Evidence mapPaperPMID 41709896Full record

ReviewFrontiers in medicine2026

Complications in follicular unit excision hair transplantation: current evidence and practical approaches.

Cristina Romera de Blas, David Vega Díez, José María Ricart Vayá, Alba Gómez Zubiaur

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In one paragraph

Review in Frontiers in medicine, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors.

Cristina Romera de BlasDepartment of Dermatology, Hospital Universitario de Toledo, Toledo, Spain.
David Vega DíezTrichology Unit, Dermatology, Instituto Médico Ricart, Madrid, Spain.
José María Ricart VayáTrichology Unit, Dermatology, Instituto Médico Ricart, Madrid, Spain.
Alba Gómez ZubiaurTrichology Unit, Dermatology, Instituto Médico Ricart, Madrid, Spain.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Introduction: Follicular Unit Excision (FUE) is currently the most widely used technique in hair transplantation due to its minimally invasive approach, rapid recovery and natural-looking results. Although generally considered a safe procedure, FUE is associated with a range of potential complications that may affect clinical outcomes and patient satisfaction. Recognizing and understanding these adverse events is essential to optimize patient safety and surgical success. Methods: We performed a comprehensive review of the literature, using PubMed and Embase databases, up to September 2025. Articles reporting FUE-related complications were selected and analyzed, focusing on incidence, pathophysiology, risk factors, clinical features, management, and prevention. Results: Complications were categorized into general postoperative events such as pain, edema, bleeding, and infection; donor area complications including hypopigmentation, hypertrophic scarring, epithelial cysts, and donor depletion; and recipient site complications such as necrosis, folliculitis, persistent perifollicular erythema, effluvium, and unnatural results. Less common but clinically relevant entities, including inflammatory and autoimmune reactions or atypical infections, were also reviewed. The development of complications is influenced by both patient-related factors such as comorbidities, smoking, or concurrent medications, and technical variables, including punch design, graft handling, follicular unit density, and ischemia time. Evidence-based strategies aimed at reducing complications and optimizing graft survival were reviewed. Conclusion: Although rare, complications following FUE can have significant implications. Careful patient selection, refined surgical technique, and standardized postoperative care are essential to reducing complication rates. This review offers a structured and evidence-informed framework for the identification, prevention, and management of complications in FUE.

Indexed as

complicationsfollicular unit excisionfolliculitisFUEgraft survivalhair transplantationrecipient-site necrosisshock loss

Identifiers

PMID41709896
PMCPMC12909172

What Socratic holds

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.