Will Strip Surgery Increase the Balding Area of the Scalp?

Wouldn’t taking a strip of scalp in hair transplantation (Follicular Unit Transplantation) reduce the amount of  the hairy parts of the scalp?   Likewise, does getting a hair transplant increase the bald parts of the scalp?    Aren’t we therefore increasing amount of the balding area with subsequent  hair restoration procedures?  

This is a very good question and one that is difficult to answer with text alone.

Keep in mind this is not coming from a hair transplant doctor’s point of view, but I think I have a pretty good understanding of it.

The answer to your question is “a little bit”  but nowhere near what you are are thinking.   I think the best way to answer this question is to attempt to illustrate it by having you do something.

Take the thumb and pointer finger on your right hand and place them about 3 cm apart on your left arm half way between your elbow and your hand. It is probably more sensical to do this while looking down at the top of your hand rather than the palm.

Now pinch your skin until your fingers touch. Observe how your skin is stretching. You will see that the area you are pinching moves the most. The first couple cm to the left and right of your fingers will also stretch a good amount however, you’ll notice the further up or down your arm you observe, there will be very little and hardly observable movement.

So in reality, though a 3cm wide strip may be taken in hair transplant strip surgery, the area near the nape and the crown may stretch a little – but it won’t be noticeable.

That being said, you are not reducing the the hairy parts of the scalp, only stretching the skin. However, what this will mean is that donor density will diminish slightly in areas that are stretched. This however, is hardly noticable as well because hair density is typically plentiful in the donor area.

Take into consideration also the healing properties and skin elasticity.

See also: Scalp Exercises and my observations of how skin works.

Bill
Associate Publisher

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