What should you know about hair graft?

A graft may contain one or several follicles, the structures that produce hair. A clinician usually takes grafts from a donor area, often at the back or sides of the scalp, and places them into carefully planned recipient sites. The aim is to create a natural direction and distribution rather than simply fill every visible gap.

Grafts may be used for pattern hair loss, selected scarring, or hair loss caused by ongoing pulling. The underlying cause, donor density, scalp health, hair texture, and future loss all affect whether treatment is suitable. See Male Pattern Hair Loss, Female Pattern Hair Loss, and Traction Alopecia for related causes.

Before treatment, discuss the diagnosis, hairline design, donor area, expected density, number of sessions, and how continuing hair loss will be managed. Follow instructions about medicines, smoking, washing, and activity because they can affect healing.

After placement, protect the grafts from rubbing, picking, tight headwear, and direct sun until your clinic says these are appropriate. Mild swelling, crusting, tenderness, or temporary shedding can occur. New growth is gradual, so judge progress at review visits rather than by the early appearance.

Contact the treating clinic promptly for spreading redness, increasing warmth, worsening pain, pus, fever, heavy bleeding, or swelling that affects the eyes or breathing. Sudden loss of grafts after an injury also needs advice. Urgent medical care is appropriate for breathing difficulty, fainting, or rapidly worsening swelling.

Ask: What is causing my hair loss? Which donor area will you use? How will you design the hairline? What care protects the grafts? How will existing hair be supported if thinning continues?