A recent study published on September 19 in the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology has highlighted the efficacy and safety of the ARTAS robotic hair technology for selecting and harvesting hair follicular units (FUs) in the treatment of male androgenetic alopecia (AGA).
Led by Yifei Zhu from the Shanghai Institute of Dermatology at Fudan University, the research compared the ARTAS system with traditional follicular unit excision (FUE) techniques. The study involved 13 male participants, aged 25 to 35, with Norwood-Hamilton classifications II to IV of AGA. For each patient, the donor site was divided into two regions—one treated with ARTAS and the other with FUE—allowing for a direct comparison of yield, transection, and discard rates of harvested hair follicles.
The findings revealed that the total yield rate for the ARTAS system was lower than that of FUE, with rates of 82.05% and 90.03%, respectively; however, this difference was not statistically significant. Notably, the discard rate for ARTAS was significantly higher at 10.71% compared to 5.46% for FUE. While the transection rate was lower for ARTAS at 13.17% versus 13.96% for FUE, this difference was also not statistically significant. Importantly, no complications or side effects were reported during or after the procedures, and patient satisfaction levels did not differ significantly between the two methods.
The authors concluded, “While the yield rate is lower in ARTAS (not statistically significant), the transection rate is lower. Clinically, this means that follicles once successfully harvested by ARTAS have a higher chance to be of higher quality compared to FUE counterparts.”
These findings contribute to the ongoing evaluation of robotic technologies in hair restoration, emphasizing both the effectiveness and safety of ARTAS in treating male AGA.
