Tag Archives: overharvesting

Repairing Overharvested Donor Areas


Countless patients have visited Dr. Amir Yazdan for hair transplant repair operations. A leader in modern hair transplantation techniques, Dr. Yazdan is able to revise problems caused by botched hair transplants performed by other less trained surgeons.
One type of hair transplant repair we engage in often at Modena Hair Institute is something called ‘overharvesting’. It’s a phrase you may not be familiar with. Below, we’ll discuss what this problem is and how we can address overharvesting by using different hair restoration techniques.
What is Overharvesting? 
During follicular unit extraction (FUE), thousands of hair follicles are harvested from the donor area at the back of the head in order to be placed along the top and front of the hairline where balding occurs. When too many follicular units are taken from the donor site, it can lead to:

  • Thinning hair around the donor site
  • Bald patches around the donor site
  • Visible scar tissue around the donor site

All of these above issues are signs of overharvesting, which means too many follicular units were removed, causing poor cosmetic outcomes.
Why Does Overharvesting Happen? 
Overharvesting tends to be a problem with inexperienced hair restoration surgeons. When a hair transplant surgeon lacks experience, they often do not properly plan their procedure or consider factors that could impact the final results. Regardless, there are many patients in the Los Angeles and Orange County areas who have to deal with the repercussions of overharvesting because of an initial hair restoration that was poorly planned.
Problems Caused by Overharvesting 
If you’ve experienced overharvesting, you know just how unsightly the bald patches and scar tissue around the back of the scalp can be. While the areas of the scalp affected by male pattern baldness are no longer an issue, the rest of a person’s hair can look patchy and unnatural. This can lead to serious self-esteem issues as well as a feeling of regret about undergoing hair restoration in the first place.
What Technique Will Be Used to Address the Problem? 
The best way to treat overharvesting will usually involve alternatives to FUE. Instead, we may rely on follicular unit transplantation (FUT), which uses a strip of donor follicles taken from part of the scalp. If this is not an ideal option, we could look into nonsurgical alternatives to traditional hair restoration that will help blend the thinning or exposed scalp with the rest of your hair.
The Results of Hair Transplant Repair
Whatever technique is ultimately used, the results of a state-of-the-art hair transplant repair can be incredible. Thanks to revision of the previous hair transplant, patients will no longer have serious problems with bald patches and thinning hair around the back of the scalp. We can also improve the results of the initial procedure a great deal.

Dr. Amir Yazdan, MD, is an internationally renowned hair transplant surgeon, expert guest on Dr. Phil and The Doctors, creator of the GroMD hair restoration product line, ISHRS member, accredited member of the IAHRS and a visceral advocate for patient care. Learn more about Dr. Yazdan or read rave reviews from his patients.