Minigrafts and Micrografts

A much more significant improvement in hair transplantation techniques was made during the 1980’s. The large punch grafts were gradually replaced by mini- and micrografts. Hair follicles were removed in strips from the donor area and then individual grafts were prepared from these.
The minigrafts typically contained 4-8 hairs and were used to create the appearance of fullness while the micrografst, with 1-3 hairs each, were used at the frontline to give a natural, refined and feathered look.
The introduction of the running lock stitch for the donor area helped enhance the comfort of the patients and also provided for faster healing.
Several hundred grafts were used per session, inserted in stab wounds called slits. The problem with these, however, was that the hairs would sometimes be pushed together while growing out, as the scalp tissue grew, thus creating the impression that the hairs were coming out of the same single hole. This was called graft compression and eventually led to the use of single hair micrografts, which were not affected by the process.

Table of Contents:
Hair Loss Treatment in the 19th Century
A Japanese Discovery
The Beginnings of Hair Transplantation in Western medicine
Minigrafts and Micrografts
Laser Hair Transplants
The Gold Standard in Hair Transplantation