Complications of hair restoration surgery: A retrospective analysis

Abstract

Background:Hair restoration surgery (HRS) is a very promising and sought after aesthetic procedure with very few complications. Complications may occur in the donor or the recipient area, and it may be due to surgical or idiopathic causes.Aim:The aim was to analyze the complications in male patients who underwent HRS for androgenetic alopecia (AGA).Materials and Methods:We conducted a retrospective analysis of male patients who underwent HRS for AGA from December 2010 to August 2014. Data were collected from the registers, telephonic enquiry and electronic mails. All complications during and after surgery, and their subjective feeling about hair growth was recorded.Results:Seventy-three patients were included in the analysis. A total of 65 patients had undergone follicular unit transplant, 7 patients underwent FUE, and one patient had body hair transplantation. Postoperative edema was found in 42.47% of patients, followed by sterile folliculitis in 23.29% of patients, wide donor scar in 15.07% of patients, bacterial folliculitis and numbness/paresthesia in 10.96% of patients. Other complications such as raised scar, hiccups, pruritus, excessive bleeding were found in isolated cases.Conclusion:Thorough preoperative evaluation, skillful surgical techniques, good communication and postoperative follow-up go a long way in giving satisfactory outcome with fewer complications in HRS.

Using Feily's method prevented scalp necrosis in three patients incline to the scalp recipient necrosis; what is new in prevention of scalp necrosis?

“…Predisposing ingredients are diabetes mellitus, smoking, atrophic skin damage, preexisting recipient‐site scarring, or prior scalp surgery (Konior, ). Potential technical factors associated with the recipient‐site necrosis are large openings, mega‐sessions, dense packing, epinephrine solutions injected directly into the recipient site, and deep slitting (Feily & Moeineddin, ; Konior, ; Loganathan et al, ; Nusbaum & Nusbaum, ). It has been suggested that darkness can be a warning of sudden scalp necrosis and may outline potential danger zones (Feily & Moeineddin, ).…”

“…Serious complications arising from surgical hair restoration are relatively uncommon following well‐performed and well‐planned surgery by skillful surgical techniques, good communication, and postoperative follow‐up (Konior, ; Loganathan et al, ).…”

Localized telogen effluvium following hair transplantation

“…Hair transplantation has often been used for esthetic correction of baldness 1 . Complications following hair transplantation may occur in the donor or the recipient area, and it may be due to surgical or idiopathic causes 2 . Possible complications include alteration in scars, pigmentation disturbances, hair kinking, arteriovenous fistulas, dehiscence, scar enlargement and necroses, postoperative folliculitis, scalp infection, and osteomyelitis of the cranium 3 .…”

Complications of Hair Transplantation

“…Usually, it lasts for 2-3 days in the absence of treatment. They can also result from excessive air aspiration consequent to the stimulation of diaphragmatic muscle movements by very excited or vocal patients [7].…”