Hair Transplant (FUE)

A hair transplant is a surgical procedure, and the hairline is part of the face. Dr. Kim's training in facial plastic surgery gives him a detailed knowledge of facial proportions and of the frame that the hairline creates. His hair restoration fellowship adds the technical expertise of the procedure itself. Dr. Kim performs hair transplants together with a specialized hair surgery team that has many years of experience.

Dr. Kim performs FUE exclusively. Individual follicular units are taken from the back and sides of the scalp, where hair is resistant to the hormone that causes pattern loss, and are placed one at a time in the thinning area. FUE does not leave a linear scar.

The hairline is designed for each patient according to the shape of the face, the pattern of hair loss and the patient's goals. Dr. Kim favors a conservative hairline. Hair loss usually continues with age, and a hairline set too low can look unnatural as the surrounding hair thins. The donor supply is finite and does not regenerate, so the plan takes future loss into account and the grafts are distributed accordingly.

Dr. Kim encourages finasteride and minoxidil as complementary treatments. They help preserve the native hair that was not transplanted, so surgery and medication work together over time. The choice of medication is made for each patient at the consultation.

Women can be good candidates for hair transplant, particularly for hairline correction and for localized thinning with healthy donor hair. A modified donor technique trims only a limited area, so women keep the rest of their hair long. The long hair covers the trimmed area, which helps conceal the donor site during the first weeks after the procedure.