Strip-Graft Scar Treatment
A hair transplant is often the most effective and long-lasting way to combat hair loss. For many years, hair transplants were performed using only the strip-graft method (follicular unit transplantation), which involved harvesting a linear section of donor hair and skin from the sides or back of the patient's head, and grafting it to the scalp where needed.
Although strip-graft scalp surgery, which is still performed today, is often successful, it almost always leaves scars. In some cases, the scars are of considerable cosmetic concern, particularly for patients who wear their hair very short. Strip-graft scar treatments are performed to make these scars less noticeable.
Types of Strip-Graft Scar Treatment
There are a number of highly effective techniques for treating strip-graft scars. The two most common are scar revision, and grafting hair into the scar.
During scar-revision treatment, the strip of scarred tissue is surgically excised (cut out). Once the scarred skin is completely removed, the scalp is pulled back together and sutured closed. The result is a far-less-noticeable scar.
The other option is follicular unit extraction (FUE), a surgical procedure in which individual follicular units of hair are removed from a healthy part of the scalp, and transplanted into the scar, effectively camouflaging it.
Risks of Strip-Graft Scar Treatment
Although strip-graft scar treatments are generally successful, they do have certain risks, which include bleeding, infection and scalp tenderness. It is also possible that grafts used during FUE will not "take."
Recovery from Strip-Graft Scar Treatment
Scar-revision patients require approximately 2 weeks to heal. Patients who experience infection or pain may need to take antibiotics or pain-relief medication for several days. Patients using FUE, which is less invasive and less painful, heal within 5 to 7 days, and have almost no downtime.