RESUMO
BACKGROUND: The most crucial factor in hair transplantation for male pattern baldness (MPB) patients is the efficient utilization of the donor-recipient ratio. However, there is no known factor that scientifically predicts the rate of progression of alopecia or indicates a permanently safe donor area. METHODS: The study considered 1,008 Korean adult males with MPB; of these, it excluded 56 males with an absence of parietal whorls (PWs). The authors investigated the distance from the vertical bimeatal line (VM) to the PW, from the PW to the upper border of the helical rim (HR), and the distance from the PW to the occipital fringe (OF) in 952 subjects with a PW. Furthermore, we examined the distance from the PW to the OF considering the duration of alopecia and age in 322 subjects with vertex alopecia. RESULTS: The distance between the VM and PW varied from 1.5 to 11 cm, with an average distance of 6.25 cm. The PW-HR distance ranged from 3.4 to 17.5 cm, and the average distance was 7.79 cm. The PW-OF distance ranged from 0.5 to 5.5 cm, and the average distance was 2.37 cm. CONCLUSIONS: For the PW, very large variations existed in the vertical direction. The position of the PW could predict the progression range of the total alopecia of the vertex. Alopecia mostly progresses within 6 cm of the PW toward the occipital side.
RESUMO
BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to identify the usefulness of micropigmentation as a technique for alopecia and scalp scar camouflage in Korean patients. METHODS: Micropigmentation was performed in 43 Korean patients from November 2011 to October 2012. There were 23 female patients with female pattern hair loss (FPHL), 14 male patients with male pattern baldness, and 6 patients with scalp scars. RESULTS: The results for one patient with FPHL Ludwig stage I were satisfactory according to the physician's assessment, but the patient was dissatisfied because she did not notice any remarkable changes after the procedure. The results for the other 42 patients were highly satisfactory and there were no adverse effects or complications. CONCLUSIONS: Micropigmentation appears to be a good method for camouflaging hair loss and scalp scars. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE IV: This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .
