DURING HAIR TRANSPLANTATION, large numbers of follicles must be dissected from sections of donor scalp tissue prior to being placed in the recipient area. To avoid transecting these follicles, clear visualization is essential. The use of the dissecting stereomicroscope during graft dissection, first described by Limmer, improves visualization but has not been universally adopted because of the added time and expense associated with it. The extent to which use of the microscope decreases follicle transection during dissection is not known.

The purpose of this article is to evaluate the prevalence of follicle transection during graft dissection and determine whether this is effected by use of the dissecting microscope.