Donor area after a hair transplant
June 15th, 2023

What is the donor area in a hair graft?

When we begin to find out about hair transplantation, we can hear certain terms that can be somewhat confusing. Among others, knowing what the donor area is in a hair transplant is essential to understand what the hair implant procedure is like.

Then in the blog de Hospital Capilar, hair clinic in Murcia, Madrid and Pontevedra, we give you all the information about what the donor area is in a hair transplant.

What is the donor area in a hair implant?

To understand what the donor area is in a hair implant, it is important to know what the intervention consists of beforehand. The hair transplant procedure begins with the extraction of the follicular units, where the hair is located, from the area that is not affected by the alopecia, to implant them in the area with baldness. That area where the follicles are extracted is what we call the donor area..

The donor area corresponds to the occipital and temporal area of ​​the scalp. This is where the follicles are extracted because are not affected by alopecia. That is, the dihydrotestosterone, hormone that causes the destruction of hair follicles in cases of androgenic alopeciaIt has not affected that area. Consequently, the hair implanted in the area to be treated will not fall out again, although we must take into account that the native hair will fall out, so it is essential to resort to hair treatments to keep it.

In short, when asked what the donor area is in a hair transplant, the answer is simple: that area of ​​the head where the hair that will be extracted and implanted in the bald areas is located.

Is my donor area good for a hair transplant?  

Not everyone is suitable for a hair transplant. One of the aspects that determines the viability of the capillary graft is, precisely, the patient's donor area. It is for this reason that a capillary analysis prior to implantation where, among other issues, the medical team assesses whether the patient can have a hair transplant based on their donor area. To do this, they take into account several aspects. 

Dermatologist in hair transplant clinic

Scalp condition

One of the main issues that are taken into account to know if you have a good donor area is the general state of health of the scalp. In case of any pathology such as dermatitis, it will be necessary to treat it during the capillary graft preoperative to avoid complications during surgery.

Degree of alopecia

The degree of alopecia of the patient, according to the Hamilton–Norwood scale for men and Ludwig scale for women, it is crucial to determine the viability of the hair graft. To do this, the medical team determines how advanced the alopecia is and if, depending on the amount of donor area, it is possible to fill the bald areas with the required follicular units.

In other words, if the donor area has few follicular units to extract compared to the area to be implanted, the patient is probably not suitable.

Quality and hair from the donor area

The quality of the hair in the donor area is also an aspect to be assessed by hair transplant doctors. In case the hair is miniaturized, prior treatment will be required to gain more body and thickness in order to obtain optimal results.

The hair from the donor area grows back: yes or no?

Another of the most common questions when we already know what the donor area is in a hair transplant is whether the hair that is extracted from that area grows back. The answer is no, the hair that has been removed to perform the hair implant does not grow back since the organ containing the hair is removed. It is for this reason that a good previous capillary study that is very precise in terms of how many units to extract and from which areas is essential so that it goes unnoticed.

Good hair transplant results not only depend on how much and how the hair has grown in the area with baldness, but also on how the donor area looks after the extraction of the follicular units.

Design of a capillary implant in Hospital Capilar

Hair graft in Madrid, Murcia and Pontevedra

En Hospital Capilar We offer hair grafting in Murcia, Madrid and Pontevedra. Recover your hair from the hands of a medical team specialized in hair medicine. Request your hair diagnosis at no cost and take the step to change!

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