The Occipital-Parietal Flap Method in the Treatment of Male Baldness

Abstract

The hair transplant technique to use for correcting male baldness is chosen based on the type of baldness, the condition and direction of the donor hair, and the favored hairstyle. In the occipital-parietal flap technique presented here, a flap is raised on one side of the occipital part. The flap is 4 cm wide and stretches toward the lower part of the parietal. After 1 week, the flap is transplanted from the top of the head to the frontal area using general anesthesia. Light pressure is applied to the transferred flap with a tie-over dressing. With this technique the hair grows downward and covers both the front and top parts of the head. It is important to use this technique in a manner appropriate for the baldness pattern. This technique is most successful for cases with type IV and V baldness patterns, although it will also yield good results for other patterns.