Cutting out the Facts - An Inside Look into a Strip Incision Procedure

Strip incision is a method of donor-site harvesting. Hair restoration surgeons retrieve healthy hair from the back of the head (the donor site) by cutting out a linear strip in the scalp. Strip incision is the most common technique for removing hair and follicles from a donor site.

The Strip Incision Procedure

- A local anesthetic is given for pain.

- The surgeon begins by removing strips of tissue from the donor site (usually from the back of the head) with a scalpel. The strips can be up to one inch wide.

- After the strip incision has been made, the wound is closed with sutures or staples.

- The surgeon later dissects the follicles from the strip. The amount of hair dissected is dependent upon the selected type of hair transplant. The surgeon removes single follicles for follicular unit extraction or small groups of follicles for mini-micrografting. Sometimes, depending on the size of the balding area, the follicles must be removed in larger groups.

- The dissected follicles are transplanted into the scalp. The procedure may take a few sessions to complete.

Will the strip incision scar?
When the incision heals, it will leave a linear scar. Depending on the size of the incision, the scar will range in length from 1mm to 5mm wide. The good news, however, is that since the incision was made in an area where you have an abundance of hair, the scar will be hidden beneath your hair.