Hair Loss & Transplant Glossary

A comprehensive A–Z guide to key terms, techniques, and treatments

A

ACell
A biologically active scaffold (derived from porcine bladder lining) often paired with PRP to support healing, improve graft take, and potentially revitalise thinning hairs. A stepping stone towards future regenerative techniques like cloning.

5-Alpha Reductase
The enzyme that transforms testosterone into DHT, the hormone responsible for most hereditary hair loss. Medications like finasteride and dutasteride work by reducing this conversion.

Alopecia
A general term for hair loss, covering several types:
• Androgenetic (DHT-driven, pattern baldness)
• Areata (autoimmune, patchy loss)
• Telogen Effluvium (triggered by stress or illness)
• Traction Alopecia (caused by tight hairstyles)

Accurate diagnosis is the foundation of effective treatment.

Alopecia Areata
An autoimmune condition that causes patchy hair loss, usually on the scalp but sometimes affecting brows or beard. In more severe cases, it may progress to total scalp or full-body loss. Treatments include steroids and immune-modulating therapies like JAK inhibitors.

Alopecia Universalis
A rare, advanced autoimmune form where all hair is lost from scalp, face, and body. Experimental medications (like baricitinib) are emerging, though cosmetic options like SMP, wigs, or support communities often help manage the impact.

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B

Balloon Expansion
An outdated surgical approach where a balloon was used to stretch scalp skin before transplant. No longer performed due to better modern alternatives.

Beard Transplant
Using FUE to transplant scalp hair into beard or moustache areas. Popular for style enhancement, scar repair, or filling patchy growth. Results are permanent.

Bimatoprost (Latisse)
Originally an eye drop for glaucoma, it’s now FDA-approved for eyelash growth and being investigated for potential use on the scalp.

Body Hair Transplant (BHT)
Using donor hairs from areas like the chest or beard when the scalp donor area is limited. Useful in repair cases but comes with texture differences.

Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH)
An enlarged prostate condition also influenced by DHT. Drugs like finasteride and dutasteride treat both BPH and hair loss.

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C

Catagen Phase
The brief middle stage of the hair growth cycle when the follicle begins to shrink before resting.

Hair Cloning
Still experimental. The concept involves duplicating follicle cells to create limitless donor hair. Despite online claims, this isn’t yet available to patients.

Cobblestoning
Uneven, bumpy scalp texture from poorly placed or large grafts. More common in outdated techniques.

Coronal Incisions
Incisions made perpendicular to the hairline for transplant. Often used to mimic natural hair angles and boost frontal zone density.

Crown Hair Loss (Vertex Baldness)
Thinning at the crown — a high-demand area for grafts. Ethical surgeons often prioritise the hairline to manage donor supply long term.

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D

Dermal Papilla
A key structure at the base of the follicle, involved in hair growth. Important in ongoing cloning and regrowth research.

Dermis
The middle skin layer, housing follicles and blood vessels. Proper graft placement here is vital for long-term survival.

DHT (Dihydrotestosterone)
The main culprit in male and female pattern hair loss. Causes miniaturisation of follicles, leading to thinner hairs over time.

Dilators
Surgical tools used to prepare the recipient site for grafts — helps reduce trauma and guides proper angle placement.

Donor Zone
The back and sides of the scalp, genetically more resistant to DHT. Carefully managed to avoid visible thinning.

Donor Dominance
The principle that transplanted hair retains the genetic properties of its origin — the foundation of all transplant success.

Diffuse Patterned Alopecia (DPA)
General thinning across the top of the scalp in a pattern. Patients may still qualify for surgery with detailed planning.

Diffuse Unpatterned Alopecia (DUPA)
Widespread thinning that includes the donor zone. Usually makes surgery inadvisable due to unstable donor hair.

Dutasteride
A dual 5-alpha reductase inhibitor. Blocks both Type I and II enzymes, making it more potent than finasteride — but often prescribed off-label.

