Harvested vs Estimated Follicular Units in Hair Transplantation

August 2018 in “ Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology ”

Yau‐Li Huang, Mei‐Ching Lee, Shyue‐Luen Chang, Sindy Hu, Chun‐Shin Chang, Ying‐Fang Lin, Chun‐Yu Cheng

androgenetic alopecia follicular unit transplantation FUT follicular units hair transplants scalp laxity follicular unit density hair loss hair transplant hair grafts

TLDR Actual harvested hair follicles were fewer and differed in type from estimated, with older patients and those with multiple transplants needing more careful planning.

The study analyzed 65 male patients with androgenetic alopecia who underwent follicular unit transplantation (FUT) and found that the actual number of harvested follicular units (3162.22 ± 958.30) was lower than the estimated number (3319.25 ± 1007.86). The harvested grafts had more 1-hair units and fewer 3-hair units than estimated. Older patients and those with multiple hair transplants had lower follicular unit density and scalp laxity, suggesting they may need a larger harvesting area and more careful management. The study also reported no significant difference in follicular unit density based on the severity of hair loss, but did find racial differences, with Caucasians having higher densities than Asians. The findings indicate a need for improved preoperative estimations and caution in managing certain patient groups.

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