A very important part of an HT.

[hairtech]

This is an important part of a hair transplant surgery. It is overlooked in most all of my own experience with the exception of the last two clinics I have worked for.

The depth at which the grafts need to sit within the recipient area must be measured. If the physician makes the depth too deep then the graft could be potentially buried... causing pitting or cobble stoning. If the depth is too shallow, then the graft could potentially be smashed or curled. What is also worth noting is that most experienced technicians will know there is a depth issue and communicate that to the physician. Then he or she can make an adjustment. I can almost guarantee that this simple part of this procedure is overlooked by larger hair mill clinics.

This picture depicts a physician measuring the graft against a blade that makes sites for the graft.

 

[Bigmac]

Hi Hairtech.

Can I ask if you separate longer grafts, ie a three hair graft needs to be split into ones for the hairline,usually one follicle lies below the others and will be longer when cut.
Therefor a deeper incision is required for those grafts,is this correct.

 

[hairtech]

Yes this does happen from time to time. Sometimes a follicle is longer than the other ones within a follicular unit. And when there needs to be ones created out of this... then there has to be adjustments. Most of the time a technician will make these adjustments by dilating the slit when he or she needs too. If there needs to be an overall adjustment... then the physician will go back through the slits and make them deeper, etc.

 

[Bigmac]

Thanks Hairtech, that makes sense.

I guess an inexperienced tech or doctor would force the graft in regardless.

 

[ejj]

great topic , I wonder how clinics and Drs who use various ` implanter pens ` deal with this `critical` part of the procedure

regards
ejj

 

[hairtech]

What a great point. And one could argue that the pen would adjust the depth at every implant. However in my opinion if there were shallow "sites" The dialation of the slits with the pen could potentially push tissue into the hole of the pen thus potentially crushing the bulb/s of the graft.

If anyone is wondering what ejj is talking about... Implanter pens are these devices that look like writing pens. A graft is put inside the lumen of the pen and the pen is inserted into the slit. And a plunger is pressed. The graft is pressed into the slit.

Ejj has brought up an important topic for this thread. Kudos!