Hair Transplants

Hair Transplants

Hair Restoration Surgery is performed safeley and comfortably at Dr. Porcaro's state of the art Level 2 Office Based Surgery Facility, registered with the Florida Board of Medicine located in Port St. Lucie, FL. Local anesthesia, together with oral or intravenous sedation (both are optional) make the procedure very well tolerated. Patients describe having Hair Restoration as being easier than a visit to their dentist. Although some patients experience discomfort, there is rarely serious pain involved.

(Patient relaxing while assistants place grafts)

The procedure has become quite sophisticated and refined since first described by the Japanese in the 1930's. Hair Restoration is very easy to undergo at Porcaro Hair Restoration. Patients are awake during the procedure and can spend their time listening to music, watching DVD'S, reading or talking with Dr. Porcaro and his staff. Patients are treated to lunch, which they can enjoy with a spouse or partner during the procedure.

(Patient watching TV during procedure)

Hair Restoration involves surgically removing hair form the back of the head (donor area) and then relocating the individual follicular units to the front or top of the head (recipient area). The donor area is sutured back together, leaving a very thin, almost undetectable scar blending into the hair in the back of the head; there is no thinning or baldness at this location.

Dr. Porcaro cautions patients not to be swayed by the internet hype concerning Follicular extraction procedures. With rare exception such as very small transplant procedures-eyebrows, eyelashes, mustache, beard, small corrective procedures, or when donor supply is insufficient, follicular unit extraction is more time consuming, more expensive, result in more damage to follicles and is not nearly as efficient as the strip method.

After application of a local anesthetic, Dr. Porcaro will remove the donor strip and suture the incision by the Trichophytic closure method, making it unnoticeable on the day of the procedure. The incision will quickly heal with little or no scar and will always be hidden by hair that covers it.

Dr. Porcaro will instruct his surgical team on precisely how to divide up the strip, which typically contain follicles with 1-4 hairs. Microscopes are routinely used to dissect each follicle from the strip. Dr. Porcaro will personally create all the micro incisions in the area to be transplanted, taking into consideration the angle, direction and spacing he plans to have the new hairs grow. This step requires artistry and skill and is made in such a way so as to recreate the original hair pattern. The specific depth, angle, direction, size and width are crucial to proper placement and growth of the transplanted hair. This is by far the most critical phase of the procedure. Depending on the circumstances, Dr. Porcaro will place grafts laterally (coronally), sagitally, densely pack grafts or perform mega sessions. (We will review these terms and others at the time of your consultation.)

Following this, Dr. Porcaro will supervise the actual placement of the grafts, which is performed by his experienced hair technicians under optical magnification. It is important to note that the grafts can only be placed into the recipient sites one way, similar to placing a square peg in a square hole.

Dr. Porcaro will inspect every graft and the donor incision at the end of the procedure. Dr. Porcaro will personally review the printed post op instructions with patients and typically calls each patient the evening of surgery. Dr. Porcaro encourages patients to call him and provides his personal phone number for any questions they may have during their recovery.

What to Expect After Hair Restoration
In the first few days after the surgery the average patient may experience some mild swelling in the forehead area. This usually begins on day three and is completely dissipated by day six. You will develop very small scabs at the incision sites and these usually flake off in anywhere from five to seven days. Any redness that has lingered after the surgery is usually gone by day seven and the recipient area is slightly pinkish for the next few days or weeks, depending on the individual's complexion.

Between ten to fourteen days after the surgery the suture is ready to be removed. Suture removal can be done at Dr. Porcaro's office or by your local physician. Roughly three weeks after your procedure you may begin to experience some shedding of the transplanted hairs but not the follicles, which remain embedded under the skin. This is completely normal and is to be expected. This occurs due to the temporary dormant phase that all grafts go through after any hair restoration procedure.

Over the next several weeks to a few months after hair restoration, the average patient can expect to see a few new hair sprouts coming through the surface of the scalp. The onset of new growth varies from patient to patient but the average is about three months. The new hair may not necessarily grow in evenly but it will all grow in eventually. The new hair will be thin and fine and will thicken over time. 

By the fifth to sixth month after the procedure you can expect to see considerable new growth. Some of the new hair will be approximately two to three inches in length and the hair shaft will begin to thicken. Between months eight and ten you will see the most impressive difference. The hair will be longer and thicker and the overall appearance will be one of greater density than just a few months before. Even after a full year has passed you may still not see the final result. Improvements may still be seen well over a year after the surgery, as the hair thickens and assumes the same character of the donor hair from where it originated.

The hair that is now growing will continue to grow for the rest of your life and can be cut and styled in any manner you wish. There is no special regimen required to care for your new hair. Standard shampoos and other hair products are safe, although we recommend The Anagen Therapy product line. You can treat your new hair as you always have and wear your hair long or any way you choose because it is your own hair that has simply been relocated!