Micrografting Surgery - Part 2: What To Expect On The Day Of Your Operation

On the day of your micrograft transplant surgery, make a plan to have someone drive you to the doctor's office. Also make a plan to have someone pick you up. To ensure your safety, doctors will not let you drive yourself home because you may still feel drowsy, a bit disoriented, and your coordination may still be off.

Arrive at least 15 minutes prior to your appointment in case you need to take care of paperwork. Before the surgery, you will be given a surgical dress to put on over your clothes. You will also be given certain medication prior to your surgery. This may include a tranquilizer and other types of medication to minimize swelling and pain. Use the bathroom even if you don't need to go. This will eliminate the inconvenience of having to stop in the middle of the surgery because you have to use the bathroom.

Your doctor will again explain the procedure to you. He will mark your scalp in the specific area to be treated and take photos. You will then be taken to the operating room where you will be lying face down on a special surgical bed that is specifically made for your comfort and to keep you in place during the surgery.

Your doctor will begin by trimming a narrow section of your hair that is covering the back of your scalp. Next, using an antiseptic solution, the doctor will clean the scalp on the back of your head. He or she will then numb the donor area by injecting it with anesthesia. The first injection will be slightly uncomfortable and you will feel a sting, which will last very briefly. The medication that you took a few minutes ago will begin to kick in, making you feel more relaxed and calm. Your scalp will also start to feel numb and will continue to feel that way until after the surgery.

The surgeon will also inject the donor area with saline solution. The saline solution will help swell up the donor area, which makes it easier to remove the section of tissue. Your doctor will then take out that section of tissue using a single blade scalpel and pass it over to a group of medical assistants. The medical assistants will then cut the tissue into follicular unit micrografts. During this time, the doctor closes the open section of your scalp with sutures and puts a bandage over the closed wound while applying a soft pressure to lessen the bleeding. At the same time, the medical assistants will cool and trim the transplant tissue and form hundreds of follicular unit micrografts, a process that will take a few hours to finish.

The section of your head where the grafts will be placed will be numbed and the doctor will make very small slits to place the follicular unit micrografts. The surgeon will plant the grafts in places that enables them to grow in a natural pattern. Once that area is filled, the doctor will begin to work on the next site. During this time, many more follicular unit micrografts are being cut by the medical assistants. The surgery will be finished when all the graphs are planted into all the designated sites.