Effects of cooling micrografts in hair transplantation surgery

BACKGROUND. When isolating hair grafts in hair transplantation procedures, it is generally recommended to preserve the grafts at a low temperature (1 degrees C-4 degrees C) in order to enhance the survival rate of the grafted hairs. This study was carried out to test the real benefits provided by co ld-storing hair grafts. OBJECTIVE. The aim of this study was to evaluate, in an in vitro model, the effects of cooling micrografts during hair transplantation procedures to e xperimentally assess the soundness of this approach to enhance the survival and growth rates of hair micrografts. METHODS. A total Of 240 anagen hair follicles were obtained from 10 healthy male patients. Follicles were thus randomly assigned to one of the followi ng groups: group A (control; n 120 follicles), or group B (experimental; n = 120 follicles). Follicles from group A were preserved for 5 hours at room temperature (26 degrees C), and follicles from group B were preserved for 5 hours at 1 degrees C. Immediately after that 5-hour period, follicles fro m both groups were then cultured for 10 days. The length of each follicle w as measured immediately following the 5-hour test period and at the end of the 10-day culture period. RESULTS. No statistically significant differences were found between the su rvival and growth rates of follicles from the control (survival rate = 87%, mean 10-day growth rate = 2.68 mm) and experimental (survival rate = 88%, mean 10-day growth rate = 2.54 mm) groups. CONCLUSION. Although, at present, it is generally assumed that lowering the metabolism of grafts by reducing their temperature may be of some utility for enhancing their survival rate, our data indicate of that there are no e ffects when performing hair transplantation surgery.