National Hair Institute, Follicular Unit Hair Transplantation & Restoration, Melbourne, Sydney, Australia, Hair Loss Solutions

More conventional methods required that a section of skin be removed so that the graft can be placed into the recipient hole. This removal of scalp, even though small, disrupts the blood vessels and has the affect of reducing the blood supply to the scalp. This ultimately limits the number of grafts that could be successfully placed to about 500 to 800 per session so that numerous procedures are required over a long period of time to achieve the final result.

Using follicular units, the removal of a section of skin to make a recipient hole is unnecessary. Due to the small size of the grafts it is now possible to place the grafts into incisions made with hypodermic needles. This method does not remove blood vessels and therefore leaves the vital blood flow intact to supply the new grafts. This has allowed us to place a very large number of grafts in one sitting, the grafts are placed very close together and achieve consistent and reliable results with growth rates in excess of 95%.

Dense packing is often performed in conjunction with the megasession.

Before and after one procedure

What is a megasession?

Just one megasession equals 3 to 5 sessions of a conventional grafting procedure

The other problem with more traditional methods is that the results from one procedure generally looks "tufty" or "pluggy" and multiple procedures are required to fill in the gaps between grafts. The megasession does away with these problems. Utilising a large number of grafts in one procedure allows us to create a density and appearance that is indistinguishable from natural hair.

The megasession was introduced at the National Hair Institute in 1997 and consists of the implantation of 1500 to 3500+ grafts in one procedure. Each of the grafts implanted will contain from one to four hairs so ultimately a megasession may result in the transfer of up to 7000 hairs (if each graft were to contain on average 2 hairs) in one procedure.

The megasession therefore effectively transplants the same number of hairs usually transplanted in three to five procedures using the more traditional micro grafting method that is still used by some centres today.

Some patients also prefer to take up to 10 days leave after surgery before returning to work. If they can achieve the result they are seeking in only one or two procedures, then they effectively save themselves a great deal of post operative "downtime".

The procedural methods listed above may be a little confusing for some but ultimately they can be summed up very simply. Follicular units, megasessions and dense packing have allowed us to achieve for patients:

1. Fewer sessions and a final result in 12 to 18 months as opposed to 3 to 5 years.
2. Less total downtime, discomfort and emotional upheaval.
3. A higher degree of density throughout the treated region.
4. An efficient procedure with absolutely minimal waste of donor hair.
5. And most importantly natural results even under the closest scrutiny.