Loss of hair growth potential in long surgical scalp incisions can become obvious to the patient and others, given hair's tendency to part along the resulting scar. Bevelling incisions perpendicular to the hair follicle angle may increase hair growth through the scar. However, many factors may be confounders such as wound tension and cauterizing the incision. This study will investigate the effect a bevelled incision has on hair growth preservation compared to a standard incision that incises the skin perpendicular to its surface irrespective of hair follicle angles. Following informed voluntary consent, subjects who require bi-coronal scalp incisions as part of a surgical plan will be enrolled. The right side of this bilateral incision will be randomized to receive either a bevelled or a standard incision and the left side will receive the opposite type. During routine surgical follow-up the hair growth within the scar of the two sides will be recorded for comparison and it is our hypothesis that the side with the bevelled incision will have more hair within the scar.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
DOUBLE
Enrollment
26
The incision will be made at a 90 degree angle to the surface of the scalp
The Incision will be made at a 45 degree angle to the surface of the scalp.
Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Hair Regrowth Within the Scar
Hair growth through the scar will be counted at 6 and 12 month followup
Time frame: 12 months
Scar Characteristics
Scars will be rated based on the Vancouver Scar Scale (Sullivan, 1990)
Time frame: 1 year post surgery
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