Designing hair transplantation for repairing postoperative mustache defects in male cleft lip patients based on upper lip morphological characteristics
10.3760/cma.j.cn114453-20241223-00329
- VernacularTitle:基于上唇形态特点设计毛发移植修复男性唇裂术后胡须缺损
- Author:
Wenjie JIANG
1
;
Jinlong ZHENG
;
Yanyang WANG
;
Xiaona LIU
;
Yu GUO
Author Information
1. 中国医学科学院北京协和医学院整形外科医院毛发移植中心，北京 100144
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
Hair;
Transplantation;
Beard;
Cleft lip;
Hair follicle
- From:
Chinese Journal of Plastic Surgery
2025;41(9):926-930
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
Objective:To summarize the experience of designing hair transplantation for post-cleft lip repair moustache defects based on the morphological and tissue characteristics of the upper lip.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of male patients treated at the Hair Transplantation Center of Plastic Surgery Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College from January 2011 to July 2024. Based on the morphology and tissue texture of the upper lip after cleft lip repair, the position and shape of the moustache were designed. Hair follicles were harvested from the mid-occipital region and/or the jaw shadow area using either the strip harvesting method or the follicular unit excision (FUE) technique. Needles of 21 or 22 gauge were used to create incisions in the recipient sites down to the superficial subcutaneous layer. The hair shafts were clamped with micro-forceps and then transplanted into the recipient sites to restore the moustache shape. Postoperatively, the density, shape, direction of the moustache, and the condition of the donor site scars were observed and followed up.Results:A total of 47 male patients, aged 23-43 years (mean 28.7 years), were included. Among them, 29 had undergone lower triangular flap repair, 13 received the Millard technique, and 5 were treated with other surgical methods for cleft lip repair. For hair follicle extraction, the strip method was used in 7 cases, and FUE in 40 cases. The donor sites included the jaw shadow area (9 cases), mid-occipital region (23 cases), and a combination of both (15 cases). The number of transplanted follicular units ranged from 33 to 500 (mean 217). Follow-up duration ranged from 9 months to 10 years (mean 3.5 years). Postoperative complications included folliculitis in 6 cases, and 4 cases required additional transplantation due to insufficient density after one year. The remaining patients exhibited satisfactory hair growth, with natural mustache shape and direction. The graft survival rate was approximately 80%, and donor site scarring was minimal.Conclusion:When performing hair transplantation to treat post-cleft lip repair moustache defects, the design should prioritize the morphological and tissue characteristics of the upper lip, followed by consideration of overall position and bilateral symmetry of the moustache. Only by fully considering the characteristics of the recipient area can optimally repair outcomes be achieved.
