Hair harvesting apparatus

Apparatus for extracting a hair graft from a harvesting area of hair bearing skin, said apparatus comprising a hollow punch having a cylindrical wall and a distal end, said cylindrical wall including a channel having an opening at said distal end, said channel being coupled to a source of fluid, said apparatus also including a pump for providing a fluid jet at said opening and a means for advancing said punch and for rotating said punch as it advances.

Apparatus for extracting a follicular unit of hair from a hair bearing skin, said apparatus comprising first and second cutting assemblies, said first cutting assembly comprising a first hollow punch having a dull distal surface with an interior diameter larger than the diameter of the bulb of a follicular unit, said second cutting assembly being coupled to said first cutting assembly and being operative to cut preferentially collagen fibril tissue which holds follicular units in place.

A method of extracting a follicular unit of hair from hair bearing skin, said method comprising the steps of aligning a first hollow punch with a dull distal end with a target follicular unit, preserving the skin at the said target follicular unit, advancing said hollow punch into the perforation, rotating said first hollow punch as it is advanced into the skin and providing water jet stream at said distal end in a manner to follow a circular path as said first hollow punch rotates.