Robotic hair transplantation technology plays an essential role in the development of the FUE method.
In robotic FUE, the robotic system automates two necessary steps in FUE hair transplantation; FU graft collection and recipient site creation.
The automation of these two steps enables surgeons to perform FUE with unparalleled precision and consistency and maintain the maximum number of follicles.
According to the doctor’s features programmed, the robot’s optical three-dimensional guidance system and double-end mechanism first locate and remove the follicular units.
Also, receiving areas where follicular unit grafts are placed are created with aesthetic plan commands designed by the doctor and loaded on the robot.
How does the robot work?
The robot optical imaging system selects the next follicular unit for harvesting.
Local anesthesia is applied to the donor region first. The robotic arm automatically positions itself in the donor zone. The system then directs the robot to the scalp and scans the skin to remove the follicular unit. After the robot targets a follicular unit for extraction, a pair of staples is inserted with a sharp internal tool that scores the skin around the follicular unit and an external blunt tool that examines the graft from the surrounding tissue. The
optical system then scans the follicular unit to be removed, positions the lever on the next unit, aligns the device with the follicles, and the extraction step is repeated. This sequence continues until graft removal from the area defined by the robot’s reactor is complete. When the removal of hair follicles is completed, technicians manually remove the grafts from the scalp. The procedure continues until enough grafts are collected for hair restoration. The sequence is used to create recipient sites according to the surgeon’s exact specifications, rather than the piercing tool that cuts the follicular units in the skin, similar to creating a robotic recipient zone.
Graft intake
Manual FUE graft procurement requires precision and focus with a tiny margin of error by the doctor. The doctor should select each follicular unit, estimate the hair’s angle, centre the micromotor on the follicular unit, and cut the skin at an angle and depth around the follicular unit. This process needs to be repeated hundreds or thousands of times with the same accuracy and focus level. The slightest deviation from a hand-held instrument may result in cutting (damage) to the follicular unit. Since the hair follicle’s growth centre is located at the follicle base, the entire follicle should be removed without deterioration. Removing thousands of grafts in more than one hour with the precision required to minimize transection requires experience and ability.
The robot’s optical guidance system finds the follicular unit for extraction, and the robotic arm positions the punch tool at the correct angle. Two-stage sharp/blunt punch scratches the skin, then penetrates deeper into the tissue at optimum depth to ensure the follicular unit’s integrity. 3 Repeats this process tirelessly with microscopic precision. The robot’s graft selection algorithm increases uptake efficiency by increasing the number of extracted roots.
Creating a Receiver Field
The surgeon must create thousands of holes in the scalp where the follicular units are placed to form the area where the manual graft will be implanted. These regions are significant in determining transplantation aesthetics because they determine how transplanted hair will grow. Since it will allow hair to grow at the right angle and direction, it should be formed with specific distribution and range and appropriate depth. The channels created by the surgeon should be natural. It must be done according to each region; otherwise, the transplanted follicle may lose vitality. The computer-operated expert routing mechanism positions the robot arm. Within the microwave, the robot places the hair at a certain distance to be transplanted and uses the cutting tool to create the area at full angle and depth programmed by the surgeon.
Potential Advantages of Robotic FUE over Manual Procedures
The robot collects the follicles and creates precision as it can be performed manually and maintains this high level of performance throughout the procedure. As a result, Robotics Systems can improve FUE hair transplantation results according to manual techniques.