what is forlock surgery?

[mr invisible]

can anyone explain?

[mr invisible]

can anyone explain?

[Robert_]

I can do better than explain (if I am reading your question right) - I can show you my thread that showcases my surgery.

 

For the sake of this discussion, the forelock is the area that is located directly behind the hairline. So, to have a transplant in the forelock region means that the recipient area is the hairline and slighly back or, if you are a diffuse thinner with an intact hairline, I guess it could mean just behind the hairline.

 

Here is my thread on my procedure with Dr. Jerry Cooley.

 

Hope this helps.

 

-Robert

[Dr. Michael Beehner]

Dear Invisible,

The concept of using a "frontal forelock" concept in hair transplantation has been around for almost 15 years and was first popularized by Manny Marritt, M.D. of Denver, who is now retired. I have written several journal articles and textbook chapters on the subject in the years since.

It is basically an approach or pattern in which the surgeon tries primarily to create a natural area of transplanted hair in the front-central portion of the balding scalp, such that the face is properly framed at a natural height in the forehead, and usually it leaves a natural, and sometimes even slightly deep, frontal-temporal recession area to each side. Most of the time the hair is transplanted back into the midscalp area also, often in the form of an oval or shield-like shape, and with "scatter zones" of many fine 1 and 2-hair FU's to both sides to lightly "blur" the space between the forelock and the side fringes.

This type of approach is used primarily in three types of patients:

One: the very young patient who shows warning signs of someday becoming very bald; signs such as a family history of males with Class VII baldness downt he sides of the head, "whisker hair" around the ears, an indistinct fringe area where a strong border is not noted, and, of course lastly, a very young age, especially early 20's.

Two: the man who is already very bald and the ratio between donor hair to bald recipient area is way out of proportion with little to use to cover a huge area. A forelock artistically done can frame the face, and with certain styling patterns (the best one is taking the hair back and slightly to one corner).

Three: The man coming for corrective surgery who had large plugs placed all over his head. The surgeon can adopt a plan to harvest these grafts that are in the rear vertex and rear midscalp and bring them in FU form and using a proper gradient of density into the frontal forelock area and try to recreate a natural look with what hair is available.

In summary, it is a very valuable addition to the armamentarium of the hair transplant surgeon. The patient needs to be accurately informed about what is being done and not have unrealistic expectations.

Mike Beehner, M.D.

[Robert_]

Thank you, Dr. Beehner , for providing more insight to this post than I could have. It is great to have you participating on the forums!

 

-Robert