The visualization of hair follicles by means of ultrasound scanner and follicoscope (using 640nm red visible with polarized light filter) to reduce damage for hair follicles during FUE(follicular unit extraction)

Abstract

Woo Koung Lee

Follicular unit extraction has many advantages which are the minimal scar, quicker recovery time but definitely have disadvantages as well. One of them include potential for top follicle transaction rate. The disadvantage is usually thanks to blind harvesting technique. Thus we had been trying to find imaging methods which make visible technique possible. One of them is that the ultrasound scanner which is 22MHz in frequency and shows structures within the dermis. Through it we acknowledged that there have been angle differences between hair shaft out of the skin and follicle within the occipital scalp. The results were in 20.8-40.3 degree range and 12.8 degree of average. In addition there were significant differences in the average follicle angle depending on the area of occipital region. Therefore we employed its data in order to reduce the transaction rate for graft. But despite ultrasound’s great ability, we weren't ready to harvest the grafts simultaneously while seeing the follicle . So we were searching for something to be capable of resolving the problem and lights gave us the good idea. We made the primary attempt with the NIR(one quite lights which is 700-2500nm in wavelength). We were able to identify the hair follicles but felt a need for further improvement. The most suitable amount of melanin to be observed in hair follicles was 640 nm red visible. We were ready to identify hair follicles using 640nm red light with PL filter. As a result, we can harvest the grafts while looking at the hair follicles through the monitor simultaneously