We are all waiting for hair real hair cloning to come, that will utilize cultivation of different types of hair follicle cells and subsequent transplantation of these cells into the skin.
Yet, even now, one modification of hair cloning technique exist and is used in hair transplantation practice.
Recently reported case, give us some feeling of reproducibility and benefits of this method.
Bisection of hair follicles is a technique, when, hair follicle is horizontally bisected and subsequently produce two growing follicles.
Yet, so far growth rate of bisected hair follicles is low, often less than 50%.
Also, resulting hairs have finer caliber.
It was reported, that 20 autologous [from the same person] terminal donor hairs were bisected as closely as possible to the "bulge" area [area, where putative hair follicle stem cells are located].
The 20 hair "shafts" were implanted along the left hairline and 20 "bulbs" were implanted along the right hairline.
Growth was evaluated and tabulated 2.5-8 months after transplant surgery.
The procedure has been performed on 14 patients to date. Follow-up has been obtained on six patients ranging in age from 29 to 57 years.
Patients exhibited:
- 46% growth from hair "shafts" (upper portion) and
- 47% growth from "bulbs" (lower portion).
These bisected hairs were finer in caliber (diameter) than the original donor hairs.
From: Dermatol Surg 2001 Oct;27(10):868-72
By: Swinehart JM. |
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