THE GOAL of hair transplantation is to restore a natural, undetectable frame of hair to the face. Unfortunately, from the i960s into the early 1990s, the terms hair transplantation and plugs were synonymous to physicians and, more importantly, to the general public. After the initial excitement of safely transplanting hair from areas of abundance into patches of hair loss in the 1960s wore off, the often disappointing cosmetic result of hair transplantation made the procedure unappealing to a generation of surgeons and patients. The emotional distress associated with progressively thinning hair was often replaced with equal distress with “plugs” and “cornrows.”

Appropriate candidate selection and realistic expectations can translate these revolutionary changes into consistently happy patients.