I encountered some statements such as the use of hand (manual) punches during hair removal causes less damage to the hair, while the micro motor burns the skin, cuts the graft, and causes extra damage. But are these true statements? Do these two tools have an advantage over each other?
Manual punch is a pen-like instrument that is frequently used in dentistry, dermatology and some other specialties, as well as in hair transplantation. The tip of this tool has sharp-edged tubes of varying thickness and size and is used to cut the skin cylindrically deeply. While using this tool, the skin around the hair follicles is cut in a cylindrical shape by turning the punch manually by the doctor. Then, the hair follicles, which are loosened from surrounding soft tissue by the manual punch method, are collected one by one with graft collecting forceps (a kind of tweezers-like tool).
In the FUE technique with micromotor, punch tips of different widths are quickly rotated by means of a handpiece attached to the air motors with rotational speed. These sharply rotating punch tips create cylindrical incisions around the hair follicles dept arranged by doctor. Thus, the hair follicle can be loosened from the surrounding tissue and collected comfortably and without damage. In the micromotor method, the hair follicles are collected one by one with the graft collecting forceps in the same way.
The selection of manual-punch and micromotor applications in hair transplantation operations performed with the FUE method does not depend on hair quality, density, color, thickness, etc.; It totally depends on the doctor’s habits and preferences and experiences. The use of both tools does not affect the hair removal quality and yield amount. In other words, although both tools are not superior to each other, the use of micromotorized punch shortens the removal time of hair follicles and leads to a more efficient operation.
