Evaluating the success rate of follicular unit hair transplantation (FUT) technique in patients with gray hair

Abstract

Background: Hair loss and baldness have significant impact on a person's beauty and affects a large percentage of people in the world. However, many people who are candidates for hair transplantation have gray hair and it is difficult to hair transplant in them. In this study, the success rate of follicular unit hair transplantation (FUT) technique was studied in patients with gray hair. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 42 patients with varying degrees of alopecia who had remaining gray hair underwent follicular unit hair transplantation. Questionnaires were completed for the patients and the data were analyzed using independent-t, chi-square and Spearman correlation coefficient tests. Findings: The mean surviving implanted grafts was 90.26 in all patients. No complications were observed in 83.37 of patients; but mild side-effects occurred in 16.66 including granulated pyogenic in 2.38 and periorbital edema in 14.28 that resolved a week after the surgery. No late complications were seen. The satisfaction level of the transplanted hair line in 59.5 of patients was excellent and in 40.5 was good. None of the patients had abnormal hairline. There was a significant relationship between smoking and the amount of residual graft; remaining graft in non-smokers was higher than smokers (P = 0.012). Conclusion: According to results of this study, follicular unit hair transplantation technique was a surgical procedure with minimal complications, natural looking hairline and maximum density in patients with gray hair. © 2015, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences(IUMS). All rights reserved.