Hair Sciences Center of Colorado Intros First Robotic Device for Hair Restoration
Hair Sciences Center of Colorado, a leading Denver-based hair restoration practice, announced it has "brought the world's first and only robotic-based device in the treatment of hair loss and hair restoration to its clinic."
"The introduction of this robot is truly a monumental step in the treatment of hair loss and is indicative of how important the role of technology plays in patient care in the 21st Century," said Dr. Harris. According to Hair Sciences Center of Colorado officials, the ARTAS System is the only FDA-cleared robotic solution of its kind for treating hair loss. The system features an interactive, image-guided robotic arm that can identify and harvest follicular units, choosing the best ones for transplant.
The follicular units are stored until they are implanted into the patient's recipient area using current techniques called Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE). The procedure is minimally invasive and leaves no scars. The computer interface provided in the system gives directions to physicians.
The robotic ARTAS System is a breakthrough in hair restoration treatment as it reduces the cost and efforts associated with traditional FUE therapy. As FUE involves tiny follicular extraction and transplant, it is extremely tedious, labor intensive and time consuming. The cost of the treatment is not affordable to many.
"The ARTAS System, in addition to being more cost-effective and significantly quicker at hair follicle extraction, is much less invasive than traditional harvest methods," Dr. Harris said. "This system brings the many benefits of hair transplantation using FUE completely mainstream."
The system has already been tried and tested on more than 350 patients, who reported virtually no pain or visible signs of surgery. This innovative approach will reduce the time of the FUE by half, resulting in significant cost savings to the patient, according to Dr.Harris.
FUE surgery is gaining popularity worldwide. A recent research from International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery’s 2011 Practice Census finds that demand for hair restoration surgery is on the rise mainly due to the demand for the less invasive FUE treatment. According to the research, the demand for hair restoration therapy has risen by 15 percent in the U.S. and 66 percent worldwide between 2004 and 2010.
However, the industry is not able to meet this demand because of the lack of expert physicians who perform the surgery. According to Dr. Harris, the ARTAS System directly addresses this industry-wide problem by offering an efficient and cost-effective hair restoration therapy.
By Rajani Baburajan
