ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION There are many different philosophies for long-term planning in hair transplantation. The one that will be presented here is a personal one based on a 44-year experience with the procedure. During that period, I have been, at different times, more aggressive and less aggressive in both the recipient and donor areas. I and my patients have therefore learned “the hard way” about the unintended consequences of the many innovations in the procedure that occurred over that period of time, and that I used to varying degrees. That experience ultimately has made me more wary of “the latest best things” than many less experienced hair restoration surgeons. During that same period of time I have also had the opportunity to gain more technical experience than average, to create an exceptional surgical team and to appreciate the psychological consequences to patients of being too timid, which in turn has made me more willing to attempt some things that others might view as too risky.
