Monthly Archives: September 2012

Hair Transplant Scar Revision

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Hair Transplant Scar Revision Options

Hair transplant surgery can sometimes lead to unanticipated and esthetically displeasing linear scars at the donor sites. A creative medical approach combining scar revision and/FUE Hair Transplant can mitigate the appearance of a hair transplant scar. Permanent tattooing in a small degree can also obscure the scar bringing a level of satisfaction to the patient when wearing a short hair style exposing your natural scalp.

Hair Transplant Scalp Scar

Trichophytic Closure

This method allows hair to grow inside the scar and minimize the contrast between scar and surrounding areas of the scalp. Trichophytic closure is performed by preparing one side of the surgical wound to allow the hair follicles on the margin of the incision to produce hair that will grow through the scar. There are various ways hair restoration surgeons prepare the incision. The end result is to allow for hair to grow through the margins of the scar as healing takes place. The hair growing through the scar borders camouflages the typical straight linear appearance of a hair transplant scar. The scar is present but as in all successful scar revision it is rendered less visible.

FUE Hair Transplant Procedure

Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) is a method of extracting individual hair follicles which leave little to no scarring at all. In revisioning a scar a hair transplant surgeon can harvest a modest number of grafts from the various areas on the back of the head in a manner that is virtually unnoticeable. Those grafts can then be transplanted into the scar area strategically. Upon healing and the regrowth process the scar is hidden more because of the hair growing from its margins. This procedure combined with Trichophytic Closure is one of the most effective ways of hair transplant scar revision.

Evolution of Scars – Part 2

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Why Do We Have Scars?

“Human wound healing appears to have been optimized for quick healing in dirty conditions,” Mark W. J. Ferguson, Ph.D., University of Manchester.

Part II
Before and After Facial Scar Revision of Young Woman
Anthropologists and science have yet to explain why humans develop larger and thicker scars than other animals. Our response to scars reaches back through the eons of human evolution. A physically weaker structure than most mammals; humans live longer than any other mammal it perhaps is our species wound healing that allows us to thrive. When we’re injured; cut or burned, the immune system is immediately activated to close the wound and heal it.

Surgeon N. Scott Adzick, M.D., researches and studies scarring at the Center for Fetal Diagnosis and Treatment at the Children’s Institute for Surgical Science in Philadelphia, he notes:

“If you’re a caveman or cave-woman running around, and you get bitten by a saber-toothed tiger, it makes sense to patch that wound together as quickly as possible in order to survive, as opposed to devoting the body’s energy and resources to healing perfectly”

The result is that our bodies’ rapid immune response to inflammation leads to the larger and thicker scabbing and scarring. Some social anthropologists theorize that scars served as sexual attractors. Heavily scarred early men would be more attractive because it indicated there bravery and strength in survival.

No matter the theory or culture scars are part of human life; if you know someone who is experiencing anxiety from scars. Today’s cosmetic medicine may have the answers.

Evolution & Psychology of Scars

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Part 1

How Scars Make Us Feel

Man with extensive facial scar
There is unlikely an adult human on the planet without a scar. Most scars are not of consequence to cause severe emotional or physiological issues. Wound research has proven that the age of the person, gender and location of the scar are factors on how it will affect a person. In addition how the scar occurred can make it more of a problem. Facial scars cause more duress and scars that may be disfiguring or near around intimate areas of the body. Society premium appearance contributes to the anxiety associated with scarring. Stereotypes in moving show scarred people to be unpleasant, sadistic and mean.

However in some cultures consider scars desirable and are intentional and deliberate. Some tribes identify their clan and families by scar markings this was very common in Nigeria though the custom is no fading. Traumatic scarring is often very different. I greatly distress the person suffering from the scar and detract from their quality of life. Some anthropological studies indicate that facial symmetry seems to be innate attraction within humans; clearly facial scarring moves a person further away from what maybe a pre-programmed ideal. People who have adverse reaction to the scars can experience embarrassment and loss of self-image. Over long term this can lead to isolation, anger and self-loathing. In worse case scenarios psychological conditions that need to be treated can develop.

Today’s modern surgical techniques in the field of cosmetic surgery now provides many options in scar revision. Birth Marks, skin anomalies as well as scars can be treated with much success.

Read Part II of the Evolution of Scars