Patent ID: 9005218
Filing Date: 2015-04-14
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
1. A method, for the extraction of a follicular unit from a donor area, comprising the steps of: aligning a blunt dissecting punch over a follicular unit in a donor area, the blunt dissecting punch comprising a lumen along its elongated axis and a dissecting edge disposed at a distal end of the lumen; mechanically rotating the blunt dissecting punch at a first rotational speed; scoring the epidermis layer of the skin with the rotating blunt dissecting punch, whereby one or more hair follicles of a follicular unit are at least partially disposed within the lumen; moving the rotating blunt dissecting punch through the dermis layer and into the fatty tissue layer of the skin, whereby at least a portion of the follicular unit is disposed within the lumen, to bluntly dissect the follicular unit from tissue surrounding the follicular unit; and extracting the follicular unit from the donor area, wherein the step of rotating the blunt dissecting punch comprises rotating the blunt dissecting punch at a torque that is sufficiently low such that the friction between the blunt dissecting punch and the skin layers causes the rotational speed of the blunt dissecting punch to decrease to a second rotational speed, which is not greater than about 60% of the first rotational speed.