Recipient Site Necrosis Following Hair Transplantation: A Rare Event

Area of Science:

• Dermatology
• Plastic Surgery
• Regenerative Medicine

Background:

• Hair transplantation, particularly follicular unit extraction (FUE), is a common procedure for androgenetic alopecia.
• While generally safe, rare but severe complications like scalp necrosis can occur.
• Sapphire blade use for recipient-site creation is a technique associated with FUE.

Purpose of the Study:

• To report a case of parietal scalp necrosis following FUE with sapphire blade.
• To highlight the importance of early recognition and management of this rare complication.
• To inform preventive strategies and optimize outcomes in hair transplantation.

Main Methods:

• Case report of a 47-year-old male patient.
• Description of the complication: parietal scalp necrosis post-FUE with sapphire blade.
• Intervention: surgical debridement, wound care, and partial approximation.

Main Results:

• The patient developed scalp necrosis by postoperative day 5, presenting with pain and a necrotic eschar.
• Initial topical treatment was ineffective.
• Surgical debridement and wound care led to complete healing with a favorable cosmetic outcome.

Conclusions:

• Scalp necrosis is an uncommon yet serious adverse event in hair transplantation.
• Early recognition, awareness of risk factors, and prompt surgical management are essential.
• Reporting rare complications aids in improving hair restoration practices and patient safety.