Measurements of Tension on Wound Edges After Strip Harvest Surgery

The study, conducted on 20 patients, aimed to measure the tension on wound edges after strip harvest surgery for hair restoration, finding that tension increased with the width of the strip removed and was higher at the lateral points of the wound. The mean tension required to close the wound in the midline was 2.3115 pounds-force (lb-f), while tensions at the lateral points were 2.562 lb-f and 2.6345 lb-f. Tensions ranged from 0.90 lb-f for a 10-mm strip to 3.063 lb-f for a 15-mm strip. The study highlighted the importance of minimal wound closure tension for better scarring and indicated that tension is affected by scalp anatomy, strip size, and closure technique. This was the first study to directly measure wound closure tension after strip surgery, emphasizing the need for surgeons to reduce intra-operative wound closure tension for tension-free closure.