ABSTRACT
Modern hair restoration surgery (HRS) has evolved significantly since its original introduction in the United States in 1959. HRS includes many different techniques including hair transplantation (HT), scalp reduction, scalp flaps and tissue expansion. The most common cause of hair loss is androgenic alopecia (AGA), more commonly known as male pattern baldness. Other processes that lead to hair loss are trauma, diseases such as alopecia areata and lichen planopilaris, and iatrogenic causes, most commonly prior surgery. The most important area of challenge to HRS surgeons is the hairline, which is the transition from bald skin to hairbearing skin. In all men, the frontal hairline meets the temporal hairline at the frontotemporal angle. The majority of hair transplant surgeons recommend the use of minoxidil and finasteride after the initial consultation for hair loss. These two medications have a synergistic effect. It usually takes 3–4 months to see demonstrable effects with minoxidil treatment.
