Various Types of Minor Trauma to Hair Follicles During Follicular Unit Extraction for Hair Transplantation

In 2017, a study analyzed 4,200 hair grafts from 42 patients to assess minor follicle trauma during Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) for hair transplantation. Researchers found an average transection rate (TR) of 7.40% with a ×5.5 magnifying loupe and 6.34% with a ×60 microscope. They observed that paring and hair bulb injuries were more noticeable under microscopic examination. The study concluded that minor damages, such as to the dermal papilla and hair bulb, occur during FUE and could affect the success of the transplant. It highlighted the need for further research to improve surgical techniques and optimize patient outcomes, noting that the level of skill and technique variations can influence the rate of trauma to the follicles.