Hair follicles are made up of living cells. Like all cells, those with hair follicles grow, live, die, and regenerate. In hair restoration surgery, living, healthy follicles from your donor area are transplanted into thinning areas. But that doesn’t happen instantly.
During the procedure, some time may pass between the time a follicle is removed and the time it is transplanted. This is a crucial juncture, as the cells in the grafts and soon-to-be-transplanted follicles need to be preserved during their time away from your scalp. Think of how organs such as hearts or kidneys need to be carefully preserved before they are transplanted into a recipient.
Why is Follicle Preservation So Important?
When hair follicle tissues are removed from the body even for a short time, there are many potential detrimental consequences. A lack of nutrients such as glucose and oxygen can render the cells unable to generate the fuel needed to maintain normal vitality.
During the Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) procedures we perform at the Hair Transplant Institute of Miami, our surgeons use high-resolution digital imaging and their exceptional skills to identify and remove grafts with extraordinary precision. The goal is not only to harvest follicles with the best chance of growing in the transplanted area but also to leave most of the donor area hair in place so that it retains its natural appearance.
Given that goal, we want to remove as few grafts as possible to get the desired result. We also want to ensure that the highest percentage of grafts survive and grow. If removed follicles are not preserved in the most effective manner possible, they could lose their viability, leaving even fewer follicles available for transplantation.
Keeping hair follicle cells from dying during that gap between removal and transplantation involves storing the hair in a preservative solution. There are two types of solutions hair transplant surgeons can use to accomplish this: saline or HypoThermosol.
Why We Use HypoThermosol Instead of Saline
Saline solution is the traditional way that extracted tissue strips and follicles were stored during hair transplantation procedures. Such ‘isotonic solutions’ were originally designed to support cells at normal body temperatures. But hair follicles to be transplanted are routinely stored in a cold, hypothermic state (typically 2-8 °C), just as transplant organs are kept in cold temperatures. The cold provides beneficial, protective effects on the cells and tissues of the graft.
HypoThermosol, on the other hand, was designed specifically to be more effective at colder temperatures. Studies have shown that the formulation of HypoThermosol can extend the storage interval for grafts and follicles, while maintaining follicle viability and in some cases, even promoting faster engraftment of transplanted follicles
That’s why we use a HypoThermosol + ATP solution in our hair transplant surgeries to provide the highest possible survival rate of the grafts and follicles we remove until they are ready for transplantation. It is part of our ongoing commitment to using the most advanced techniques in hair restoration to help our patients achieve optimal results.
Unmatched Experience and Unparalleled Results in Hair Restoration
At the Hair Institute of Miami. Drs. Nusbaum and Rose are internationally acclaimed hair restoration surgeons with more than 40 years combined experience. Both Drs. Nusbaum and Rose are actively engaged in hair loss research and lecture widely. To receive a personalized evaluation and treatment plan, contact us online or call or office directly at 305-925-0222