Storing your Grafts
Protecting your hair follicles for the time between extraction and implantation is a crucial part of the hair transplant procedure. The individual hair is living tissue that must survive while being transferred from the donor site to the desired area of the scalp. Placing these follicles into a chilled solution is the best way to safeguard them from contamination and minimize external risk. We use the solution HypoThermosol®, which is the gold standard for hair transplant procedures.
HypoThermosol®
HypoThermosol® is an optimized hypothermic preservation medium that grants the improved and extended preservation of cells, tissues and organs. During the preservation process it is formulated to address the molecular-biological response of cells and ensure safe transfer.
Risk Factors
During this crucial stage of the surgery, there are a few conditions that can leave the hair follicles at risk:
Low Blood Supply
Hair follicles are living tissue and depend on your body as a source of nutrition through the dermal papilla. One of the primary components is their connection to the circulatory system’s blood flow and rich oxygen supply.
Limited Access to Oxygen
Hair follicles require energy to go through the anagen, catagen, and telogen phases of hair development. Denying access to this critical component for too long risks decreasing the chance of a successful relocation of the graft.
Dehydration
While removed from the scalp, the hair follicle is deprived of its nutrition and oils. Until it is replanted, HypoThermosol ® allows the follicle to remain in a controlled temperature of 2-8°C and maintain required levels of moisture.
Traditional Storage Solutions
In the past a chilled sterilized saline solution was the most commonly used method for storage. Saline does assist to avoid dehydration but does not supply the nutrition that the follicular units require. At Sharma Skin & Hair Surgery, we use modern methods throughout the surgery to ensure that the highest number of follicles transplant successfully. Using the leading graft holding solution in the industry is important to address a critical point during hair transplant surgery and to improve the viability of grafts during implantation.
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