For every issue regarding hair loss, one treatment doesn’t resolve all problems. Different treatments for different issues and different procedures treat different problems. That’s why it is beneficial for every hair loss patient to get expert advice on their condition and the right treatment for it.
If you’ve done this and your doctor believes a hair transplant would be perfect for you, you should choose the Follicular Unit Extraction hair transplant technique. It is a contemporary hair transplant technique that has recorded success in hair treatment and restoration. So, if you’re looking for a hair transplant procedure that demands less both physically and mentally, the FUE hair transplant technique is the best.
Are you wondering how this technique works? Worry no more as this post would give a detailed guide about the subject. It’ll also explore some advantages and disadvantages just for you to fully know if it’s the right choice for you.
What is the FUE Hair Transplant Technique?
The acronym FUE is Follicular Unit Extraction. It’s a hair transplant technique performed on people who are suffering hair loss. This method is executed by extracting genetically healthier hair roots from a particular area inserted into another area with predefined canals. This extraction doesn’t require cutting and sewing, and that’s why it leaves a natural look after the whole process.
In most cases, patients undergo the normal FUE transplant technique. However, if the patient’s hair loss issue is critical, doctors advise them to do the “bio FUE transplant technique.” In simple terms, the “bio FUE transplant technique” combines plasma therapy with a normal FUE procedure to stimulate stem cells. In other words, it is the germination of those cells that retain their ability to perform their normal function despite a halt in the process.
They receive this boost by injecting a unique growth serum into the hair scalp. This serum makes the cells stronger and healthier and restores their efficiency to grow quality hair. It is believed to be an even faster procedure under the FUE technique umbrella. But, without losing touch with what we set out to discuss, how does the FUE hair transplant technique work?
Steps on How the FUE Technique Works
Doctors take the following steps to have a successful FUE operation:
Step 1
Donor Site Determination and Injection
Once the harvest area has been determined, the first thing doctors do is shave the area to a certain degree to ease the extraction. An anesthesia injection on the area follows to numb it and give the patient a painless experience. This has proven to be effective as most FUE transplant patients attest to feeling very little or no pain during and after the transplant.
Step 2
Extraction
Here, the doctor uses a couple of instruments, either a manual punch or an automated punch. Both are used for the follicular unit extraction, and they aren’t more than 1mm in diameter. Essentially, the size of these tools minimizes any possibility for scarring at the extraction site such that doctors find it difficult to identify the site post-op.
Step 3
Follicle Inspection
It’s also important to inspect the hair grafts. It is done with a high-powered magnifier. This magnifier shows the number of hairs in each graft. The graft contains between 2-5 hair follicles, depending on the patient. And it is inspected to determine where each of them would be implanted. After the inspection, the grafts are stored at a regulated temperature to ensure their survival while they are out of the skin.
Step 4
Arrangement of Grafts
This step is formative in defining the harvested grafts’ direction, angle, and distribution. If they are perfectly defined, the result is an appealing natural hair look. Grafts with single hair follicles are placed around the crown area and the hairline, while grafts with multiple follicles are placed further back in the area to give deserving fullness.
Step 5
Implantation
Here, the arranged grafts are implanted individually with skill and poise into the needed area. Once they are firmly rooted into the scalp, healing begins almost immediately.
Step 6
The area is cleansed and bandaged to preserve and protect what has been done. These bandages are removed a day after, and the hair is washed subsequently.
Activities you must Avoid After the FUE Transplant Procedure.
The following are some things you mustn’t do after the FUE hair transplant:
Washing and Scrubbing the Hair
You’re not allowed to wash your hair at least 42 hours after the operation until the third day. On the third day, you can wash, but it has to be done gently.
Panic When Hair Falls Out
When this happens, it’s completely natural because the root of the hair has already been implanted. It is where new hairs would grow.
Applying Ice on the Scalp
This is a negative action that may affect the success of the whole process. Therefore, every FUE patient must Avoid touching the area for at least 3days post-op.
Other activities to desist from include
- Exposing the hair to the sun
- Wearing tight headgears
- Exercises
- Sleeping flat
- Driving
Advantages of the FUE Technique
The advantages of this technique include:
- There’s no suture
- Less bleeding
- Short recovery timeline
- Quality transplant technique
- Gives natural results
- A permanent solution to hair loss
- Invincible scars
- No discomfort during or after transplant
- Allows for harvesting non-scalp hairs
Disadvantages of the FUE Technique
The disadvantages of the FUE technique include:
- Unnoticeable density in donor or harvest area
- Takes a longer period due to individual extraction
- More expensive than other methods
- Alterations in the machine’s rotational speed could damage follicles
- A larger size of the harvest area
- It is a “blind process.” That is, it relies on the expertise of the surgeon.
- Thinning might occur in the harvest area if faulty roots are removed
- It cannot be applied to all hair loss patients
- More fragile grafts due to their detachment from protective tissues
Conclusion
The FUE is generally a good hair transplant technique most people should choose. However, it is important to compare the advantages and disadvantages and confirm if it’s the best hair restoration treatment for you.
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