Follicular extraction method and device

Abstract

A method and device for the extraction of follicular units from a donor area on a patient. The method includes aligning a dissecting punch over a follicular unit and rotating the dissecting punch to score the epidermis layer of the skin so that hair follicles are disposed within the lumen. The dissecting punch is then moved through the dermis layer and fatty tissue layer of the skin to dissect the follicular unit from the tissue surrounding the follicular unit.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A device adapted for the dissection of a follicular unit from a donor area, comprising:
 a blunt dissecting punch comprising a lumen along its elongated axis and a circular blunt dissecting edge disposed at a distal end of the lumen, the circular blunt dissecting edge having an inner diameter of at least about 0.1 mm and not greater than about 1.1 mm; and   a rotation mechanism for rotating the blunt dissecting punch.   
     
     
         2 . A device as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the rotation mechanism is adapted to rotate the blunt dissecting punch at a rotational speed of at least about 3000 rpm. 
     
     
         3 . A device as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the circular blunt dissecting edge has an inner diameter of at least about 0.7 mm. 
     
     
         4 . A device as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the lumen has a length of at least about 8 mm. 
     
     
         5 . A device as recited in  claim 1 , wherein a distal end of the blunt dissecting punch comprises a dissecting tip that is tapered to ease insertion of the blunt dissecting punch into the skin. 
     
     
         6 . A device as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising a depth-limiting mechanism that is adapted to limit the depth of insertion of the blunt dissecting punch into the skin. 
     
     
         7 . A device as recited in  claim 6 , wherein the depth-limiting mechanism is adapted to limit the depth of insertion of the blunt dissecting punch into the skin to not greater than about 5 mm. 
     
     
         8 . A device as recited in  claim 6 , wherein the blunt dissecting punch comprises a dissecting tip at a distal end of the blunt dissecting punch and the depth-limiting mechanism comprises a shoulder disposed above the dissecting tip to limit the depth of insertion of the blunt dissecting punch into the skin. 
     
     
         9 . A device as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the rotation mechanism comprises a motor operatively coupled to the blunt dissecting punch. 
     
     
         10 . A device as recited in  claim 9 , wherein the motor is adapted to rotate the blunt dissecting punch at a rotational speed of at least about 3500 rpm. 
     
     
         11 . A device as recited in  claim 10 , wherein the rotation mechanism is adapted to rotate the blunt dissecting punch at a torque that is sufficiently low such that during insertion of the blunt dissecting punch into the skin, friction between the blunt dissecting punch and the skin layers causes the initial rotational speed of the blunt dissecting punch to decrease to a speed that is not greater than about 70% of the initial rotational speed. 
     
     
         12 . A device as recited in  claim 11 , wherein the rotation mechanism is adapted to rotate the blunt dissecting punch at a torque that is at least about 0.01 N·m and is not greater than about 0.04 N·m. 
     
     
         13 . A device as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said rotation mechanism comprises a drill body that is adapted to be gripped by a user to position the blunt dissecting punch over a follicular unit. 
     
     
         14 . A device as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the circular dissecting edge is serrated. 
     
     
         15 . A device as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the blunt dissecting punch is removable from the rotation mechanism. 
     
     
         16 . A device as recited in  claim 15 , wherein the blunt dissecting punch is operatively coupled to the rotation mechanism using a chuck. 
     
     
         17 . A device as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the rotational speed of the blunt dissecting punch is manually adjustable. 
     
     
         18 . A device as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the torque of the rotating blunt dissecting punch is manually adjustable.