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E

Epidermis
The outermost layer of skin. Doesn’t hold follicles, but its condition affects healing and graft success.

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F

Follicular Unit
The natural grouping of 1 to 4 hairs. Modern surgeries replicate these for a natural look.

Follicular Unit Transplantation (FUT / Strip Method)
A surgical method where a strip is removed from the donor zone and dissected into grafts. Higher graft yield, but leaves a linear scar.

Hair Follicle
The tiny organ in the skin responsible for hair production. Goes through a growth (anagen), transition (catagen), and rest (telogen) cycle.

Hair Graft
A follicular unit ready for transplantation. The number of healthy grafts you have largely determines coverage potential.

Gynecomastia
Enlargement of male breast tissue. A rare but documented side effect of DHT-blocking medications.

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H

Hair Flap Surgery
A now-abandoned technique involving large scalp flaps to cover baldness. Often led to unnatural results.

Hair Geometry
Includes the direction, angle, curl, and growth pattern of your hair. Crucial for recreating a natural look post-transplant.

Hair Transplant Surgery
A medical procedure that redistributes healthy follicles from DHT-resistant areas to thinning zones. Two main types: FUT and FUE.

Hypertrichosis
Excess hair growth on areas not usually hairy. Occasionally triggered by medications.

Hyperthyroidism
Overactive thyroid gland can lead to increased hair shedding. Treating the thyroid typically restores normal growth.

HypoThermosol
A specialised solution used during surgery to keep harvested grafts healthy before placement.

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I

Implanter Pen (Choi Pen)
A handheld device used to place grafts directly into the scalp, often associated with the DHI technique.

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J

JAK Inhibitors
A newer class of immune-modulating drugs (e.g. baricitinib) being used to treat severe alopecia areata and universalis.

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K

Keratin
A strong protein that makes up most of your hair. Important for structure, but topical keratin won’t prevent hair loss.

Ketoconazole
An antifungal commonly found in dandruff shampoos. May mildly lower DHT on the scalp when used regularly.

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L

Langer’s Lines
Natural lines of skin tension. Surgeons align FUT incisions with these to improve healing and reduce scarring.

Lateral Slit Technique
An incision method aligned with natural hair angles, often improving density and realism.

Latisse (Bimatoprost)
See Bimatoprost — a drug used for lash growth, now under study for scalp use.

Scalp Laxity
How loose or tight your scalp is — a factor in FUT surgery planning.

Loniten (Oral Minoxidil)
Originally a blood pressure medication, now used off-label in low doses for hair regrowth.

Surgical Loupes
Magnification glasses used in surgery to enhance precision during graft placement.

Ludwig Scale
Classification system for female pattern hair loss. Helps assess severity and plan treatments.

Male Pattern Baldness (Androgenetic Alopecia)
The most common form of hair loss in men. Linked to genetics and DHT. Classified using the Norwood Scale.

Manual Punch
A tool used for extracting follicles by hand during FUE. Favoured by some surgeons for control and precision.

Micrografts / Minigrafts
Older methods using multiple hairs per graft. Less refined than today’s follicular units.

Miniaturisation
The process where DHT shrinks healthy follicles, causing them to produce thinner, shorter hairs.

Minoxidil
An FDA-approved treatment for hair loss. Available as a topical or oral medication. Prolongs the hair growth phase.

Motorised Punch
A powered tool for quicker FUE extractions. Effective when used by skilled hands.

Multi-Blade Scalpel (Historic FUT)
An outdated method that risked damaging grafts. Replaced by safer single-blade tools.

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N

Necrosis
Dead tissue caused by poor surgical technique or poor healing. Rare, but serious.

NeoGraft
A semi-automated FUE machine. Results depend more on the technician than the device itself.

Norwood Scale
Used to grade the stages of male pattern hair loss (from early recession to full baldness).

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O

Occipital Scalp
The lower back portion of your scalp — the gold standard donor area due to DHT resistance.

Overharvesting
Removing too many grafts from the donor zone. Can result in visible thinning or patchy regrowth.

