Touching on plugs "Unplugged"

[WHTC-7706631290]

At no point should the terms micro or mini be acceptable to use in discussion of your hair transplantation. Micrografts are not what a patient should want to hear during consultation with a hair restoration clinic. More specifically, no patient should have micrografts transplanted during any hair transplant procedure; they certainly shouldn’t have them on the frontal hairline. Hair grafts have been as large as several millimeters to a few millimeters depending on the year. The term “micro” suggests that the graft is smaller than sizable plug grafts. Typically, one and two-hair grafts were considered micrografts and three and four-hair grafts were referred to as minigrafts. Large grafts, micrografts, and minigrafts qualify as plugs when they create a pluggy appearance on the scalp. Defining plugs has translated differently as distribution and location are obvious factors. A plug can merely be a singly misplaced multi-hair follicular unit graft. The micrograft and minigraft were more popularly used terms in the eighties yet they continue to be used even today. These grafts don’t create a natural aesthetic appearance when the hair doesn’t grow as it naturally occurs. The volume of micro and minis also contributes to an unnatural appearance because it, along with inflated hair density, may be too great for the recipient site. This unmitigated volume can physically impose several undesirable effects onto the scalp when the subcutaneous fat and the appropriate amount of surrounding tissue isn’t trimmed, however, some tissue is necessary to protect the grafts from trauma. Hair density usually varies in a given patient’s donor area from one specific region to the next. As seen in today’s follicular unit grafts, micrografts and minigrafts are also harvested with an extraction instrument or dissected from excised donor tissue.

 

 

The patients’ scalp characteristics can seemly change almost immediately after a plug procedure. Ironically, the effects can last a life time. These unwanted effects are very difficult to camouflage and usually significantly limit patients’ choice of hairstyles. One bad decision with good intentions simply leads to multiple micro and mini problems. Don’t let yourself be fooled with the terminology of techniques and word associations of the HT community. The miseducation of many unsuspecting individuals has allowed many hair transplant doctors to brand stigma onto the hair transplant industry. We have seen unsightly conditions like dolls head, deformities like cobblestoning, and shotgun scarring in the donor area that no human being should bare. In the last ten years, we can only extend gratitude to the world’s leading follicular unit transplant and follicular unit extraction surgeons. Insight, vision, and focus aren’t the only qualities of an innovative clinic. Commitment, compassion, and competence also have their place on the list. The acceptable terms remain to be follicular unit transplantation (FUT) and follicular unit extraction (FUE). Hair restoration surgery is now in great hands because of donor harvesting advancements like follicular isolation technique, efficient slit methods in recipient placement, and efficient wound closure techniques.

 

 

World Hair Transplant Center wishes the Hair Transplant Network staff and fellow community members a prosperous 2014!

 

 

 

 

Free Consultation Dates & Cities for Dr. Patrick Mwamba

 

London, United Kingdom - February 15, 2014 (Saturday)

Zurich, Switzerland - March 8, 2014 (Saturday)

Bologna, Italy - June 5, 2014 (Saturday)

 

 

 

 

 

 

My opinions are not necessarily the opinions of Dr. Patrick Mwamba.

Edited January 1, 2014 by WHTC-7706631290