A novel and successful case of eyebrow hair transplant, in dormant keratosis pilaris atrophicans, is presented and published in JPRAS, Journal of Plastic, Reconstructive & Aesthetic Surgery. This is the official publication of BAPRAS, British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive & Aesthetic Surgeons.
Keratosis pilaris atrophicans is a benign hereditary skin disorder of unknown cause. Grouped keratotic follicular papules and redness around the hair follicles affect the cheeks and eyebrows, with a subsequent breaking down stage that results in scarring and hair loss. It often presents during early infancy with remission during adulthood.
A 33 year old man presented with scarring and alopecia of the eyebrows and was followed over a total 4 year period during which reconstruction by hair transplantation was achieved using individual hair follicle micrografts. Composite scalp grafts and flaps, more often than hair follicle micrografting techniques, are described in the literature for reconstruction of the eyebrows in a range of conditions. This case provides an encouraging example of successful micrografting in dormant inflammatory skin disease. See Patient Story Page.
Note we are using the term ‘micrografting’ here rather than ‘follicular unit grafting’. This is because at the time around 2003 that was the technique being used. Nowadays, all eyebrow hair transplant cases are performed under microscopic dissection to enable follicular unit transplantation.