What determines hair angles

[johnsmith20172017]

The incisions the doctors make as I understand influence the direction the hair will grow in but does the way a hair is put into the incision play a part?

[hsrp10]

If you don't have any existing hair and transplanting into bald scalp the angles most surgeons use will have the hair growing downwards towards your forehead to give as much coverage as possible, while if the surgeon is transplanting into existing hair they will try to match the hair angles of what is already there. If you have a bald area in your hairline or temple corners they also try to use a swooping curve angle to give as much coverage as possible (as opposed to just having the angles straight).

 

There is an article that mentions the exact angles they aim for and I will try to dig it up.

[Melvin- Admin]

Here is an a Q&A from Dr. Bernstein I think it pretty much answers your question

 

"Great question. You are correct, the angle of the recipient sites largely determines the hair direction. Hair should be planted the way it grows (i.e., in a forward and horizontal direction at the frontal hairline.) It is extremely important that it is transplanted that way to look natural. The body will alter the angle a bit as it heals, usually elevating it slightly and re-creating any prior wave (yes, waves are determined by the scalp, rather than by the hair follicles per se). In a properly performed hair transplant, a straight-up appearance should be due to grooming, it should not have been a result of the actual procedure. Hair should never be transplanted perpendicular to the scalp."- Dr. Bernstein

 

https://www.bernsteinmedical.com/answers/does-surgeon-determine-angle-of-hair-in-hair-transplant/

[gillenator]

For the most part hair is transplanted based on the natural angulations of the native existing hair.

 

At the same time, the angulations can also be manipulated such as with hyper-acute angulations to create more visual coverage in larger bald areas. In essence, the angles are brought down closer to the scalp surface before the grafts are implanted.

[johnsmith20172017]

So just to confirm it does not make a difference how a technician puts in a hair. It is determined by the way the incision is made prior to this?

[Davis91]

It does make a difference how techs put in hair. Experienced techs know how to follow the angulatiom of slots made. Slis can be made with needles (bigger hole), or blades and may have vertical of horizontal slits. Techs need to know the intention of the design and that means communication with the doc. How a scalp heals can alter angulatiom slightly as noted. Imagine using corse and curly beard hair in a donor depleted scalp. Forced at a wrong angle on insert it could grow at an awkward anlgle. So while the doc's positioning of the angle is CRITiCA, the techs also have a part to play. Some docs on this site have shown work with some acute angels for coverage. Others have shown work with hair more "straight up." It is theoretically easier to place straight up and down vs acute because it means less manipulation of placers hands. Some docs may make more up and down vs flats angles if they don't have experienced techs or a small team. Researching this is advance with your prospective doc is CRITICAL as docs can and do have their own philosophy and skill set in this. It's not JUST about matching angulatiom of old native hair, it can include trying to cover more of your individual scalp OR in some cases matching angles of another doc's work if you have switched surgeons. Great topic and not discussed enough in my opinion.

[Speegs]

Lateral slit technique is pretty important.

 

The angle that the hair exits the scalp is absolutely critical for achieving a natural appearing final result.

 

This is typically where the custom cut blades come to play so that the surgeons tools exactly fit the follicular units of the patient.

 

Every transplant should ultimately be a custom job, which is why you need to do your diligent homework to be in the hands of a top notch surgeon that has a grasp of the best techniques and a sense of aesthetics.

 

Healing is also vastly improved by a surgeon employing a lateral slit because the grafts will fit perfectly into the recipient sites maximizing oxygenation, promoting faster healing, and increasing graft survival.

[gillenator]

Graft placement is critical because even if the recipient site is perfectly created at the right angles, the grafts can be misplaced if the tech is new or inexperienced in placing them so they protrude out of the scalp properly.

 

Most surgeons will come in and take a final look at the grafts that were placed and sometimes may adjust the depth and/or angle they are placed into the sites before the patient is checked out of surgery.

[Dr. Alan Feller]