Donor Hair Follicle Preservation by Partial Follicular Unit Extraction: A Method to Optimize Hair Transplantation

In 2010, a study on partial longitudinal follicular unit extraction (FUE) was conducted with five male patients aged 36-61 with androgenetic alopecia to assess whether this method could preserve donor hair follicles and optimize hair transplantation. The study found that after 3 months, 92.1% to 104.1% (mean 97.7%) of the donor site partial units survived, and after 1 year, 91.1% to 101.5% (mean 96.1%) of the implanted partial units in the recipient area showed hair growth with characteristics similar to the donor area. The multiplication rate of hairs was between 83.2% and 102.1%, with a mean of 93.3%. The study concluded that partial FUE can generate two hair follicles from one original follicle, with a high rate of hair multiplication and preservation in both donor and recipient areas. However, the study had limitations, including a small sample size and the inclusion of patients with previous hair transplants, and suggested that further research with more patients is needed to confirm the clinical relevance of the technique.