Hair Transplantation FUE
Are you a man affected by male pattern baldness? Or a woman with thinning scalp hair? You don't have to live with a receding hairline or bald patches. Cosmetic procedures such as FUE hair transplants can help turn back the clock and restore a thicker, fuller, natural looking hairline. Keep reading to learn everything to you need to know about a FUE hair transplant.
What is a follicular unit extraction hair transplant?
A follicular unit extraction hair transplant involves taking individual hair follicles from areas of the skin that have sufficient hair growth and transplanting or moving them to other parts of the body that have absent or thinning hair. It is a minimally invasive procedure with a short recovery time and good success rates.
How does a FUE transplant work?
With age, the hair growth cycle shortens and some hair follicles stop growing hairs. A follicular unit transplantation replaces these old follicles with new ones from a donor area that are still able to grow hairs. After the hair transplant surgery, the follicular units from the donor area provide hair growth in the target area which previously had hair loss, providing a natural looking hair restoration.
A surgeon uses micro-punches to extract individual hair follicles from the donor area, leaving behind almost no signs of hair extraction. After about 3-4 months, the transplanted hair follicles start growing back hairs. In general, 10 to 80% of transplanted hairs grow back, helping the hair look thicker in a previously balding area.
Anyone who has thinning or balding hair and enough donor hair in other areas is a good candidate for the procedure. Those who do not have enough healthy or thick hair in donor areas may not be eligible for follicular unit extraction FUE.
Targeted areas of treatment
Hair transplant procedures are most commonly performed on the scalp. However, they can also be done in other parts of the body, such as the arms, legs, and genital area. Body hair transplantation is, however, much less common than donor grafts on the scalp.
Is FUE hair transplant permanent?
Hair restoration with an FUE hair transplantation is permanent. The hair follicles that are transplanted to the areas of hair loss continue growing lifelong. However, some patients may require additional procedures to maintain their appearance.
Which is better FUE or FUT hair transplant?
There are two hair transplant techniques - FUE and FUT. Both methods are still in use, but the FUE technique has gained favor over FUT. FUE was developed to replace the original hair transplant method called FUT or follicular unit transplantation.
FUT involves taking a strip of skin with follicular units and transplanting it into the target area. The FUT method has become less popular because it creates a hair plug look where sections of transplanted hair do not match the surrounding areas. Also, hair restoration with FUT leaves a large linear scar where the strip of skin is removed. In contrast, FUE is less invasive and involves transplantation of individual follicular units with natural looking results and essentially invisible scars.
Your surgeon will give you more information about both methods of hair grafts, FUE and FUT, and the results you can expect from each procedure.
Preparing for a FUE hair transplant
Expectations and Results
An FUE procedure is an outpatient procedure and you will be able to go home the same day. You should be aware that some hair can fall out during the healing process - this is not unusual and you should not be alarmed if it occurs. You will notice a difference in the thinning areas after about 3-4 months.
In the weeks leading up to the surgery
In preparation for your follicular unit surgery, you should stop smoking 1-2 weeks before the procedure, avoid drinking alcohol for 3 days, and stop taking aspirin, blood thinners, or other medications that can increase the risk of bleeding (your physician will guide you on how to do this). You may also be advised to stop other medications like vitamins, dietary supplements, and antidepressants. Blood tests and/or an ECG (electrocardiogram) may be ordered before the hair transplant procedure.
Before FUE hair transplants, patients are advised not to cut their hair. It is a good idea to massage your scalp for 10-20 minutes every day for a few weeks before the hair transplant procedure. This helps to increase blood flow to the scalp. Your physician may also advise you to use a hair loss medication like Rogaine (minoxidil) in preparation for the hair transplants.
Procedure for FUE hair transplant
To perform FUE hair transplants, the hair restoration surgeon starts by shaving both the donor zone and the recipient area. A micro-punch tool is then used to remove individual follicular units from the skin of the donor area, for example, on the back of the head. Next, the surgeon makes tiny incisions with a sharp tool or needle in areas of hair loss and inserts the extracted follicles here. The area is then cleaned and bandaged.
What to expect after a FUE hair transplant?
Because FUE hair restoration surgery is a minimally invasive procedure, recovery is relatively quick. It is an outpatient procedure and you will go home the same day. There may be some discomfort and swelling for 2-3 days.
Your physician will advise you to avoid washing your hair or showering for 2-3 days. You'll also be advised to use gentle shampoos and hair products for a few weeks. Physicians usually advise patients to avoid combing or brushing the new hair for 3 weeks. It is also recommended to not wear hats or beanies to avoid friction on the new hairs until your physician gives you the green signal.
You should plan to take 2-3 days off work to allow healing. Your physician will advise you to avoid strenuous physical activity for a week.
Are there any risks or side effects?
The FUE procedure does not leave visible scars where the hair follicle is removed from the scalp. You will not see anything in the donor area of the scalp where the unit grafts were removed other than tiny white dots, which fade over time.
Side effects are rare after FUE transplants. However, you should be vigilant for signs and symptoms of infection, such as pain, swelling, drainage, and crusting at the surgery site. You should contact your hair transplant surgeon if you have bleeding or numbness or tingling in the area. Also, inform your physician if the transplanted hair does not resemble the surrounding hair or the thinning areas do not improve after the surgery.
How much does a FUE hair transplant cost? How much do 2000 grafts cost?
FUE hair transplant cost can be anything from $4,000 to $15,000 for each session depending on the experience of the surgeon and the number of surgeons available in your area that perform this procedure. The total cost of the hair restoration over multiple sessions can be as much as $50,000. Most health insurance plans do not cover hair restoration with follicular unit extraction FUE because it is a cosmetic procedure.
How to find a provider?
The MeTime app makes it easy to find a top-rated hair transplant surgeon in your area. You can click and upload pictures and have suggestions sent directly to you. Interested in finding out whether follicular unit transplantation is right for you? Try the MeTime app now!