Follicular Unit Extraction in East Asians

The study on follicular unit extraction (FUE) in East Asians highlighted specific challenges due to their unique facial and hair characteristics. East Asians typically preferred a flat and low hairline, which required more grafts. Their hair follicles were thicker and deeper compared to Caucasians, and they had a lower hair density of about 120–130 hairs/cm², significantly less than the 190–200 hairs/cm² in Caucasians. This lower density, combined with a higher scalp–hair color contrast and a tendency for idiopathic occipital fibrosis, meant fewer available follicles for harvest. The study concluded that minimizing follicle damage during harvest and maximizing engraftment was crucial. It recommended using a deeper punch insertion with a larger diameter punch for FUE in East Asians, emphasizing the importance of understanding follicle anatomy and FUE techniques to reduce the risk of follicle damage.