Scar Repair

- Trichophytic Closure: read about the use of Trichophytic closure to reduce the donor scar for strip incision hair transplants.

Depending on the type of hair restoration technique performed, the physician’s experience, and the amount of tissue removed, scar results will vary. Some scars are small and easy to hide, while others may be in need of scar repair.

In the past few years, scar repair has been a significant part of my practice. After multiple procedures, wide scars can become visible and unsightly, needing either revision or planting with follicular unit extraction (fue).

In terms of technique, strip incisions leave recognizably different scars than follicular unit extractions. Strip incision techniques will leave a linear scar on the scalp, while follicular unit extraction leaves 1mm, round-shaped scars around the donor areas. Scars caused by follicular unit extraction are less visible than scars caused by other techniques. Visibility of scars also depends on the patient’s hair length and the experience of the physician.

There are two methods of scar repair used on patients: scar revision with suture and placement of follicular unit extraction into scar.

1. Scar revision with suture

This is a method of scar repair that involves improving the appearance of the scar. If there is not too much tension on the scar an attempt can be made at excising the scar and resuturing it. Every effort must be made to minimize any tension on the scar as "stretch back" or reopening will occur.

Generally, there is a 90% chance that the scar will improve with scar revision. Other possibilities include a 9% chance that the scar will remain the same, and a small 1% chance that the scar will be worse.

2. Placement of FUE into scar

This has become a very popular means of scar repair. It involves removing hair from the body or head and placing it into the scar tissue at the back of the head. Usually 50% to 90% of the grafts grow in scars, making the scarred areas of the scalp much less visible.

Click here to learn about the experiences with FUE scar repair of the patient shown above.

See the results of a more recent patient (below) with individual chest hairs
transplanted into a donor scar.

See results using Botox in the treatment of wide donor scars.