Epidural Needle for Recipient Site Preparation in Hair Restoration Surgery

In 2011, a study was conducted on eight patients to evaluate the use of a 16G epidural needle for recipient site preparation in hair restoration surgery. The study found that using the epidural needle reduced the occurrence of grafts 'popping out' during the procedure. Approximately 500 micrografts were grafted in each patient to reconstruct the anterior hairline. After a mean follow-up period of 1.5 years, the patients' anterior hairlines appeared natural without obvious scarring, and the graft survival rate was satisfactory. The surgeons found this technique easier to apply than standard needle techniques, suggesting it could be used by inexperienced surgeons. The study concluded that the use of an epidural needle for recipient hole preparation works well in reducing the popping out, and the curved fashion of the holes reduced the angle of the hair follicle. However, the study acknowledged the small sample size and the lack of objective methods to measure the effectiveness of this technique.