Many people are turning to hair transplant surgery to get back their natural hairline. The problem is that the traditional surgical FUT method leaves an obvious scar at the donor site, which can look unsightly and detract from one’s appearance.
Fortunately, there’s now another surgical option in the form of follicular unit extraction (FUE).
FUE requires only small incisions around the scalp to extract grafts without leaving any scars or other signs on your head. It also doesn’t require stitches. This article will discuss how the FUE Hair Transplant method can restore your natural hairline to its original state.
What Is FUE Hair Transplant?
FUE is a minimally invasive hair transplantation procedure requiring no stitching after surgery. The method involves removing follicular unit grafts (donor’s hairs) one by one directly from the back of your scalp using small circular punches, then implanting them into bald or thinning areas of the head in an orderly fashion to mimic natural hair growth.
The grafts remove using a tiny punch-like device that minimizes damage to the follicles and results in less visible scarring. Unlike FUT, there is no linear scar on the donor area since individual grafts harvest one at a time.
This significantly reduces the amount of postoperative pain and downtime and allows patients to wear their hair extremely short without worrying about a scar.
How Does FUE Work: Procedure for FUE Hair Transplant?
The FUE hair transplant procedure is rather simple and quick, taking about eight hours to complete. It takes a few weeks before you can see the final results because transplanted hairs start growing approximately one month after surgery.
To increase your chances of natural-looking hair growth, both donor and recipient sites must be well-matched in terms of hair color, texture and thickness. This requires screening multiple donor hairs to find ones that precisely match your requirements.
Some surgeons favor the FUE technique because it allows them to transplant more follicles than traditional surgical methods like FUT or scalp reduction surgery. But the downside is that there’s no guarantee you’ll get the results you want since follicular units can be unpredictable in terms of their growth patterns.
The surgeon harvests individual follicular units from the back of your scalp using tiny punches which range in size from 0.75mm -0.85mm, depending on how thick you want them to look after implantation.
Each unit contains between one to four hairs. The punch removes the follicular unit and a small part of the surrounding tissue containing blood vessels, nerves, and hair roots that nourish the grafts in their new location.
The technique is quite time-consuming since it requires considerable effort to dissect each follicular unit. However, this meticulous work ensures that only healthy follicles transplant, resulting in natural-looking hair growth.
Who Is a Candidate for FUE?
FUE is an excellent choice for anyone who wants to restore their natural hairline without the visible scarring associated with the traditional FUT method. It is also a good option for people with very tight scalp skin or a low hair density.
This procedure uses to treat a variety of hair loss conditions, including male and female pattern baldness, alopecia areata, and Traction Alopecia. It is also suitable for people who want to restore their eyebrows or beard.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Hair Transplantation
As with other hair transplantation techniques, FUE has its advantages and disadvantages.
Benefits
Natural-looking: Natural hairline and natural-looking results.
No linear scar: There is no linear scar on the donor area since individual grafts are harvested one at a time during FUE hair transplant surgery, which significantly reduces the amount of postoperative pain and downtime while ensuring that patients can wear their hair extremely short without worrying about a noticeable mark from surgery.
More natural density: Since a natural hairline creates using a patient’s existing hair, the result appears more natural and less “pluggy” than transplantation with FUT.
Less noticeable scarring: With FUE Hair Transplant Surgery, there is no linear incision on the back of your scalp. This means patients will experience less visible scarring and swelling than traditional surgery.
Faster healing time: The average healing time for FUE is approximately seven days, compared to 10 days for the FUT procedure.
Minimal bleeding and trauma: The FUE technique has minimal bleeding and trauma, which reduces the likelihood of infection and postoperative complications.
FUE can be used to treat a variety of hair loss conditions: FUE is an excellent choice for anyone who wants to restore their natural hairline without the visible scarring associated with the traditional FUT method. It is also a good option for people with very tight scalp skin or a low hair density.
The procedure can be used to treat a variety of hair loss conditions, including male and female pattern baldness, alopecia areata, and Traction Alopecia. It is also suitable for people who want to restore their eyebrows or beard.
Disadvantages
Possibility of poor growth: The FUE technique is associated with a risk of poor growth, where the transplanted follicles fail to grow new hairs. This is more common in people taking medications known as anticoagulants (blood thinners), which make it difficult for blood flow to reach hair roots and can cause tissue damage around grafts.
Follicles may die after transplant: There is also a small risk that follicles may die after transplant, resulting in patchy or uneven hair growth.
Limited availability of skilled surgeons: The FUE technique requires considerable training and experience to perform successfully, so not all hair restoration surgeons are proficient in this procedure.
High cost: FUE surgery is typically higher than the cost of traditional hair transplant surgery.
As with any surgical procedure, FUE has its risks and potential complications. It is important to discuss these with your surgeon before deciding whether or not to undergo treatment.
How Much Does FUE Cost?
The cost of FUE surgery varies depending on the size of the area and the number of grafts required. Generally, prices start at around $4000 for a small transplant and increase as the size of the treatment area increases.
Is FUE Painful?
Most people report that an FUE hair transplant is much less painful than the traditional FUT method. Patients may experience discomfort and swelling in the donor area immediately after surgery, but this usually resolves within a few days.
How Much Downtime Is There After FUE?
Patients typically require only one or two days of downtime after FUE surgery. You will be able to resume your normal activities shortly after the procedure is completed.
The Bottom Line
If you’re considering a hair transplant, FUE hair transplant is an excellent choice that offers many benefits over the traditional FUT method. Contact a qualified surgeon to determine if this procedure is right for you.
