How hair transplants have evolved over the years
Today’s hair transplant options are able to reproduce the natural appearance of hair in men with androgenetic alopecia – hereditary male pattern baldness. But this was not always the case. Indeed, the history of hair transplants go back farther than you might imagine.
If you’re considering hair restoration, take a look at how far the procedure has come since it was first practiced in the German Confederation.
The first hair transplant
The first recorded hair transplant took place in 1822 in Germany. Professor Dom Unger and his protégé Johann Friedrich Dieffenbach first experimented on animals until, after some success, they used themselves to test the first human hair transplant. Young Dieffenbach removed six hairs from his own head and transplanted them to his arm, where two flourished and grew. In his notes, Dieffenback predicted that their work would quickly make hereditary baldness a thing of the past.
A breakthrough in Japan
Had it not been for the outbreak of World War II, the world might have benefited from the extensive work of Dr. Okuda, a Japanese dermatologist. In his papers, which were written in an old form of Kanji, Dr. Okuda described a procedure which took cylindrical donor samples from a patient’s head and used them correct alopecia in other areas of the scalp, as well as the mustache. Unfortunately, his papers were lost during the war and did not resurface until 2004, reported the International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery (ISHRS).
Research acceleration
In the 1950s and 1960s, the medical community conducted significant amounts of research into the causes of male-pattern baldness. Until this time, physicians held many hypotheses regarding the root cause of androgenetic alopecia. It was during the 1960s that researchers determined conclusively that the condition is strictly genetic. At this time, the use of hair transplants began to take off considerably, reported ISHRS.
FUE hair transplants today
Follicular Unit Extraction is one of the primary hair restoration options used today. Unlike a traditional hair transplant, FUE doesn’t leave a linear scar and typically has a quick recovery time. The donor area of an FUE transplant isn’t limited to the scalp. Rather, follicles may be extracted from anywhere on the body, such as the chest, legs and arms.
Long Island Hair Restoration specialist, Dr. Marotta is a dual board certified facial plastic surgeon. He is committed to delivering the best experience possible to his clients. Schedule a consultation today to see how Dr. Marotta and his team can help you decide which hair restoration option is right for you.
