Follicular unit extraction (FUE) is a hair restoration procedure that has become popular. It does not produce scars as other treatments do. At Hair Transplant Specialists – New York City (NYC), we provide surgeons with the latest in hair restoration technology.
Follicular unit extraction (FUE) is an innovative hair transplant procedure that restores hair for men and women who suffer from hair loss. Also known as follicular unit excision, FUE uses your own hair follicles to restore your youthful hairline.
An FUE hair transplant takes individual hair follicular units from areas with thick, healthy hair. The most common donor areas are the back and sides of your head. It is also possible to take hair from the chest, arms, abdomen, and legs, a more involved hair transplant procedure known as a Body to Scalp Hair Transplant. Each follicular unit can have one to three hairs although mini grafts can have up to 5. Your clinician then uses these follicular units as natural hair implants and grafts to insert them into the thinning and balding areas of hair loss.
FUE has many advantages over conventional hair transplant methods such as Follicular Unit Transplant (FUT), also known as strip hair transplant procedures. Completed in several hours, this safe outpatient procedure naturally restores lost hair. Initial results are visible in the form of implanted grafts and full growth along your new hairline appears in as little as four months. Density takes about a year. Because the units are taken individually, this type of treatment also appears much more natural than other methods.
During an FUE hair transplant, your hair transplant doctor or clinician will have you sit or lie down in a comfortable position. You’ll be able to listen to music or watch TV much of the time. You’ll also have breaks to eat and drink. Once the procedure starts, your hair transplant doctor or clinician will:
Hair implantation that uses FUE processes can occur manually. However, FUE has the disadvantage of requiring a team that can do hair restoration. It takes a long time to do, and the maximum number of grafts is fewer than 1,000. A doctor will decide how many grafts are necessary for a hair transplant. This number is based on some factors, including the angle of the hair under your scalp.
The goal is to extract follicles as intact as possible and restrict harvesting grafts. One of the essential parts of a hair transplant is if follicles survive after being extracted. If the follicles are cut during the extraction procedure, they will not survive the transplant, resulting in a hair transplant failure.
FUE treatments can transect grafts. FUT procedures involving strip-harvesting of follicular units often leave many non-transfected follicular units. During your free initial consultation, our doctors and clinicians will analyze your hair and tell you how many grafts the procedure can collect.
In Follicular Unit Extraction, the graft survival rate is about 90%. Therefore, FUE transplants are as successful as with the traditional FUT procedure. When it comes to FUE versus FUT methods, the efficiency of the hair transplant method is frequently questioned. Peer-reviewed research is usually the foundation for answering this topic. The truth is that no study has demonstrated that one strategy is superior to the other. Both approaches are efficient for graft extraction.
Hair Transplant Sessions
Hair restoration is a surgical technique that can take one or more sessions to complete. The hair transplant surgery will take eight hours in a single session, and if you go too long without taking an appropriate break between surgeries, your body risks rejecting the implants over time.
It’s best to take shorter intervals of two weeks at most during your activities to avoid having the follicles from being exposed to too much air, which makes them become especially vulnerable. This break will allow them more time for a break while also giving you the chance to rest up before going back into action.
This rest period is essential for the health and growth of hair.
An outpatient FUE transplant doesn’t require much post-operative time. You can go home shortly after the procedure finishes. The hair restoration doctor or clinician may ask you to wear bandages on your scalp for a few days. They may also prescribe antibiotics to prevent infection at the incision sites.
You might experience tenderness or swelling in the donor or recipient areas. But your hair transplant doctor or clinician can prescribe anti-inflammatories to reduce any discomfort. You should be able to return to work within a few days.
FUE is a safe and proven hair transplant procedure. Complications are very rare. Like most minor surgeries, FUE does have a small risk of serious side effects.
Bleeding, scarring, hair loss, or infection can occur at the incision sites. Make sure to choose a qualified and experienced hair restoration specialist to minimize these risks.
An FUE hair transplant is a tried-and-true hair loss treatment. Skilled providers can ensure that most of your transplanted hair follicular units thrive. One study showed that over 90% of the transferred hair follicles normally survive the FUE procedure and go on to grow new hair.
The FUE procedure doesn’t result in “the hair plugs look” from transplant procedures of the past. Most patients report they’re happy with the procedure and its long-term results. In one study and survey, FUE achieved a 98% satisfaction rate.
Moreover, an FUE transplant is a permanent correction. The transplanted follicles will remain for the rest of your life as they are genetically different. However, in some patients, the follicles may eventually produce less hair as overall hair loss progresses.
An FUE transplant has several advantages and disadvantages compared to other treatments such as follicular unit transplantation (FUT). During a FUT hair transplant procedure, your hair transplant surgeon removes a strip of your scalp to collect hair follicular units. The two procedures differ in terms of length, cost, and recovery time.
Less Pain. An FUE hair transplant is less painful than a FUT. Removing a skin graft for an FUT can cause significant post-operative pain. The tiny incisions from an FUE cause less discomfort.
No Visible Linear Scars. An FUE transplant doesn’t scar your scalp as an FUT does. Since your hair transplant physician or clinician harvests individual hair follicular units, there’s no need to cut out a large skin graft. The small incisions heal within a few days with no noticeable scarring. Once your hair grows, the incisions are further hidden.
Quick Recovery. You can return to work more quickly after an FUE transplant than an FUT. The tiny, circular incisions heal very quickly without stitches. An FUT requires stitches and more time to heal the donor site.
Works With Short Hair Styles. You don’t need long hair to hide a scar after an FUE transplant. An FUT requires longer hair to cover the visible area left by the graft removal. The tiny incisions from an FUE leave no visible scarring so you can keep your hair very short without worrying.
Can Use More Donor Sites. An FUT generally takes a strip from the back of your head, while an FUE transplant is more flexible. It can use follicles from areas like your chest, back, or beard. This makes hair restoration available to some patients who lack the needed donor area for an FUT.
Long Procedure Time. An FUE transplant takes longer than an FUT. Extracting individual follicular units instead of a large strip requires more work. The total time depends on the size of the treated area. You may need one long “mega” session of about eight hours, or you may have several shorter sessions throughout a couple of days.
Cost. An FUE hair transplant is comparable in price to an FUT hair transplant.
Larger Donor Area. An FUE transplant requires a larger area of healthy hair than an FUT. This is necessary to prevent noticeable thinning in the donor area.
Cutting Hair Short. Your provider has to cut your hair shorter before an FUE procedure than during an FUT. This allows them to better see which hair follicular units will make the best transplants. Many clinics offer a NO SHAVE FUE hair transplant.
Dr. Barnard and Clinician Daniels specialize in providing FUE in New York City. They offer FUE systems such as Cole, Ellis, and WAW to ensure you receive treatment tailored to your hair restoration needs.
FUE New York hair restoration is just one aspect of hair loss treatment. Every patient has unique needs when it comes to hair loss. That’s why Hair Transplant Specialists – New York City also offers scalp micro pigmentation, PRP hair restoration, PDO Threads, topical compounds, non-surgical treatments, vitamins, supplements, shampoos, and conditioners. Learn how we can help you achieve your best look.
The cost of an FUE hair transplant depends on the size of the area needing treatment which translates into a number of grafts as long as there is adequate donor hair available. Most insurance plans don’t cover FUE procedures.
Hair Transplant Specialists – New York City offers 0% financing and affordable prices to fit your budget. Contact us today to discuss pricing for follicular unit extraction and other treatment plans. The next step is a complimentary consultation at our Manhattan office located on Fifth Avenue.