What is a FUE hair transplant?
Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) hair transplants is a process to make the hair look thicker. In this procedure, individual hair follicles are taken out of the skin and implanted in a new area with less hair growth. The technique was discovered to replace the Follicular Unit Transplantation (FUT) technique.
In FUT, an entire piece of skin with hair follicles are taken out and transplanted to the target area. A bald person or person with thinning hair is suitable to undergo an FUE hair transplant. It is vital to have healthy and thick hair in the donor area to undergo an FUE hair transplant procedure.
FUE hair transplant has become popular because it does not scar your head and does not lead to a “hair plug” look.
Procedure
The FUE hair transplant procedure is mentioned below:
- The surgeon shaves the hairs from the transplant area. They also shave the hairs from where the follicles will be removed.
- The follicle is removed from the skin using a micro-punch tool.
- Incisions are made in the scalp to insert the extracted hair follicles.
- After the insertions of follicles, the surgery is considered complete.
- The area is cleaned and bandaged to help in the recovery of the scalp.
These are the usual steps and procedures used by a surgeon to perform an FUE hair transplant procedure.
Targeted areas
The most common area to carry out this procedure is the scalp. You can even try an FUE hair transplant in other areas of your body like the legs, genitals, and arms.
Safety
You can experience minor side effects post-surgery. Tiny scars are visible at the site of hair extraction. Infections may appear in rare cases. The side effects diminish and fade after a few days of the surgery. It may include bruising, swelling, and sensitivity in the scalp. Apart from the minor side effects, the overall procedure is considered to be safe.
Cost of FUE hair transplant procedure
The procedure cost depends on factors like the surgeon’s experience, the number of hair strands needed for the process, the surgeon’s availability, and the frequency of the treatment. Sometimes you get the desired results after multiple sessions.
Workings
As you age, the life cycle of your hair growth shortens, and the new hair follicles stop growing. The process is different for each patient. One can get bald in their 20s while others face baldness later in their lives. In the FUE technique, the old hair follicles are replaced with new strands. These new follicles are still able to grow some inches on your scalp.
Convenience
It takes multiple sessions to complete the FUE hair transplant process. It takes almost 2 to 4 hours to complete each session, and it spreads across several days. In some cases, the surgery may take up to 12 hours. The surgeon advises the patient not to put water on the scalp or indulge in any rigorous physical activity. The hair grows thicker in the bald area, and the follicles are nourished with blood vessels. The patient can leave after the treatment and get back to their day-to-day activities.
What to expect after an FUE hair transplant?
The aftercare instructions you need to follow after surgery are:
- Don’t make your hair wet in the first three days after the surgery.
- Use gentle shampoo to clean your scalp when you wash your hair.
- It will help if you take a few days off from work to experience a speedy recovery.
- Don’t brush your hair in the first three weeks after the surgery.
- Don’t cover your head with scarfs, caps, hats, or beanies.
- Don’t involve yourself in physical activities for a week.
The health of transplanted hairs determines how successful the FUE hair transplant was. It might be possible that your hair does not grow back as thick as you were expecting it to be. The difference in your hair texture can be noticed in the next 3 to 4 months following the surgery. The recovery is quick, but you may feel uncomfortable in the first three days.
If you must undergo an FUE hair transplant and need to know more about the procedure, you can contact Dr Sunil Arora by scheduling an appointment at ALCS Clinic.