Mega-Session Hair Transplants Made Safer Using Laxometer
In a standard hair transplant procedure (follicular unit transplant through strip technique), having adequate scalp laxity is crucial to avoid complications in the donor area. Doing so has required the individual judgment of an experienced hair transplant surgeon but still leaves room for human error. If the surgeon removes too wide of a strip, there may be issues with wound closure, a visible wide scar, telogen effluvium (hair loss around donor wound), and/or skin necrosis. Areas around the scalp most at risk are the mastoids or the area behind ears.
Laxometer has been designed to minimize hair transplant complications (in 15th annual meeting of International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery) by helping assess scalp laxity more accurately prior to a hair transplant procedure. After the first assessment, the patient then practices the scalp exercise to increase mobility and is then reassessed the day of surgery. The more laxity the patient has the higher the chances of increasing the number of grafts that can be transplanted in a single hair transplant.
We performed a study on 37 different patients to assess the success and functionality of laxometer. In all of these patients, half of the donor wound was closed during the procedure to evaluate the impact of donor excision on the laxity of the donor area. Three (3) locations of donor area were assessed before and after incisions were made:
I. Right side
II. Mid line
III. Left Side
The laxity of the sides were measured approximately 10-15cm above the mastoid bone from the midline. The incision was made using a double bladed knife to insure uniformity.
After excising the first half of the strip, laxity was measured on the secondary section prior to full incision and excision. If laxity has been compromised due to the first excision and closure, then the second incision will be smaller. Out of the 37 patients that underwent follicular unit transplantation through strip technique, only six (6) patients required a smaller incision due to a lesser laxometer reading caused by reduction of laxity. Our study shows that wound tension:
I. May increase on the secondary side in some patients (~16% chance)
II. May not be an issue in most patients (~84% chance)
Laxometer helps determine scalp laxity before, during, and after a hair transplant procedure for optimal excision and closure. It helps determine the maximum amount of tissue that can be excised safely helping increase the chance of more grafts that can used a single session. This practice is best applied on patients undergoing a mega-session hair restoration in which over 2500 grafts are being transplanted in one hair transplant session.
Tags: large hair transplant session, laxometer, mega session, mega session hair transplant, megasession, scalp laxity
March 5th, 2010 at 9:33 am
Interesting, this is good for any surgeon who starts in the hair restoration field. Some experienced surgeons developing a “feel” to estimate laxity. It’s always good to be accurate tho…
Who has developed this too? Dr. Mohabi?
I see on Dr. Rassman’s blog that he claim that he developed this…maybe they both has the same name?
March 5th, 2010 at 3:46 pm
I invented Laxometer when I was doing my hair restoration surgery fellowship under Dr. William Rassman. He was my mentor and helped out tremendously to develop the idea of Laxometer.
Dr. Rassman, Dr. Pak and I published the first article that introduced Laxomter to hair transplant society in Hair Transplant Forum International Journal last year. The article can be found in our website under “How to access Scalp Laxity“.
March 6th, 2010 at 4:29 am
Thank you Dr. Mohebi. I appreciate your contribution and innovation to the hair restoration surgery.
Best regard,
July 13th, 2010 at 8:30 am
Very interesting. I’m an Italian Osteopathic physician. I had study a new techniques to increase a scalp laxity. My first problem was that I can’t prove the result. But now with Laxometer that is possible! How can I buy this?
Excuse my english, I hope you understand what I meen.
Best regard.
July 14th, 2010 at 9:38 am
Laxometer is not available for sale yet. We are working to make that happen. The updates will be posted on this website when it become available.
Thanks,