The latest innovations in hair transplantation.

Hair restoration began as a result of the fortuitous finding by Dr. Norman Orentreich that hair follicles taken from an area of nonbalding scalp could be implanted into an area of male pattern hair loss and continue to grow terminal hair. Since that time, hair transplants have progressed from the use of large plugs to the use of follicular units (normally occurring clusters of hairs). This has allowed surgeons to create undetectable results in cases of androgenetic alopecia and well as other conditions associated with hair loss. Advances continue in hair restoration technique ranging from surgical approach to instrumentation and ways to enhance growth. In this article, the more recent surgical and medical innovations in hair reconstruction are reviewed. © Thieme Medical Publishers.