Harvesting Hair Follicles
The hair restoration specialists at True & Dorin have extensive experience in both Follicular Unit Transplantation and Follicular Unit Extraction, as well as other hair restoration treatments. At the New York hair loss clinic of Dr. Robert True and Dr. Robert Dorin, the doctors are happy to answer any questions that a patient may have concerning his or her hair transplantation procedure. Among the most common questions they receive concern the harvesting of hair follicles.
Harvesting Hair Follicles
For patients undergoing a hair transplantation procedure at the hair loss center True & Dorin, hair follicles harvesting will be performed exclusively by Dr. True or Dr. Dorin. The process of harvesting hair follicles differs slightly between the Follicular Unit Transplantation (FUT) procedure and the Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) procedure.
The Process of Harvesting Hair Follicles during Follicular Unit Transplantation
For patients who have undergone hair loss treatment, Follicular Unit Transplantation has been highly successful at regrowing hair. It is one of the most successful and cost-effective treatments utilized to regrow hair.
A strip of the hair-bearing scalp is removed from the sides, back of the head, or both the sides and back of the head during the process of harvesting hair follicles for Follicular Unit Transplantation. Once this strip has been removed, the donor area is sutured closed using a two-layer closure. The benefit of this type of closure is that it results in the thinnest possible scar. Another benefit of the two-layer closure is that the scarring will be hidden within the donor hair. Another technique that may be utilized during this phase is the Trichophytic Donor Closure. The upper margin of the harvested area and the lower margin is sutured together to enable the growth of hair through the scar. This technique results in a scar that is camouflaged within the remaining hair, thereby becoming virtually undetectable.
The Process of Harvesting Hair Follicles during Follicular Unit Extraction
When harvesting hair follicles for the Follicular Unit Extraction technique, the donor area must be extensively shaved. This is done to ensure that there are an optimal number of grafts during the Follicular Unit Extraction procedure. During the process of harvesting hair follicles, individual follicle units are excised and extracted. This is achieved through tiny sharp punches and by utilizing fine-tip forceps. Because the puncture sites are so small, sutures are not required. The appearance of scarring that results from Follicular Unit Extraction typically looks like tiny pinpoint spots that are not clearly evident even with a shaved head. Patients who have undergone extensive Follicular Unit Extraction may experience more evident or defined scarring.
Through researching the process of harvesting hair follicles, patients may have come across the ARTAS robotic system. The hair restoration specialists at True & Dorin do not utilize the ARTAS robotic system. Unlike the donor harvesting techniques at True & Dorin that utilize sharp punches, the ARTAS robotic system utilizes dull punches. These dull punches may result in the development of fibrosis or scarring in the extraction sites. Dr. True and Dr. Dorin have found that the grafts produced by the ARTAS robotic system are not of the same high quality as the grafts produced by their Follicular Unit Extraction techniques.
Learn More about Harvesting Hair Follicles
Patients who would like to learn more about the harvesting of hair follicles in Follicular Unit Transplantation and Follicular Unit Extraction, please contact the hair loss specialists at True & Dorin today.
