Description:
Follicular Unit Extraction(FUE) is become an advanced procedure over Strip method of hair transplantation due to significant improvement in instrumental industry through long experience and research in medical by surgeons and physicians living worldwide. FUE is one of the best techniques for hair graft collection that is required to perform a transplant procedure. A transplant procedure may be required to set front hairline or to treat baldness or hair thinning on head. It is also used for transplanting naturally growing hairs on the thinning showing features of face including eyebrow, beard, mustache or eyelash. It is useful and liked by most of patients experiencing the disorder in the world. During this type of procedure no any surgery is required for graft extraction from donor parts like Strip harvesting method where a strip of 1 to 1.5 cm wide and 10 to 15 cm long of skin is removed from back of scalp to collect grafts. So, the FUE technique is more popular among surgeons and patients nowadays as grafts are extracted out one by one using a hair punch of around 0.07mm diameter. The grafts are kept in a solution that keeps them alive for several hours. FUE does not leave scarring on donor parts and density of hairs there is also does not get disturbed as one graft is taken out from a group of five to six hairs. Bleeding does also not occur as no skin is removed in a strip form from donor parts.
Intact and baldness resisting graft extraction:
It is very important that a surgeon should extract out such hair grafts that are generally baldness resistant and remain intact during the extraction. Damage to grafts during graft collection should be negligible. So surgeons worldwide always pay attention in this regard and their experience plays a crucial role in it.
Density of hairs on donor parts:
Density of hairs on donor parts during graft collection is generally kept in mind. A good surgeon never extract out grafts from same area on donor parts that could generate a bald spot later due to lack of follicles. To maintain the density, good surgeons take one graft from a group of five or six hairs with a punch.
Body Hair Transplantation:
Sometimes it is also experienced by the surgeon that patient who comes for hair transplant lacks donor parts on posterior parts of his/her scalp. To face this problem surgeons at Walia Hospital have to transplant hairs by taking grafts from other body parts of the patient including arms, legs, back, chest, abdomen or shoulders etc. When grafts are taken from other body parts except from the scalp, the transplantation is called Body Hair Transplant (BHT).
Instruments for FUE hair transplant:
Along with experience and knowledge of surgeons, sophisticated instruments should also be required for hair transplantation. It had taken a long journey and time to develop modern day devices and tools for the transplantation. These tools however, assist surgeons for improving the operative process through reducing operative time and enhancing its efficiency by saving follicles from unintentional damage.
Manual hair punch:
The original hair punch was a circular hollow scalpel of metal that had 0.7 to 1.0 mm diameter. Before trimming hairs with 1 to 2mm height on donor parts, the punch is placed over a single follicle or a group of follicles and pressed downward and rotated manually with a little force in the skin to remove the follicle from surrounding tissue. It is extracted out of the skin with help of forceps. The punch hence helps to separate a graft from skin. It can extract out one graft from skin at a time. It takes few seconds to separate and collect a graft. A graft may be a single follicle or a group of 2 to 6 follicles. A follicle produces one strand of hair after its transplantation. The punch is really useful for eliminating the possibility of developing rounded scars on donor parts. The manual punch is further improved through addition of other useful characteristics such as reducing its diameter and enhancing its rotational properties to get intact grafts.
Advanced FUE instruments
To speed up graft collection, new instruments were developed for the technology. These instruments were ranging from mechanical to robotic punches and systems.
The SAFE System: It is a three step method to get a graft through reducing potential for transaction. During this system, a sharp punch is used to incise skin around a graft and then a blunt circular punch is applied to loosen the unit from its surrounding tissue. The third step of it is extraction of the unit finally.
The Powered SAFE Scribe:
It is an electrically motorized hand hold instrument that is used to extract grafts. It is a minimal invasive instrument that does not damage follicles. It speeds up graft collection. Scarring is also minimal during use of this device. The punch rotates with the help of motor installed in it with the help of electric power.
Roto Core:
The manual punch is further modified to facilitate automatic rotation during graft harvesting. A Roto Core punch came into existence that rotates itself automatically when it is used to make a rounded incision around a graft. The penetration depth of the punch is also adjustable in this the punch.
Roto Core:
The manual punch is further modified to facilitate automatic rotation during graft harvesting. A Roto Core punch came into existence that rotates itself automatically when it is used to make a rounded incision around a graft. The penetration depth of the punch is also adjustable in this the punch.
Feller Hair Punch:
Feller punch, which was designed by Dr Alan Feller, supports friction less graft harvesting without rotation. It is useful to create minimal fatigue during hair transplantation. These punches are generally available in two forms with 0.9mm and 1.0mm.
Core Isolation Technique:
Dr. John P. Cole had invented the Core Isolation Technique after his previously developed Follicular Isolation Technique (FIT). It is an advanced technique to extract intact grafts from donor parts. This technique is efficient for cutting the dermis just beyond the arrector pilli muscle. This helps to extrude out an intact graft form the skin. Graft damage is minimal during this technology.
Neo Graft:
Neo Graft that was developed by a trademark of mechanical instruments, is used to support physician’s proficiency for graft harvesting and plantation. The mechanized instrument contains a rotating sharp punch to extract intact grafts and a suction device that helps for removing the graft from skin and moving it in a graft collection dish.
Counting Incision Device:
Counting Incision Device (CID) is a useful device for perfectly maintaining the incision count during transplantation of grafts or preparing a recipient area. It provides virtual reading of incisions on its small screen or LED display that supports five digit counts. The depth of incision, that is to be made on recipient site, is adjustable in the device. It is reusable and its blades and needles are disposed after use. It provides an opportunity to a physician for concentrating himself/herself not only on incision making job but he/she may talk to the surrounding staff. He/she does not need for counting each incision and remembering it for further addition. The surgeon can do other job during the procedure without counting the incisions.
Artas System:
The Artas System is the most advanced technique for FUE graft collection. It is completely a robotic technique for FUE hair transplantation. Restoration Robotics Inc had developed it first time in the surgery. It is US FDA (Food and Drug Administration) approved technique used for treating male pattern baldness. It is installed with computer based commands for extraction of grafts using air suction pressure. The robotic technique is useful to collect one thousand grafts per hour.
