Hair transplantation in women: a practical new classification system and review of technique.

Alopecia in women is often overlooked as a major cosmetic problem. For women with hair loss, the psychological effects are often more severe than for men. Advances in modern hair transplantation have allowed successful hair restoration in many cases of female alopecia that might not have been possible to treat with older techniques. A classification of female hair loss patterns into 5 different categories is proposed. On the basis of these categories, a variety of techniques are demonstrated to restore alopecia. Careful preoperative patient evaluation, including analysis of the donor and recipient features, is emphasized. In addition, women's psychological reactions to hair loss and the expectations for hair restoration are discussed. (Aesthetic Surg J 2002;22:247-259.).