Androgenetic alopecia

Hereditary or genetically defined hair loss, male pattern baldness
(see also: Forms of hair loss and its causes )

Back stretch effect

Extension in width of scars at a later time (possible up to 6 months and more after operation), caused by skin tensions in the area between the stitched strips of skin of the scalp. Regularly occurs after a hair transplant using the strip and scalp reduction methods to varying extent.

BHT

Abbreviation for "Body Hair Transplant". See also under "body grafts"!

Body grafts

Hair follicles from other parts of the body aside from that of the scalp.
For example: breast hair and leg hair. These follicles can also be used in hair transplants. See also under "BHT"!

Dot effect

"point effect": When too big needles or too big grafts are used during implantation it can lead to this not natural-looking sight. On the spot where the implanted hair shafts of a graft leaves the scalp, a point-like deepening in the skin is to be seen. This is a typical sign left after a hair transplant usually seen in everyday life.  Such a thing cannot happen in modern hair transplants, using fine implantation needles and FU-grafts.

Dense packing

High density of follicular units in the acceptor area, preferably in the hairline of the forehead and its lateral sides over the temple area.

Donor area

These are usually the back and side parts of the scalp. The hair follicles in these areas are known to be resistent against male pattern baldness.

Extraction

Process of taking out hair follicles during a hair transplant procedure.

Extraction tool

This is an extraction instrument used in gathering FU's from donor area. This very fine extraction tools are generally produced specifically for the purpose.

Face index

This is a formula used for special calculation of the proportions of the face before beginning a hair transplant. This allows to create a perfect and harmonious hairline, which gives the face an aesthetic look from all angles. The calculation is based on the principles of the classical scale of Leonardo da Vinci. An ideal and harmonious looking face is divided into three equal parts: first third covers the distance between the lower part of the chin till the nose; the second third covers the distance between the lower part of the nose till the eyebrows; and the last third corresponds to the distance between the eyebrows and the hairline.

Flap

Please refer to Surgical treatment .

FU

Follicular unit; plural: FU's: small natural groups of follicles composing of 1, 2 or 3 (very seldom 4) hair growing immediately side by side (please refer to kinds of grafts ).

FUE

Follicular unit extraction: the newest and practically scar-free method of hair transplant surgery, in which the follicles are purposely taken from donor areas by the use of special extraction needles.

GHE

The German abbreviation for "Geheimratsecke". These are the notorious bald spots of the temporal area, usually the first areas where androgenetic alopecia occurs.

Graft

Terminology used for transplantable tissue units, which carry hair follicles. This can either be plug grafts, minigrafts, micrografts or FU's.

Hairline

The front of the hairy skin, bordering on the hairless forehead below of it. It has a very important aesthetic value in daily life.

HT

Abbreviation for hair transplant

Ludwig scale

Scale used in the classification of androgenetic alopecia in the female (please refer to Ludwig scale ).

Minigrafts / micrografts

Please refer to kinds of grafts

Norwood

Norwood- Hamilton scale is used in the classification of androgenetic alopecia in the male.

NW

Abbreviation for Norwood, for example, NW4

Punch

Under this term, we usually mean that older instrument used in taking out so-called plug grafts. However, this term is often also used to connote the cylindrical extraction needles used in modern hair transplant surgery.

Receptor area

Also known as "recipient area" or "acceptor area", to which grafts are transplanted (for example, bald or thinning areas in androgenetic alopecia in men).

Repair work

This refers to cosmetic work done in correcting not satisfying results after, for example, a strip method or the old punch method

Scalp reductions

Operative cutting out of the bald scalp and the eventual stitching of the wounds in order to reduce the size of the bald areas. The rate of complication occurring under this method is generally not insignificant. Please refer to Surgical treatment

Slits

See Implantation techniques

Shedding

Due to the post-operative "stress", transplanted grafts tend to fall out. This is entirely a normal process. After a rest period of approximately 3 -6 months, the follicles begin to normally produce hair again.

Shock loss

Shock fallout: During transplant procedure, the neighbouring follicles get destroyed and they begin to fall out (either for a certain period of time or maybe even irreversible). This mostly occurs during the process of dense packing with the use of non-optimal instruments. In worse cases, the patient may even have lesser hair than before the hair transplant.

Strip HT

Type of hair transplant surgery, utilizing spindle-formed stripes of scalp from the donor area cut out with the use of a scalpel. These cut out stripes are then divided into grafts. The resulting scar at the back of the head differs greatly from patient to patient.

Tool

Operation instrument

Transsection 

Destruction/damaging of hair follicles in the donor area during a hair transplant procedure.