Surgical Complications in Hair Transplantation

Surgical Complications in Hair Transplantation: A series of 533 Procedures

• Sandro Salanitri, MD^1, 5, , ,
• Antonio José Gonçalves, PhD²,
• Américo Helene Jr., PhD^3, 5,
• Flavia Helena Junqueira Lopes⁴

Background

Surgical complications in hair transplantation can sometimes be a serious matter. Most of the published literature on this issue deals with individual case reports rather than larger series of patients.

Objective

The authors analyze complications in 425 consecutive patients undergoing 533 hair transplantations.

Methods

Patients with androgenetic alopecia (407 men and 17 women), cicatricial alopecia (9 men and 8 women), and malformations (1 man and 3 women) with a mean age of 36.9 years (standard deviation, 10.4 yrs) underwent hair transplantation between 1995 and 2006 and were followed up postoperatively for at least 1 year. Data on surgical complications were retrospectively analyzed.

Results

The overall complication rate in our series was 4.7%, including enlarged scar (1.2%), folliculitis (1.0%), necrosis in the donor area (0.8%), keloids (0.4%), bleeding (0.2%), hiccups (0.2%), infection (0.2%), and pyogenic granuloma (0.2%). The frequency of enlarged scar increased proportionally according to the number of surgical procedures.

Conclusions

The hair transplantation complication rate in this series was 4.7%. Good communication between patient and surgeon, a complete clinical and laboratory assessment of the patient, accurate surgical technique, specific equipment, a trained surgical team, and careful postoperative attention to the patient are crucial for successful hair transplantation and for decreasing complication rates.)

DISCLOSURES

The authors have no disclosures with respect to the contents of this article.

Reprint requests: Sandro Salanitri, MD, Santa Casa São Paulo, Rua Cesário Motta Júnior, 112– Vila Buarque, São Paulo, SP 01221-020, Brazil

1

Dr. Salanitri is from the Department of Surgery

2

Dr. Gonçalves is Chief, Head and Neck Surgery Division, Department of Surgery

3

Dr. Helene is Chief, Plastic Surgery Division, Department of Surgery.

4

Ms. Lopes is a medical student at Santa Casa de Misericórdia de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.

5

Drs. Salanitri and Helene are members of the Brazilian Society of Plastic Surgery.

Copyright © 2009 American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, Inc. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.