I have read that Artas works best on straight black hair. Is this an option for gray hair? Wavy or curly hair?

The Artas works by identifying the park the pigment in the hair.  Therefore, I simply apply some temporary dark hair coloring to grey or light hair. I have found this always successful. Also, with wavy or curly hair I leave the hair just a little longer to see how it comes out of the surface of the scalp. The robot makes corrections in the hair variation quicker than I can manually. 

The ARTAS robotic hair transplant system works best when there is a greater contrast between the skin and hair color.  That is to say it is best for caucasian individuals with darker colored hair.  However it has been used very successfully in those with darker colored skin. In those with grey hair it usually works fine but if the hair is really light it can be colored temporarily for the procedure.  The wavier and curlier the hair the more difficult it is for the robot to determine the best angle for the extraction.  

The best hair type for the ARTAS is black hair which is straight.  However, the ARTAS can work on a variety of hair types.  For white or grey hair, hair dye can be used for improved detection.  For curly hair, the ARTAS can be adjusted to help it more accurately remove hair.  

The ARTAS
robot is able to perform on dark hair, blonde hair, gray hair, very curly hair,
and ethnic hair. With ethnic hair we use a 1.0mm punch instead of a 0.9mm
punch. People who have white or light blonde hair need to have their hair dyed
before (or we can do it in office) the Robotic FUE procedure in order for the robot
to best visualize the hairs.

Generally speaking the Artas is fine with wavy or curly hair.  Where it is not as good is if the hair curls under the skin or hooks under the skin. In general, I prefer FUE by hand with a skilled surgeon every single time vs the Artas.  The times when the Artas is good is when the doctor is older and gets tired performing FUE, or for more inexperienced doctors trying to learn FUE.  What most patients don't realize is the punch size used on the Artas is very large compared to a skilled surgeon doing it by hand, and that a lot of practices with an Artas do not have the experience to perform a very successful procedure with it.

aquanda,While it is true that ARTAS works best with straight dark hair, it can also be employed in patients with other hair colors and hair characteristics. The lighter colored hair can be dyed using a temporary dark color dye, preferably Just For Men black. The hair is then trimmed very short using a peanut hair trimmer without guard. The ARTAS can then scan the donor seeing and counting all the follicles in the grid, it can be ordered to select or target higher density follicles to enhance more hair transfer. It can also work on wavy, or curly hair.Sincerely,Bernardino A. Arocha, MD

The ARTAS robot detects hairs that stand out from background skin color. So black hair against white skin would be ideal.  This does not mean it would not work on grey hair.  Sometimes the doctor will dye your hair if there is an issue.

You are correct in that the ARTAS was FDA-approved for straight, dark hair, however it can be effective on almost any hair type and color. The only exception is with very light hair or grey hair as the system needs to be able to identify the hair follicles.  It is easier to identify these follicles when there is a contrast between the skin and the color of the hair. One method surgeons have been able to address this is by temporarily dying the hair darker during the day of the procedure so that it is easier for the technology to make the differentiation. 

When it comes to curly vs. straight hair, the ARTAS has been used very successfully with straight hair. It is a bit more challenging with curly hair, as the system will need to determine the best angle of approach to make the extraction to ensure healthy, intact grafts.  

Gray hair with a Is optimized with hair color by dying Brown.
Curly hair can exist on a spectrum. More curly versus less curly. Less curly hair is usually OK for ARTAS robotic hair transplants. 

Dr Mark A Bishara MD, FISHRS
Paragon Hair Clinics, DFW, Texas

Yes, although it was initially approved for straight dark hair, it can work on any hair type of any color.  The one exception is that it can’t “see” white hair, but this problem is easily overcome by dying the hair (any color but white) the morning of the procedure.