Comparison of Activated Follicular Transplantation and Conventional FUE Technique in Hair Transplantation: A Prospective Study
Main Article Content
Abstract
Background: Follicular Unit Excision (FUE) is a widely adopted technique for hair restoration. However, challenges such as variable graft survival rates and prolonged healing times persist. Activated Follicular Transplantation (AFT) is a novel approach that aims to improve graft viability by treating donor grafts with a specialized solution prior to implantation. This prospective study was designed to compare the efficacy and safety of AFT versus conventional FUE in patients undergoing hair transplantation.
Methods: A total of 60 male patients with androgenetic alopecia were enrolled in this prospective, randomized, single-blind study. Patients were randomly assigned to either the AFT group (n=30) or the conventional FUE group (n=30). All patients underwent FUE harvesting of 2,000 grafts. In the AFT group, grafts were incubated in a proprietary solution for 10 minutes before implantation. The primary outcome measure was graft survival rate at 12 months, and secondary outcomes included hair density, patient satisfaction scores, and complication rates.
Results: The mean graft survival rate was significantly higher in the AFT group (89.5%±3.2%) compared to the conventional FUE group (78.1%±4.5%, p<0.001). At 12 months, the mean hair density was also significantly greater in the AFT group (65.2±4.1 follicular units per cm2) compared to the conventional FUE group (51.8±5.3 follicular units per cm2, p<0.001). Patient satisfaction scores were also notably higher in the AFT group. Complication rates, including folliculitis and scarring, were similar between the two groups.
Conclusion: Activated Follicular Transplantation demonstrates a statistically significant improvement in graft survival rate and hair density compared to the conventional FUE technique. The novel approach appears to be a safe and effective method for enhancing hair transplant outcomes. Further large-scale studies are warranted to confirm these findings.