Method and apparatus for extraction of folicular units

Abstract

A method for extraction of a follicular unit from a donor area may be provided. The method may include the steps of positioning a patient in a prone position, injecting a fluid into the dermal layer of skin, evaluating a hair shaft diameter, locating the sebaceous gland, selecting a punch diameter, selecting a punch penetration depth, and extracting the follicular unit from the donor area.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for extraction of a follicular unit from a donor area, the method steps, comprising:
 positioning a patient in a prone position;   injecting a fluid into the dermal layer of skin;   evaluating a hair shaft diameter;   locating the sebaceous gland;   selecting a punch diameter;   selecting a punch penetration depth; and   extracting the follicular unit from the donor area.   
     
     
         2 . The method of extraction of a follicular unit according to  claim 1 , wherein positioning the patient in a prone position is for improving oxygenation during the procedure. 
     
     
         3 . The method of extraction of a follicular unit according to  claim 1 , wherein the injecting fluid is tumescent solution. 
     
     
         4 . The method of extraction of a follicular unit according to  claim 1 , wherein the tumescent solution is injected into papillary dermis. 
     
     
         5 . The method of extraction of a follicular unit according to  claim 3 , wherein the injected tumescent solution flows further deep into reticular dermis. 
     
     
         6 . The method of extraction of a follicular unit according to  claim 3 , wherein the injected tumescent solution is prevented from penetrating the sheath around the follicles. 
     
     
         7 . The method of extraction of a follicular unit according to  claim 3 , wherein the injected tumescent solution compresses the hair follicles circumferentially. 
     
     
         8 . The method of extraction of a follicular unit according to  claim 1 , wherein the injecting fluid stretches and hardens the patient's skin in the donor area including fatty layer, dermis layer and epidermis layer. 
     
     
         9 . The method of extraction of a follicular unit according to  claim 1 , wherein the criteria comprises evaluating a hair shaft diameter from the donor area in micrometers. 
     
     
         10 . The method of extraction of a follicular unit according to  claim 1 , wherein the criteria comprises evaluating the depth of the sebaceous gland based on a thin hair or a thick hair. 
     
     
         11 . The method of extraction of a follicular unit according to  claim 1 , wherein the criteria comprises assessing the depth of the sebaceous gland based on a hair shaft diameter. 
     
     
         12 . The method of extraction of a follicular unit according to  claim 1 , wherein the criteria comprises selecting a suitable punch diameter based on a number of follicles of a hair present in a follicular unit. 
     
     
         13 . The method of extraction of a follicular unit according to  claim 1 , wherein the criteria comprises selecting a limiting drilling depth of insertion based on the assessment of the sebaceous gland size. 
     
     
         14 . The method of extraction of a follicular unit according to  claim 13 , wherein the drill only traverses the sebaceous gland without insertion of arrector pili muscle. 
     
     
         15 . The method of extraction of a follicular unit according to  claim 13 , wherein the criteria comprises limiting the depth of drilling to a maximum of 4 mm to avoid any chance of transaction of a follicular unit. 
     
     
         16 . The method of extraction of a follicular unit according to  claim 8 , wherein hardening of the skin makes the drilling easier. 
     
     
         17 . The method of extraction of a follicular unit according to  claim 1 , wherein the criteria comprises assessing an angle of emergence of a hair. 
     
     
         18 . The method of extraction of a follicular unit according to  claim 17 , wherein the punch fixedly forms an angle in alignment with the angle of inclination of hair emergence prior to dissecting through the skin. 
     
     
         19 . The method of extraction of a follicular unit according to  claim 17 , wherein drilling around a follicular unit in alignment with angle of emergence of hair and traversing up to the thickness of the sebaceous gland for coring around the follicular unit. 
     
     
         20 . A method for extraction of a drilled follicular unit from a donor area, the method steps, comprising:
 swiping, with a sterile gauze, across drilled follicular units opposite to the direction of hair protrusion;   grasping a forceps between a thumb and two fingers;   applying pressure around hair follicles;   grabbing several hair follicles each time; and   pulling out of skin a follicular unit in the donor area.