Hair transplant surgery. Image 2 of 9. Surgeon injecting local anaesthetic into the back of a man's head prior to harvesting hair. Local anaesthetic numbs a small region of tissue to minimise pain during the procedure. The patient has male pattern baldness (alopecia) on the crown of his head, which will be treated by a cosmetic surgery procedure known as punch grafting, the most common method of hair transplant. A region of hairy scalp will be harvested to provide plugs containing hair follicles. These will be inserted into holes made in the bald region. For a sequence of images of punch grafting, see M590/210 to M590/218.