Follicular Transection in Strip Harvesting

Abstract

There are various techniques at present for donor harvesting in hair transplantation. Follicular Unit Transplant (FUT), also known as strip harvesting, may be performed by multiblade harvesting or single-blade strip harvesting methods, while follicular unit extraction (FUE) may be performed by manual, motorized, or robotic methods. Transection rates in FUE remain higher (0.4–32.1%) than that of FUT surgery, where typical transection rates range from 1 to 1.9%. The transection of the hair follicle is found to produce poorer growth regardless of the level of transection, although the latter plays an important role in the follicle’s capacity to regrow. The commonest level of transection is at the lower one-third of the hair follicle, where the dermal papilla is located. Factors that increase the rate of transection include longer hair follicles and higher donor density. Understanding the factors influencing transection rate allows the surgeon to be aware of the areas at higher risk of transection. By minimizing the number of transections, a greater number of hair follicles can be preserved for both current and future transplantation.