Restoring edges and temples in Black women with hair transplant: technique, graft count, results and recovery.
What is edge and temple restoration?
"Edges" is the term commonly used in the Black hair community for the fine, delicate hair at the frontal and temporal hairline borders. These hairs — characteristically fine, tightly coiled and growing at very low angles — define the frame of the face and are often the first area affected by traction alopecia.
Temple restoration refers to rebuilding the temporal hairline — the side portions of the hairline that frame the face from the forehead to the ear. In combination, edges and temple restoration can dramatically change the appearance of the face frame — producing one of the highest impact-per-graft outcomes in hair transplant surgery.
Technique for edges restoration — why it requires specialist skill
Edge hair is the most technically demanding zone in female Afro hair transplant for three reasons:
Angle: Natural edge hair grows at angles as shallow as 5–15° from the skin surface. Grafts implanted at incorrect angles stand outward rather than lying flat against the skin — immediately visible and unnatural.
Fineness: Natural edge hair consists of very fine single-hair units. Placing two-hair or three-hair grafts in the edge zone produces a density that looks artificial against the surrounding skin. Edge restoration requires exclusively single-hair grafts in the outermost 3–5mm.
Curl pattern: The transplanted edge hair must curl in the same direction and to the same degree as the surrounding natural edge hair. Dr. Arslan selects donor grafts from zones with matching hair calibre and curl pattern for edge cases.
Graft requirements for edges and temple restoration
| Pattern | Graft estimate |
|---|---|
| Mild edges thinning (partial loss) | 300–600 grafts |
| Moderate edges recession (both sides) | 600–1,000 grafts |
| Significant frontal + temporal recession | 1,000–1,600 grafts |
| Full hairline restoration (edges + temples) | 1,200–2,000 grafts |
Unshaved procedure for discreet recovery
The majority of edge and temple restoration cases at Hairmedico are performed using unshaved DHI — the existing hair is preserved, and grafts are placed between existing follicles using the Choi pen. No visible shaving. No obvious signs of surgery during the recovery period. The result develops gradually over 10–12 months as the transplanted hairs grow.
