Three Patients with confirmed AKN lesions who had not responded to standard treatments experienced lasting relief after a single FUE-based treatment session.

Follicular unit excision (FUE)  may help treat acne keloidalis nuchae (AKN), according to research in the Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology – JAAD Case Reports.
The study reports the first-time use of a FUE as a potential remedy for AKN in three patients. FUE targets individual hair follicles within visible AKN papules, aiming to halt the disease while minimizing scarring.

Patients with confirmed AKN lesions who had not responded to standard treatments experienced lasting relief after a single FUE-based treatment session, the study showed.
"Our study suggests that FUE could be a promising treatment for AKN, particularly when hair-bearing papules are involved. This method holds the potential for lasting remission while preserving the patient's appearance," says study author Dr. Sanusi Umar of the Dr. U Hair and Skin Clinic in Manhattan Beach, Calif.
 
Patient selection criteria included hair-bearing AKN papules, laser hair removal that was either rejected or unsuitable, and failure or unsuitability of conservative drug therapy. FUE was performed using an all-purpose FUE device consisting of a punch - The Intelligent Punch and its driver, Dr. UGraft Zeus, which enables the extraction of AKN-affected often-curly hair deeply embedded in scar tissue.