title: Outcomes of staple closure of the donor area during hair transplant by follicular unit transfer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Donor area closure in hair transplantation by follicular unit transfer (FUT) is being done by various techniques. This study aims to assess the outcomes of staple closure for donor area in FUT.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To study the outcome, efficacy and complications of staples in donor area closure for FUT.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 50 consecutive patients who underwent staple closure for donor area in FUT were included in the study and their data were collected retrospectively. Patients were followed up one year after the surgery and photographic documentation of the scar at the donor site was done. Objective measurement of the width of the scar was done for all the patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The average length of the donor area was 22 cm. The average width of the scar was 1.82 mm. There was no infection or tissue necrosis at the staple closure site in any of the patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Staple closure resulted in cosmetically acceptable scar, but post operative discomfort was the major limitation. The potential to conserve the hair follicles along the line of closure makes using staples worthwhile if conservation of follicles is the goal.
authors.affiliation: Associate Professor, Department of Dermatology, PSG Medical College and Research Center, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India.
authors.forename: Kumaresan
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Muthuvel
authors.affiliation: Associate Professor, Department of Dermatology, PSG Medical College and Research Center, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India.
authors.forename: Sornakumar
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lakshmikanthan
authors.affiliation: Consultant Dermatologist, Cutis Skin Clinic and Hair Transplant Center, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India.
authors.forename: Deepa
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Subburathinam
keywords: Donor area closure; Hair transplantation; follicular unit transfer; staples