring slows hair growth down so that it takes 18 months to get a nice result.

He’s growing quickly and his wiry, bushy hair helps. Just wait until another 6 months pass. He lives a few hours away and says he’ll get by this summer for pics and hopefully a video, and perhaps a second hair transplant to work behind his nice new front.

To view more photos or comment on this case please see the topic, 10 month update on old style plug repair by Dr. Lindsey McLean VA.

Dr. William Lindsey – McLean, VA

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David
Editorial Assistant and Forum Co-Moderator for the Hair Transplant Network, the Coalition Hair Loss Learning Center, and the Hair Loss Q & A Blog.
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