Comparative Study of a Novel Tool for Follicular Unit Extraction for Individuals with Afro-Textured Hair

The study, conducted from January 14, 2014, to November 14, 2015, with 18 male patients, compared a novel curved nonrotary punch to conventional sharp and dull rotary punches for follicular unit extraction (FUE) in individuals with Afro-textured hair. It found that the curved nonrotary punch had a significantly lower transection rate, less than 5%, compared to the conventional punches, which were only completely successful in 4 patients and often failed, especially with larger punch sizes. The curved punch was effective even in challenging cases, such as those with acne keloidalis nuchae (AKN), without the need for pretesting. Despite these promising results, the study's small size and retrospective design are limitations, and the new technique requires additional training for practitioners. The study concludes that the curved nonrotary punch is superior for FUE in patients with tightly curled hair.