Experience with a make-it-yourself scalp extender with hooks.

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Silicone scalp extenders have been shown to facilitate the process of scalp reduction surgery. OBJECTIVE: This report demonstrates how scalp extender devices can easily be made in the physician's office out of materials that are commercially available. METHODS: A scalp extender is made by bonding a narrow strip of Dacron-reinforced Duralastic silicone sheeting to each end of a long strip of plain Duralastic silicone sheeting. A stainless steel plate of hooks is then secured to each end of the extender. At the time of the first standard scalp reduction surgery, one extender device about 3.0 x 5.0 cm is placed in the subgaleal plane, in the transauricular direction, with hooks piercing the galea 1 cm caudad to the dense-in-quantity hair fringe margin. The circumferencial approach will accommodate the placement of a second extender device in the anterior-posterior direction to elevate the posterior hair fringe. To prevent adhesion of the galea to the periosteum around the devices, a sheet of plain silicone 15 x 20 cm is placed over the periosteum before the extenders are inserted. The extenders are replaced with shorter devices 3-4 weeks later. RESULTS: Usually the average width of bald scalp can be closed fringe to fringe in three operations as compared with five or six operations when using standard scalp reduction procedures. CONCLUSIONS: The scalp extender device described can be custom made in many different sizes. Its use has significantly changed the author's surgical treatment of pattern alopecia.