Minimizing Injury to the Donor Area in Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) Harvesting

August 2016 in “ Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology ”

Γεώργιος Ζώντος, Ken L. Williams, George Nikiforidis

follicular unit extraction FUE acute extraction AE vertical extraction VE normal saline hair transplantation donor area scar formation transection rates skin turgor hair transplant saline

TLDR Using normal saline in vertical extraction for hair transplants reduces donor area injury more than acute extraction.

The study evaluated the efficacy of using 0.9% normal saline to reduce injury in the donor area during Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) hair transplantation. It compared two techniques: acute extraction (AE) and vertical extraction (VE), where normal saline is injected before harvesting. The results showed a significant reduction in wound surface and skin mass in VE compared to AE, with the wound surface being 87% larger in AE and the skin mass removed being 395% larger in AE. The p-value of 0.000 indicated statistical significance. VE was found to limit scar formation, lower transection rates, and increase the potential for successful future harvests. The study highlighted the benefits of using normal saline to make hair follicles more vertical and increase skin turgor, which aids in the harvesting process. VE was particularly beneficial for patients with less scarring compared to those with extensive scarring from previous procedures. The number of participants in the study was not specified.

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