Tissue expansion in the treatment of alopecia.

Tissue expanders have been used in multiple body sites. We successfully used the Radovan tissue expander in the scalp of patients with cicatricial alopecia and in hair replacement surgery for male pattern alopecia. The expander is placed in the subgaleal plane beneath a hairbearing area and is inflated over a six- to eight-week period. In a second procedure, the device is removed and the bald area is excised. Closure of the defect is accomplished, with the stretched hairbearing scalp replacing the area of alopecia. Scalp reduction and pedicle scalp flap procedures have benefited by preliminary scalp expansion.