An FUE hair transplant is a surgical hair restoration procedure that involves extracting hair follicles from the donor area of the scalp and transplanting them into balding or thinning areas. FUE stands for Follicular Unit Extraction, which refers to the process of extracting individual hair follicles one by one using a specialized surgical instrument. FUE hair transplant is a minimally invasive procedure that does not involve any cutting skin strips or stitches as opposed to the old-fashioned method known as FUT which cuts a strip of skin from the donor area and leaves an obvious scar and it is known for its high success rate and natural-looking results.
FUE transplants have gained popularity in the UK over the past few years due to numerous advantages over the traditional hair transplant methods. The procedure is performed under local anaesthesia, and the patient can return home on the same day of the surgery. Since FUE hair transplant does not involve any incisions or stitches, there is minimal scarring, and the recovery time is relatively short. Most patients are able to resume their normal activities within a few days after the procedure.
Another advantage of FUE hair transplant is that it allows the surgeon to extract hair follicles from different parts of the body, such as the beard or chest, in addition to the scalp. This makes it an ideal option for patients who have limited donor hair on the scalp or have a specific pattern of hair loss that requires a more customised approach.
During the FUE hair transplant procedure, the surgeon uses a micro-punch tool to extract individual hair follicles from the donor area. These follicles are then prepared under a microscope and transplanted onto the balding or thinning areas of the scalp. The surgeon carefully places each hair follicle at the correct angle and direction to ensure a natural-looking result.
firstly the doctor will map out the area the new hair is going to be implanted into, and will draw this on the patients head and measure out the area to calculate the graft numbers required. Despite patients thinking “more is better’ when it comes to graft numbers, there is an optimal amount of grafts it is safe to do and we aim for 35-40 grafts per square centimetre, opting for more than this can mean trying to put too many holes into your skin in a small area and this can lead to skin necrosis which is basically skin death, the skin in the area dies due to not being able to recover from so many holes made in it.
After the graft numbers are calculated and the hairline position agreed with the patient, next comes the anaesthetic. FUE is carried out under local anaesthetic so you are wide awake throughout the process and the patient can return home on the same day of the surgery. It is pain free apart from the initial injections of anaesthetic which can sting a bit when initially applied – if this is a problem for you talk to us about our optional needle-free Jet Anaesthesia which we can add to your tailored hair transplant package to reduce any pain.
once the patients head is numb, the procedure is carried out in 3 stages: first is extracting the individual hair grafts. The hair is taken from the donor area, this is on the back of the head between the ears, and this area will need to be shaved to allow the extraction.
once the area is shaved, a small extraction tool called a punch (which is a tiny hollow tube approximately 0.7-0.8 mm wide) goes over the top of an individual hair follicle to extract it, and a team of 2 technicians slowly assess and harvest from the donor area selecting the healthiest hairs to remove, and these are removed in a pattern that ensures not too many hairs are taken from any one location as we do not want to leave any empty patches or bald spots, the aim is to slightly thin the overall area without any obvious gaps. This process can take up to a couple of hours depending on the amount of follicles needed for the transplant. Once the hair grafts are extracted they are kept in a solution to keep them alive, as the earlier the grafts can be implanted back into the body the higher the survival rate they have.
The next step is done by the doctor and is considered the most important as it has by far the highest effect on both the look of the hair afterwards and also the success rate: The doctor makes the incisions in the implant area for where the new hairs are going to go. This is done with a very small sharp pen-type device, which in the more expensive procedures can be tipped with a sapphire as this makes very precise V shaped incisions which are smaller and more accurate than metal tipped pens leading to less marking or scarring and more precise locations.
While poking little holes in your head sounds easy, the doctor has to get each incision exactly the same distance apart – too far apart and the transplanted hair will look too sparse, too close together and the skin can split between incisions, a bit like if you try and drill 2 holes in a wall too close together, and too many holes too close together can lead to skin necrosis as we have already mentioned. The doctor also has to make the incisions the correct depth so that the grafts do not sit proud of the upper skin layer, leading to the lumpy pimple effect seen on some bad transplants, and so that the new grafts can reconnect to the blood supply that sits just underneath the skin. The doctor also has to make the incision at the correct angle, as whatever angle the hole is made at is the angle the hair will grow out at, and hair does not naturally grow straight up at 90 degrees to the head, it grows at different angles depending on where on the scalp it is. A good doctor is going to match the angle of the newly implanted hair with the angle of the rest of the existing hair so that the final result looks natural and that once it has grown to some length it can be brushed and styled with the rest of the hair without sticking up at some odd angle (Something we see regularly when we fix some of the terrible results when patients opt to save money by going to a cheap clinic abroad.)
The final part of the FUE transplant is the simplest and generally done by the technicians, which is the grafts are individually placed into the incisions one at a time until all are located securely. Once all the grafts are located then the transplant is finished and you are free to go home!
You will finish the procedure with a bandage over the donor area on the back of your head for 24 hours and the implant area left uncovered. If you have had work on the front hairline or temples then you will usually also have a bandana that goes around the head which is stays in place for 4-5 days and keep any potential swelling from coming down into the face.
FUE hair transplant is a safe and effective procedure that can help restore a fuller and more youthful head of hair. However, it is important to choose a qualified and experienced surgeon who specializes in hair restoration surgery to ensure the best possible results. Patients should also have realistic expectations and understand that it may take several months to see the full results of the procedure. Overall, FUE hair transplant is a viable option for anyone looking to regain their confidence and achieve a natural-looking head of hair.
If you are considering a hair transplant, then start by arranging a free consultation with us at My-Hair UK by clicking the button below for a confidential chat with an expert.
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