Most of us don’t know the theory of hair transplant before we actually need one. Well, in this surgery your own hair is extracted from your scalp and implanted in the area where there is baldness. Sounds ironic, right? But, that’s how it works. Now, a possible thought is what would happen to the donor area after donating the required amount of grafts to the recipient area. This is where the term donor area management pops up. It is of utmost importance that the surgeon manages a patient’s donor area well.
The donor area is usually situated at the back of your head. But, with the advancement of science, it is now possible to implant even body hair on your scalp. But, everything comes with a price. Body hair does not act hundred percent in accordance with original scalp hair. Inexperienced surgeon straight away jumps to harvest body hair like beard hair, chest hair, etc. But, this is a completely wrong approach. Body hair is to be used in extreme cases when there is no scope left in the donor area of the scalp. In most cases, if the donor area is well managed, no need will arise to jump onto the body hair.
The concept of donor farming is also buzzing in the industry of hair restoration. Surgeons initially promise the patient to plant body hair in the area of donor area later on. This is to convince him to harvest the donor area to fulfil the need of the recipient area. However, in most cases, it turns out to be a total commercial approach where surgeons attempt to attack the pocket of the patient by increasing the number of grafts extracted from the donor area.
Now It Is Evident That How Important Donor Area Management Is For A Successful Hair Transplant. It Depends Upon Three Following Factors:
- Age: A surgeon must not be optimistic if his young patient is having a dense donor area. This is because future needs are always to be kept in mind while performing a hair transplant surgery. A patient of 35 years with having good donor area might have less density in the coming years. However, if a patient is 55 years old and possesses a good donor area then that is something a hair transplant surgeon can be happy about. This is why the age of the patient plays a vital role in donor area management.
- Grade: A surgeon must meticulously manage the donor area as per the grade of the patient. This is because there are chances that a Norwood grade 4 patient can progress to Norwood grade 5, 6, or 7. Also, because of heredity, a person can develop the same grade of baldness. This is because a donor area must never be overharvested. An experienced surgeon will always manage the donor area keeping in mind the grade of the baldness.
- End Goal: For any hair transplant surgeon, the satisfaction of the patient is the end goal. Thus, it is also important to determine what is the end goal of the patient. If the patient intends to maintain longevity then donor area management is crucial. However, if he wishes to see instant and short-term results then the surgery and donor area have to be managed accordingly.
How To Improve Hair Donor Area :
Finasteride is an oral medicine which is taken by patients for the longevity of transplanted hair, better hair growth, and even for improving the current hair. Surgeons use the magic of finasteride even before the transplant. To increase the density of the donor area, finasteride is consumed by the patient. A doctor who is not commercial will most of the time recommend finasteride. This will not only improve the quality of hair but will also reduce the required number of grafts. Reduced grafts requirement will eventually lighten the burden on your pocket. A patient must consume finasteride as long as he wants hair on his scalp.
After understanding everything about hair transplants it must be clear how important it is for a surgeon to crucially manage the donor area of the patient. But, for you as a patient, it is important how smartly you are choosing your doctor and clinic. Make thorough research before selecting the clinic for your hair transplant. Good luck with having one!
Dr. Arika Bansal
One of only a few female surgeons specializing in hair transplant surgery in India, Dr. Arika Bansal has been voted one of the best doctors in the world. She maintains an active membership in the ISHRS and regularly submits research papers to medical journals. 15+ years down the line, 15,000+ surgeries are accomplished under Dr. Bansal’s supervision. She specializes in female hair transplant, density improvement, corrective hair transplantation and hairline design.
