FUE Hair Transplant
Follicular Unit Extraction or FUE Hair Transplant Technique
Follicular Unit extraction or Follicular unit excision (New name) commonly known as FUE, is the modern way of executing a hair restoration surgery. In contrast to the traditional FUT (follicular unit transplant) or strip surgery, FUE is less invasive and stitchless. Here, instead of cutting a chunk of scalp skin, hair follicles are cherry picked individually using small circular cuts around the follicular unit or the graft.
This does not mean that it is better than FUT, result wise. Infact, the results of FUE and FUT, if done properly, are similar. The only difference is in the way the hair follicles are taken out of the scalp. As big cuts and stiches are not involved, FUE becomes a minimally invasive surgery. This enables, faster recovery, less pain and less complications for the patients. Worldwide, the demand for FUE is increasing and the best hair transplant clinic in delhi are now using FUE as the primary hair transplant technique.
In FUE, cylindrical punches of 0.8 to 1.0mm are used to cut the skin surrounding a hair follicular unit. After the initial superficial cut, the unit is pulled out using forceps or vacuum based suction.
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Advantages
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Less invasive
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Less pain
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Less noticeable scarring
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Some reduction in donor area density which actually matches better with the transplant density
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NO stiches
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Faster recovery
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Less manipulation of grafts post extraction
Advantages of FUE Hair Transplant
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Less invasive
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NO stiches
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Less pain
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Faster recovery
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Less noticeable scarring
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Less manipulation of grafts post extraction
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Some reduction in donor area density which actually matches better with the transplant density
Procedure of FUE Treatment
- In follicular unit extraction method first a small, circular incision is made within the skin, so as separate the follicular unit from the surrounding tissue. Then the follicular hair pulled out with the help of an instrument leaving a small open hole in the skin.
- The follicular units are then stored for a while before they are transplanted within the bald areas of the patients scalp.
- Before the grafts are transplanted, tiny holes are created within the bald areas of the scalp using a fine pointed needle. The hair follicular units are then transplanted into the bald areas of the patient where they are bound to grow into healthy hair-producing follicles.
- The Follicular Unit Extraction is repeated by the hair transplant surgeon in delhi until he/she feels that enough follicular units have been transplanted for the planned hair restoration. This process takes a 3-5 hours since follicular units are extracted individually one by one. Sometimes one session may not be sufficient to achieve the required transplantation for hair growth and may stretch over a period of two consecutive days.
- The tiny wounds which are approximately 0.75-mm in size don’t take much time to heal. They fully heal over a time period of seven to ten days, without any visible scarring.
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Disadvantages
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Labour intensive
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Long learning curve
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Chances of going into the non permanent zone if operator not careful
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Some myths regarding FUE
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Painless- A surgery can never be painless. However, it has LESS Pain.
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Costlier than FUT
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Higher chances of graft wastage in less experienced hands
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Scarless- FUE is not a scarless procedure as often claimed. It actually gives multiple micro scars which are uniformly distributed across the donor area. If done properly, the scars are inconspicuous.
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Patient can keep a buzz cut- A very short hair cut like “Zero” buzz cut may not be possible in most cases of FUE as the operated donor area SHOWS. Hair lenghth of 1cm or more is fine to make the donor area unnoticeable.
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Disadvantages
-
Labour intensive
-
Costlier than FUT
-
Long learning curve
-
Higher chances of graft wastage in less experienced hands
-
Chances of going into the non permanent zone if operator not careful
-
Some myths regarding FUE
-
Scarless- FUE is not a scarless procedure as often claimed. It actually gives multiple micro scars which are uniformly distributed across the donor area. If done properly, the scars are inconspicuous.
-
Painless- A surgery can never be painless. However, it has LESS Pain.
-
Patient can keep a buzz cut- A very short hair cut like “Zero” buzz cut may not be possible in most cases of FUE as the operated donor area SHOWS. Hair lenghth of 1cm or more is fine to make the donor area unnoticeable.
Before Surgery
At MedLinks, we advise patients to follow some basic precautionary measures before undergoing the Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) procedure.
Here is the set of instructions that patients are required to follow:
Two Weeks before FUE
- Patients should confirm their appointment with our experts after undergoing various laboratory tests.
- Let our experts know if you are taking any medications, including blood thinners or broad beta-blockers before hair transplant in delhi.
- Meet our experts to discuss any ongoing medical conditions.
- Do not shave or cut your hair in the recipient areas. Keep the length of the donor area (back and sides) normal.
One Week before FUE
- Patients should halt consumption of Vitamin B, E or any kinds of multi-vitamins that contain them.
- Stop consuming anti-inflammatory medications (NSAID’s).
- Let our experts know if you’re consuming any other prescription medicines, including heart and blood pressure medications.
- Stop smoking a week prior to the procedure. Cigarettes contain nicotine that constricts blood vessels while decreasing the blood flow to the scalp.
Three Days before FUE
- Stop consuming alcohol beverages as tt can result in adverse reactions and side-effects.
The Day of FUE
- Wash your hair properly with a shampoo. Do not use any kind of gels, sprays or other hair styling products.
- Wear loose and comfortable clothes. Clothing that needs to be pulled on over the head may damage the grafts immediately after the surgery.
- Avoid wearing any cologne, perfumes or deodorants.
- Have a light breakfast. However, do not consume coffee or any caffeine beverage as it may increase bleeding and sensitivity towards medications.
