Hair Glossary

Individual Graft Technique (IGT)

This is also known as DiStefano IGT™ for pioneering transplant surgeon and inventor Dr. Mark Di Stefano.

IGT is used with Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE).  Follicles are first individually removed from a hair transplant patient's donor site.

Then the removed follicle and any related tissues are stored in a chilled preservative solution, such as saline or similar.   The solution is kept chilled at temperatures between 2C° and 8C°.

This is to prevent the follicular hairs from drying out.  It also helps to maintain the hair's structural integrity while temporarily disconnected from the scalp.

The follicle remains in the preservative solution until it is re-implanted in the target scalp area of the head.

Proponents claim that preserving hair in a solution culminates in a better quality transplant result.  They also claim that transplanted hair that has been preserved will take strong root in its new location on the scalp.