LASER HAIR TRANSPLANTATION

BACKGROUND. A new ultrapulse CO2 laser has been investigated for its p ossible use in hair transplanting. This laser, because of its ultrasho rt high energy pulses, produces far less thermal damage to adjacent ti ssues, including hair follicles, than earlier types of CO2 lasers. The potential advantages of using such a laser in minigrafting are review ed and include less bleeding, greater density, and absence of ''compre ssion.'' OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this study was to see if hair survi val in grafts placed into laser-prepared sites would be as good or bet ter than that seen with scalpel slits. METHOD. Hair counts were used i n 10 patients to compare hair survival in grafts placed into laser-pre pared sites and into scalpel-prepared sites in a comparable but contra lateral location. RESULTS. Average graft hair counts were greater in l aser-prepared sites in four of 10 patients, equal to grafts in scalpel -prepared sites in five, and fewer in one. Hair growth occurred earlie r in laser-prepared sites in five of the 10 patients. CONCLUSION. The authors are optimistic that the ultrapulse laser will become an import ant tool in hair transplanting.