- Surgery uses sedatives and medications that can make you feel drowsy. We advise you to arrange a post-op transportation.
After Surgery
While our surgeons are experts at performing the FUE procedure and delivering desirable results to patients, it is important for patients to take some post-surgery precautions to ensure speedy recovery:
Day of FUE
- We discharge our patients with a head bandage after the procedure. We advise them not to remove it before going to the bed.
- While sleeping, keep your head elevated. In case the donor area oozes, place a towel under your head.
- In case of bleeding, use a sterile gauze to apply continuous and steady pressure on the bleeding area.
A Day after FUT
- Remove the head bandage carefully before taking a shower the next day.
- Take 3 showers and gently shampoo the scalp, in the morning, noon and night respectively. Wash your hair gently to ensure the scalp is free of blood or crust. After 2-3 days, shower twice on a daily basis.
- In case of temporary swelling, use cold compression on forehead, 2 to 3 times a day, for almost 15 minutes.
Post Treatment Care
Although FUE offers a quick recovery time, patients can expect their newly transplanted hair to grow after 10 weeks. They get long enough to be groomed in about 6 months, and fully grown in 1 year after the surgery. However, patients should take necessary precautions for ensuring the most promising results.
Here is a list of precautions that patients need to follow after the surgery:
Don’t sleep or lie on your face as it might cause swelling. Sleep with your head elevated to 30 degrees, at least for 3 days
Don’t consume alcohol or alcoholic beverages for at least 3 days after the surgery.
Don’t comb or brush hair in the implanted area for 7 days after the procedure.
Avoid visiting dirty or dusty environment for at least a week after the procedure.
Shampoo very gently for the first week after the procedure. Since grafts are permanent, one can resume to normal hair care and shampooing after 10 days.
Restrain yourself from smoking for at least 2 weeks after the surgery.
Avoid consuming any kind of medications like that affect blood flow.
Don’t have a haircut for at least 3 weeks after the surgery.
Don’t expose the implanted area to direct sunlight for a month after the surgery. Cover your head with a hat or a cap to avoid direct exposure to strong sunlight.
Don’t color or dye your hair for at least 4 weeks after the surgery.
Consult our experts for prescription medicine in case of pain.
Holding Solution
In Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE), the extracted grafts are placed in a liquid solution, known as holding solution that protects them from desiccation or drying out. The solution contains special vitamins and nutrients that preserve the grafts before the transplantation process is initiated.
At MedLinks, our experts extract follicular unit grafts from the donor area with appropriate size punches and preserve them in a holding solution by the time the recipient area is prepared. While these grafts are placed in the solution, they are sorted into 1-4 hair graft units and again placed back in the solution for temporary storage.
Why keeping the grafts in a holding solution is important?
Exposure to air and moisture for more than a few seconds can result in drying of delicate structures within the hair graft. Desiccation particularly occurs in grafts with pants legs or ones without an intact follicular capsule, surrounded by good fat at the distal end near the bulb.
Thus, once the grafts are finally removed from the holding solution, our experts place them quickly on the recipient skin area in order to ensure best and natural results.
Donor Area
In the perfect I technique , the safety of the donor area is given as much importance as the results over the recipient a rea. We do not over harvest the donor. For graft extraction, ultra sharp Cole punches of size 0.8mm to 0.9mm (Depending on the graft thickness) are used. This minimizes damage to the skin tissue and also surrounding follicles. We make sure that for every follicular unit extracted, units are left on the sides, above and below (See picture). This reduces patchy look if the patient wants to keep short hair. Please note, that keeping a buzz cut may not be possible in the future (particularly for 2500+ grafts surgeries) as there will be a density mismatch between the donor zone and the immediately adjacent areas..
Frequently Asked Questions
Most people with hair loss will find that they are qualified for a hair transplant. Advancements in technology and refinement of methods have made the treatment possible for most kinds of hair curl, grouping, thickness and consistency. Free consultation with our Dr. Gaurang Krishna is the best way to determine your eligibility.
Patients in their earlier 20s may be suitable candidates for hair transplantation. In cases with young patients, future hair loss must be considered to guarantee an aesthetically viable long-term outcome. Specifying a family history of hair loss significantly enhances the capability of the hair restoration surgeon to choose the best course of treatment. It is especially crucial to consider non-surgical methods to preserve the ‘natural’ or ‘native’ hair.
Full recovery from your hair transplant will need 7 to 14 days. Depending on the kind of surgery, FUE needs a shorter recovery period than a FUT surgery, one should be able to return to most of their regular activities within 2-3 days.
Although you will see a difference when you leave the clinic the final result can take up to a year. You will have some shedding after 3-6 weeks and then your hair will re-grow for the next 2-4 months. At 6 months you will notice a difference but your final results will take 12 months.
You should not feel pain during the process. You will have a local anaesthetic injection at the beginning which will numb your head. You may have some sensations of pulling or tugging of the scalp but you should not feel pain. It is important however to anticipate some mild pain or discomfort after the operation once the anaesthetic wears off but this will only be for a short time and you will be given painkillers.
An FUE Hair Transplant leaves you with little to no scarring likened to the older FUT Strip Hair Transplant. The hair is extracted using a small punch method which will depart some micro small white dotted scars in your donor area but this will only be seen if you keep this site of your head shaven. These scars do fade with time leaving you with a natural-looking result.
Looking for guidance?
Book a consultation today and clear all your doubts with MedLinks!
Looking for guidance?
Book a consultation today and clear all your doubts with MedLinks!