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P

Pitting
Small depressions in the scalp caused by placing grafts too deep. Avoided with good technique.

Plugs
Large, outdated grafts that created unnatural “doll hair” patterns. Thankfully a thing of the past.

Posterior Scalp
Another term for the back of the scalp — often the primary donor zone.

Propecia (Finasteride 1mg)
A daily tablet that reduces DHT levels. FDA-approved for male pattern hair loss.

Proscar (Finasteride 5mg)
Higher-dose version, originally for prostate issues. Sometimes prescribed off-label for hair loss.

Pubic Hair Transplant
A rare, specialist cosmetic or reconstructive surgery to restore density in the pubic area.

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R

Recipient Sites
The tiny incisions where grafts are placed. Critical for direction, density, and natural results.

Retrograde Alopecia
Thinning at the lower edges of the donor zone. Can reduce the safe graft supply.

Ridging
Raised lines from older transplant methods. Rare with today’s refined techniques.

Rogaine (Minoxidil)
The brand name for topical minoxidil.

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S

Sagittal Incisions
Cuts made parallel to existing hair — often combined with coronal for optimal blend.

Savin Scale
A scale for female hair loss — slightly more detailed than Ludwig.

Saw Palmetto
A herbal DHT-blocker used in some natural supplements. Evidence remains limited.

Scalp Micropigmentation (SMP)
A cosmetic tattoo that mimics shaved stubble. Useful for camouflage, density illusion, or scar blending.

Scalp Reduction
A surgery that removes bald areas and pulls surrounding hair-bearing scalp together. Rarely used today.

Seborrheic Dermatitis
A common scalp condition involving flaking and inflammation. Can aggravate shedding if unmanaged.

Senescent Alopecia
General thinning due to ageing. Not always driven by DHT.

Shock Loss
Temporary shedding following surgery or trauma. Usually regrows within 3–6 months.

Stick and Place Technique
Grafts are placed immediately after making the incision — reduces time outside the body.

Single Blade Scalpel (Modern FUT)
Used today for clean strip removal during FUT, minimising damage.

Spironolactone
An anti-androgen prescribed mainly for women. Often used when DHT is a contributing factor.

Storage Solutions
Fluids used during surgery to preserve graft viability — e.g. saline, HypoThermosol, PRP.

Strip Surgery (FUT)
See FUT — involves removing a strip of donor scalp.

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T

Telogen Phase
The final stage of the hair cycle when the follicle rests before shedding.

Telogen Effluvium
Sudden, widespread shedding caused by stress, illness, or shock to the system. Usually reversible.

Temple Hair Loss
Recession of hair around the temples — often one of the first signs of pattern baldness.

Terminal Hair
Thick, pigmented hair — the opposite of vellus (fine) hair.

Traction Alopecia
Hair loss caused by persistent pulling from tight hairstyles.

Transection
Cutting through follicles during surgery. Minimised with experience and technique.

Tricopigmentation
A temporary form of SMP. Fades gradually over 12–18 months.

Trichotillomania
A psychological condition involving compulsive hair pulling.

Tumescence
Injecting fluid into the scalp during surgery to make tissue firmer and improve accuracy.

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V

Vellus Hair
Thin, wispy hair often seen in miniaturised areas. Typically a sign of DHT activity.

Vertex
The crown of the head — often the trickiest area to cover due to its swirl pattern.

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W

Wigs and Hair Systems
Non-surgical options for hair coverage. High-quality systems can look natural but need maintenance and replacement.

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X

Xenografting
An experimental research method where human follicle cells are grafted into animals for study.

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Y

Young Patients and Hair Transplants
Surgery isn’t usually recommended for patients in their early 20s. Medical therapy is typically advised first to preserve long-term donor supply.

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Z

Zinc
An essential mineral for scalp health. Deficiency can contribute to shedding — often corrected through diet or supplements.

Z-Plasty
A plastic surgery technique used to improve the appearance of old transplant scars or scalp trauma.