Single Hair Transplantation for Cicatrical Eyebrow Alopecia

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: Single hair transplantation for eyebrow loss has been considered as a good method of achieving natural appearance of eyebrow. To date, however, no study has reported the survival rate following single hair transplantation for cicatricial eyebrow alopecia. METHODS: We performed single hair transplantation using Choi hair transplanter for 49 cases of scarring eyebrow loss from March 2003 to March 2006. Of these cases, 33 could be under a follow-up postoperatively for more than seven months. These 33 cases comprised 20 men and 13 women. Mean follow-up period was 12 months (7-36 months). In 17 patients(51.5%), 100 to 200 hairs were unilaterally transplanted. RESULTS: Following initial hair transplantation, the surgical outcome was excellent in 11 cases(33.3%), good in 12 cases(36.4%), fair or poor in the remaining ten cases(30.3%). All procedures were done under intravenous sedation and local or regional block anesthesia. It took about one and a half hours for us to transplant 200 hairs. The shape of eyebrow was aesthetically acceptable with a good direction and an ideal inclination of hairs. No patients developed notable complications, while 30 percent had a low survival rate. CONCLUSION: Single hair transplantation using Choi hair transplanter is a safe, effective surgical method for scarring eyebrow loss.