For men and women with a great deal of hair loss, hair transplantation or hair grafts are a cosmetic surgery option. Hair replacement with grafts can help with thinning areas of hair on the scalp, and with bald spots. Hair growth surgery may be an option to enhance how you look and to give you more confidence, but get the information on different types of procedures first.

Hair grafts - Mini Micrografting and Follicular Unit Hair Transplantation

Hair graft transplants basically take hair from one area of the scalp and surgically implant it where there is no hair growing. There are different types of grafting methods including follicular unit hair transplantation, mini micrografing and traditional grafts.

Reasons for having hair replacement surgery such as grafts include hair loss due to male pattern baldness, female pattern baldness, hormonal hair loss, alopecia, burns, and injury or scalp diseases. The cost of hair graft restoration surgery can go from $4000 to $20,000. This depends on which type of grafting procedure you have. It also depends on how large the balding area is.

Here are some of the more common types of hair grafting techniques for women or men:

• Follicular unit hair transplantation (micrografting) is a technique in which the size of the grafts used by the surgeon range from a single hair to three or four hairs. Since the clusters of hair are different in size, Follicular Unit Hair Transplantation can look more natural. This is also called follicular unit extraction. It uses a small scalpel and what is called micrografting. A large number of implants are made in a single session.
• Mini-grafts and micro-grafts refer to the size of the hair clumps. Mini-grafts are smaller clumps of hair, about two to four hairs. Micro-grafts are the smallest grafts, with just one or two hairs
• In mini micro-grafting, the doctor or surgeon can vary the size of the clumps to achieve a more natural look. The surgeon uses a small scalpel in mini micrografting.
• In laser hair grafting, the hair units are transplanted into a space made by a laser rather than an incision. In laser hair grafting, the holes for the hair are very tiny. However the laser may reduce blood flow which can slow growth.

There are also older methods. For example, standard punch hair grafts are the larger cluster, consisting of approximately about ten to fifteen hairs. Strip grafts are the largest, consisting of up to forty hairs. Slit grafts are a type of graft with approximately ten hairs.

In Follicular Unit Hair Transplantation or extraction, and in mini-micro grafting, the grafts are small and can be placed into small incisions. This can lead to a faster healing time. The grafts are placed more closely together which can also create a look of more fullness to the hair. Ironically, while someone may have no hair where they want it, they may have excess hair in other areas and also consider laser hair removal.

The price of a hair graft can vary from $3 per graft to $10 per graft. How many grafts you need and which type depends on your hair type, color, hair quality, and the area providing the donor hairs. But you should not base your decision on cheap prices alone, any more than you would for other cosmetic surgery like liposuction or a butt lift. This is a big decision and you want a qualified surgeon doing the work. A cosmetic surgeon who specializes in hair grafting, as opposed to neck and face lift surgery or ear surgery, may be more qualified. Hair transplant surgery is done under local anesthesia. The doctor may be located in an office, clinic, or hospital. You may need several sessions to get the look you want. If so, make sure there is enough time between sessions to allow for healing. This is considered to be very serious surgery. So really think about whether this is the correct thing for you to do.

There are limits. For hair transplant surgery to work, you need healthy hair growth on the back and sides of the head. You should also be aware of risks including scarring and infection.

In addition to hair grafting, there are other ways to get hair on balding areas of the scalp, including scalp reduction, tissue expansion and flap surgery.

Flap surgery is a procedure for men or women in which here a section of bald scalp is removed, with a flap of skin that still has hair. This then goes over the bald area and is sewn in place. Scalp reduction is a procedure in which sections of the scalp with hair get pulled forward to cover the bald portions. Scalp reduction is less appropriate for the top of the head. Tissue expansion uses a balloon type devise which is inserted under a part of the scalp with hair, and is then inflated to expand the scalp until it can be stretched to cover the bald area.

Complications of these procedures include pain, infection and scarring. You should also be aware that any type of hair replacement surgery, including grafting is not covered by insurance.