Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 8, 2025
03:22
Mechanical and Controlled PRP Injections in Patients Affected by Androgenetic Alopecia
Published on: January 27, 2018
15.2K
Complications Following Hair Transplantation: A Systematic Literature Review and Meta-Analysis
Mohammad Khatib1,2, Ron Skorochod3,4, Yoram Wolf3,4
1Plastic Surgery Unit, Hillel Yaffe Medical Center, Hadera, Israel. Khatibmohammad6@gmail.com.
Aesthetic Plastic Surgery
|September 5, 2025
Summary
Hair transplant surgery is generally safe, with pain and swelling most common at the donor site. Scarring is the main recipient site complication. Arteriovenous fistulas are rare but linked to specific techniques.
Area of Science:
- Dermatology
- Surgical Oncology
- Plastic Surgery
Background:
- Hair transplantation is a common treatment for alopecia.
- Surgical interventions carry inherent risks of complications.
- Understanding these risks is crucial for patient safety and informed consent.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review and analyze reported complications following hair transplant surgery.
- To identify the types, frequency, and timing of complications.
- To investigate potential associations between specific techniques and adverse events.
Main Methods:
- Comprehensive literature search across PubMed, Scopus, MedRxiv, and Google Scholar.
- Systematic filtration of articles by title, abstract, and full-text review.
- Qualitative and quantitative data extraction and analysis from 45 included studies (24 case reports, 21 observational studies).
Main Results:
- Pain, swelling, and edema were the most frequent donor-site complications.
- Scarring was the predominant complication at the recipient site.
- Arteriovenous fistulas (AVFs) were reported in 11 patients, often associated with Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) using punch graft techniques.
Conclusions:
- Hair transplantation is generally a safe procedure.
- Common complications include donor-site pain, swelling, and recipient-site scarring.
- Rare but serious complications like AVFs necessitate careful technique selection, particularly with FUE.
