Treatment for Postburn Scarring Alopecia

According to a study published in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, postburn scarring alopecia presents a challenging and unavoidable complication resulting from deep burned hair-bearing units.

To improve the mechanical and vascular characteristics of scar tissue, researchers aimed to explore the use of nanofat grafting in combination with follicular unit extraction (FUE) hair transplantation. The study included 18 patients with postburn scarring alopecia around the beard area. The patients underwent a single-session procedure involving nanofat grafting and FUE hair transplantation at 6-month intervals. After 12 months, the researchers assessed the survival rate of transplanted follicular grafts, scar improvement, and patient satisfaction. The survival rate of transplanted follicular units was determined by individually counting each transplanted follicle. Scar improvement was evaluated using the Patient and Observer Scar Assessment Scale, and patient satisfaction was measured using a 5-point Likert scale.

The results demonstrated the successful performance of nanofat grafting and FUE hair transplantation without any complications. All scars exhibited significant improvement in their mature characteristics. The survival rate of transplanted follicular units ranged from 77.4% to 87.9%, with an average of 83.2%±2.5%. The density rate of transplanted follicular units ranged from 10.7% to 19.6%, with an average of 15.2%±2.46%. Importantly, all patients reported highly satisfying cosmetic results.

“Combining nanofat injection and FUE hair transplantation is among the most innovative and effective treatments for postburn scarring alopecia,” the authors concluded.

Reference
Evin N, Guray Evin S. Camouflage of post-burn scarring alopecia using nanofat grafting and follicular unit hair transplantation. Plast Reconstr Surg. Published online May 26, 2023. doi:10.1097/PRS.0000000000010759