In this article we will look at:
You can click on any of the links above to navigate to the section of your interest.
Scalp reduction surgery also known as scalp lifting, as the name itself suggests, is a surgery which removes parts of the scalp affected by alopecia. Scalp is the part of the skin that covers the topmost part of your head. The purpose of this surgery is to remove the bald areas from the scalp.
The healthy parts of the scalp are then stretched and repositioned so that the bald areas are considerably diminished.
This surgery is not for people suffering from male pattern baldness, but is recommended for people who have patches of bald areas on the scalp. Scalp reduction is also not suitable for covering areas of hair loss in front of the scalp, as it can cause scarring.
This surgery is performed only when there is not enough donor hair available for performing an FUT or FUE procedure.
You are eligible for scalp reduction surgery, if:
Before the actual scalp reduction surgery, depending on the patient’s health and surgical requirements, the doctor may advise him/her to undergo some preparatory procedures. These procedures are performed to prepare the scalp for scalp reduction surgery.
The preparatory procedures include:
In some clinics, scalp massage is done regularly for a couple of weeks prior to the surgery. This is done to increase the laxity of the scalp or to make it flexible and loose.
Loose and flexible scalp skin allows the doctor to remove more bald areas of the scalp with less probability of complications occurring.
Depending on your health condition, surgical requirements, and the location where the scalp area needs to be reduced, the surgeon may have to perform a minor operation, at least 4 to 6 weeks before the scalp reduction surgery.
It involves the following steps:
Post the procedure, the doctor will ask you to visit the clinic for regular follow-ups, in the intervening 4 to 6 weeks, to ensure that the blood flow through rerouted blood vessels is normal. Scalp Expansion
Scalp expansion is a tissue expansion procedure, which may take upto 12 weeks. It helps to increase or expand the amount of hair bearing tissue, as the skin gradually begins to stretch. The stretching of the skin creates a greater amount of loose bald skin, which the doctor can easily remove during the scalp reduction surgery, with minimal risks of complications occurring.
The following steps are involved in the scalp expansion procedure:
Scalp Extension
In the scalp extension procedure, a surgical device consisting of two rows of hooks connected by elastic bands is used.
The procedure involves the following steps:
The elastic bands create a pull and tension which brings together the hair bearing tissue from both sides of the scalp.
After a desired extension of the skin is achieved, the excess bald skin is easily removed by the surgeon, during the scalp reduction surgery. The hair bearing tissue is now brought closer and sutured so that the bald patch completely disappears.
The scalp reduction procedure involves the following steps:
There may be scarring after the procedure, which is usually covered by hair styling.
Patients normally experience swelling, accompanied by numbness, for the first few days following the procedure. Tightness in the scalp along with scabbing is also very common for a few months after the operation. The skin takes time to soften.
This procedure involves severing blood vessels and nerves to remove as much of the bald area as possible, hence the possibility of complications increases with the size and scope of the surgery. Some of the risks involved are:
You should avoid shampooing and combing your hair for at least five to seven days. Avoid any form of strenuous activities, including exercising, for a period of two weeks after the surgery. Even after that make sure you do not perform strenuous exercises for at least three more weeks.
You need to take the medicines prescribed by the doctor regularly on time.
Scalp reduction treatments deliver immediate, yet excellent results compared to hair transplants.
Post the scalp reduction surgery, the hair still continues to grow at the same rate. The hair neither thins nor dies, unless the hair on the sides also thins or dies.
Usually, one portion of the scalp (two to five centimeters wide) can be removed in one session which can be between 2 to 4 hours. The remaining skin is then stitched back together.
Procedures such as scalp expansion and scalp extension may reduce the number of scalp reduction surgery sessions to one.
Your recovery period would be largely dependent on your overall health condition.
Most patients will be able to return to work (as long as the work does not involve physical exertion) within three to five days following the procedure. Though, it would be wise to avoid any form of strenuous activity till at least after two weeks of the surgery. You will be able to resume your normal routine gradually after the two-week period.
You are an ideal candidate for scalp reduction surgery, if you:
Make sure the doctor explains the procedure in detail and you are aware of the side effects if any.
Cost of intense pulsed light treatment can vary depending upon the city/locality, clinic/hospital type & amenities, experience of the provider, the technology & material used, the extent of scalp reduction etc.
Please consult your doctor to get the exact treatment plan and price quote suiting your unique needs.
Most of the patients who undergo scalp reduction are pleased with the results.
Occasionally though, the skin loosens again after a scalp reduction, and the bald area begins to enlarge, moving the hairline back to its original position.
People interested in this topic also read:
1. Craig S. Schauder, M.D., D. Bluford Stough, III, M.D., David M. Spencer, M.D. Achieving the Optimal Result with the Modified-S Pattern for Scalp Reduction. 2018. Available at: http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/074880689401100204?journalCode=acs. Accessed February 27, 2018.
2. ALT T. Aids to Scalp Reduction Surgery. 2018. Available at: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1524-4725.1988.tb03505.x/full. Accessed February 27, 2018.
Do you ever see a lot of hair in the drain after showering? That’s normal–we shed between 40 and 150 strands of hair a day.
The hair on our heads is composed of: 50 percent carbon, 21 percent oxygen, 17 percent nitrogen, 6 percent hydrogen, and 5 percent sulphur.
How much hair do we have on our scalp? More than you think. The average person has 100,000 - 150,000 strands of hair on her head (so don’t worry too much if you lost 40 - 150 hairs today while showering).
Rhinoplasty is known as nose job. It is a plastic surgery which helps in reconstructing and correcting the shape of the nose. Reconstructive surgery and Cosmetic surgery are the two types. Nose job helps in improving the appearance of the nose.
Breast cancer occurs when healthy cells of breast tissue change and may begin to grow out of control which can appear as a lump within breast tissue. Breast Cancer Treatment includes chemotherapy, radiotherapy,surgery depend on the type of cancer.
Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE), as opposed to the FUT procedure, is a hair transplant method in which the doctor extracts the follicular units of hair, from the donor area of your head, one by one.