HOW ITS DONE The doctors utilize Carl Zeiss 'Scanning' 5 x 300 optical loupe and Zeiss Opmi 'Pico' 25 power operating microscopes during the procedure to cut around the individual follicles. The follicles are then removed from the donor area, one-by-one. A close-up of an extracted follicle. The doctors then use 21 and 23 gauge needles to create a small incision to insert the follicles into.

Dr. Ray Woods and Dr. Angela Campbell, a brother and sister physician team based in Sydney, Australia, are pushing the envelope on what can be achieved with conventional hair transplants. Dr. Woods and Campbell have created a new technique where hairs are removed, one by one, from the donor area without requiring the removal of the surrounding tissue.

The result is that there is no donor incision and therefore no chance of scarring and minimal to no shock loss. It also offers tremendous benefits to patients who have little to no scalp laxity.

Dr. Woods and Campbell remove the individual follicular units from the back and sides of the head, through 'micro-incisions' of approximately 0.8-1mm diameter. This is accomplished by using high power magnification and specialized microsurgical instruments.

They can transplant up to 600 of these individual follicular unit 'cylinders' (also called 'grafts') in one 'TOP-UP' session. 600 grafts contain approximately 1,200 hairs). Since the procedure is less traumatic, up to 4 sessions can be performed within a 4-7 day period, (approx. 5,000 hair). Also 8 procedures can be performed in 14 days (approx. 10,000 hair)

These 'micro-incisions' shrink to approximately 0.7mm within hours of the procedure and form tiny crusts that disappear in 7 to 14 days. Because there are no major incisions patients have a faster recovery time.

Dr. Woods and Campbell operate on patients in Sydney Australia and are planning a trip to the U.S. in early October 2002 to give a seminar for doctors interested in learning this new technique. For more info contact http://www.4hair.com.au/