If you’ve done your fair share of research into hair transplants, you’ve probably heard the phrase “donor area” mentioned here & there. Essentially, this refers to the part of your body where follicles are removed from during the transplant process, so that they may be placed in their new location, whether its your head, beard, eyebrows or chest.
As you begin to plan with the hair transplant expert of your choice, there will be due consideration of where they’ll find the follicles to be donated & relocated. There are a few options available, and it’s important for you to know what happens when each of these spots are selected to be the donor area.
Back of the Scalp
Think of someone you know who’s almost completely bald. Not all the way, but they’re getting there. Where do you see them still having hair? Is it along the sides & back of the head, by any chance?
You making that assumption is no coincidence; the part of your head known as the posterior scalp is usually the last to succumb to baldness. For this reason, that’s the area most commonly selected as the donor area.
The reasoning behind this boils down to three letters: DHT. This is the acronym used to describe a certain hormone in the body that’s widely known to cause hair loss & baldness. For reasons still unknown to experts in the field, the hair on the top of our heads is especially vulnerable to it, and thus becomes the first area of the head to begin on the road to baldness.
The hairs along the posterior scalp, however, are essentially resistant. There also tends to be dense crowds of follicles in those areas as well, especially the back of the scalp. Since they’re extremely similar to the hairs that were growing on top, they can be harvested & placed in the transplant area with no incident.
Beard, Neck, Chest Underarms, Back, and Groin
Even though the back of your head is typically the best donor area, there are a few reasons as to why this might not be the case. For those who have had multiple transplants beforehand, that area might be over harvested & can’t reasonably be exploited again.
In this case, though, it’s entirely possible for someone to have their beard, or other parts of their body such as their chest or groin, used to donate follicles.
If you’re wondering whether these hairs will blend well, the answer depends on how good your doctor is. When Dr. Yazdan performs his hair restoration procedures at Modena’s Beverly Hills, Newport Beach, & Las Vegas offices, he takes his time to understand how different types of hair should be integrated into the scalp, and his placement methods make any differences almost impossible to notice.
When the doctor isn’t properly trained however, the results are unnatural at best & devastating at worst. The rising popularity of hair replacement means that a swarm of amateurs have come onto the scene, willing to curtail attention to detail in order to get your cash in their pocket quicker.
When selecting your hair transplant doctor, make sure that they take due time to closely consider your specific case, making a note of any factors that might come into play.
Here at Modena Hair Institute, we do exactly that. When you consult with Dr. Yazdan, he’ll examine every possible detail of your potential donor areas, and make sure you understand every part of the hair restoration procedure.
Scarring is minimal to non-existent with the specialized, precise tools that Dr. Yazdan uses for his procedures. Regardless of the donor area selected for the procedure, the healing process is far quicker than it would be after a transplant done at a run-of-the-mill discount clinic.
Learn more about post-op care for the donor area by checking out our recent blog post. Reach out today to learn more about our clinic & what we can do to help restore your hair!
