Does Removing the Donor Strip Too Quickly DUring Hair Transplant Surgery Affect Hair Growth?

This comment, addressed by Coalition hair restoration surgeon Dr. Michael Beehner was shared by a member of our [tag]Hair Loss[/tag]Social Community and Discussion Forums:

I noticed a point about how quickly the [tag]hair transplant[/tag] surgeon removed a strip in this recent write up from a fellow who had [tag]follicular unit transplantation[/tag] ([tag]FUT[/tag]): Dr. Rahal- 4737 grafts FUT- My Experience.

I recall Joe from Hasson & Wong talking about how slowly H&W remove their strips and that it can affect future yield–that is he said that he felt at their clinic their deliberate strip removal methods could actually help get more yield in future sessions, and generally they took more time/care than most other clinics.

First, it is important, when cutting out the underside of the strip (after the upper and lower skin incision have been made) to leave at least a thin layer of fat there, so that none of the follicle bulbs are “naked” and hanging in the breeze. This is important because the ideal graft created by the assistants doing the cutting under the microscope is one in which there is a small amount of fat left just under the bulb. This then is the ideal spot to place the forceps when placing the graft, so that the bulb itself is not traumatized. Also, this fat at the base of the bulb protects the dermal papilla, an important germinal center which is present just beneath the bulb.

Secondly, in large [tag] hair restoration[/tag] cases (over 2000 FU’s) the donor strip removal should be staged. In our clinic we remove around two-thirds of what we estimate we will need for the case, and then a few hours later remove the other third. The tissue removed first is the first grafts that are placed, and the last hair removed is obviously the last grafts placed. This way the surgeon limits the “time out of body” for the grafts, which has an effect on graft survival.

Mike Beehner, M.D.

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David (TakingThePlunge)
Editorial Assistant and Forum Co-Moderator for the Hair Transplant Network, the Coalition Hair Loss Learning Center, and the Hair Loss Q & A Blog.
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