Is Destroying Healthy Follicles Best Way for Successful HT?

[foor]

To avoid shock loss in an area of sparse but healthy hair follicles, is it possible to just destroy those follicles in order to make way for transplanted follicles? I ask because I have an area of thinning but still healthy hair. But its in the way of risk of shock loss. Isn't it just better to nuke this area in order to avoid shock loss and replace the area with healthy donated follicles?

[1978matt]

Yes. If there is no cosmetic benefit and those hairs are on the way out, it's generally best to treat it as completely bald area.

Edited June 17, 2021 by 1978matt

[A Fue Good Men]

3 hours ago, foor said:

To avoid shock loss in an area of sparse but healthy hair follicles, is it possible to just destroy those follicles in order to make way for transplanted follicles? I ask because I have an area of thinning but still healthy hair. But its in the way of risk of shock loss. Isn't it just better to nuke this area in order to avoid shock loss and replace the area with healthy donated follicles?

Sparse but healthy hair as you describe IMO can avoid damage by a good surgeon with accurate tools. The issue starts when there is weaker hairs that get shocked or when the density is already high.

[foor]

4 hours ago, 1978matt said:

Yes. If there is no cosmetic benefit and those hairs are on the way out, it's generally best to treat it as completely bald area.

Appreciate that answer. But do keep in mind the area in question is not a small area but takes up the front. Thought I'd throw that out there for you. Considering that let me know if your answer has changed.

3 hours ago, 5BetaReductase said:

Sparse but healthy hair as you describe IMO can avoid damage by a good surgeon with accurate tools. The issue starts when there is weaker hairs that get shocked or when the density is already high.

I see. Makes sense and i hope youre right. But honestly even the most talented doctors at times cant stop shock loss unfortunately. Dont mean to adopt a negative attitude which isnt productive admittingly. But just trying to be realistic also.

[Raphael84]

A very good question to be honest. At times it is necessary to work amongst existing hair and when it is good quality and also if the patient is on medication to give it stability and longevity then we would work around and amongst it with no problem at all as has been alluded to above. This is why it is usually recommended to shave down, and allows the doctor to match the angles of native hair and to ensure not transect native follicles and blending well with confidence that the best result can be achieved.

For some patients, where there is miniaturisation present and perhaps the patient is not using medication, we know that such hair is not permanent and the patient is looking for the hair transplant to achieve a stand alone result that is not dependent on them keeping poor quality native hair that presents little cosmetic value. In such cases the most appropriate approach is to place with the knowledge that questionable hair will be lost in the short term and therefore adding density into these areas.

This highlights the unique and bespoke approach in every situation and shows why an in depth consultation pre surgery is key to understand the optimal approach and to be able to achieve the most optimal result.

[GUCCI]

The question is if a new transplanted graft is implanted in the position of a weak hair folicle, will this affect in any way the survival rate of the new graft?

Because then there will be 2 grafts in the same position (one the new transplanted and one the weak native follicle). Probably the weak hair follicle will be dead after this and the new graft will normally survive.

Some clinics say they do not implant direcly in the position of a weak native follicle but very close to it, while other clinics say there is no problem to implant the new graft directly in the position of the weak native follicle. But if you implant very close to a native weak follicle, there will be many chances of shock loss to the native one.

[Erudite]

This is a concern and I am more anti meds so it is a good topic. I did use fin years ago and had issues on fincar in particular. So for me it is case of waiting or going over to give me a nice outcome.