5 Things to Know About FUE Hair Transplant
Hair transplant is considered the holy grail of hair loss treatment as it is permanent and can help you achieve fuller hair. FUE hair transplant is one of the most advanced hair restoration solutions to restore your hair. It is gaining popularity because it is less invasive and gives natural-looking results. In this hair transplantation procedure, individual follicles are extracted from your skin and moved to other body parts where hair is absent or thin. The follicles are placed with utmost care in the recipient area ensuring that it mimics the hair’s natural growth pattern. The best part of this treatment is that there are no signs of extraction as micropunches are used by the surgeon to extract single follicles. Many people are undergoing this hair transplant procedure these days as it results in less scarring and has a faster recovery time.
How is FUE Hair Transplant Performed?
Follicular unit excision is a permanent hair transplantation method used by surgeons to harvest individual follicular units from the back and sides of the head. The harvested individual follicular units are then transplanted into hair-loss areas. Firstly, the surgeon will trim or shave your hair to 1/16 of an inch in length in the donor region. This improves the small cylindrical punch’s efficiency in removing the surrounding tissue and hair from the scalp. The punch needs to be aligned perfectly otherwise it may cut off the hair follicle’s bottom as it punches the area out. During this procedure, a scalpel-like tool (about 0.9 mm) is used to excise or harvest each follicular unit. The surgeon implants these tiny hair grafts into bald or thinning areas. Before the implantation of the hair follicles, the surgeon makes a microscopic incision carefully to match the hair’s natural growth direction. The surgeon can decide how every individual hair follicle will be placed for the best results. This hair transplant procedure can be used to re-create a natural-looking crown and hairline.
Types of FUE Hair Transplant Methods
FUE hair transplantation methods are of two types standard and sapphire. In the standard FUE hair transplantation method, individual follicles are moved. The newly transplanted hair will become denser and thicker with the new follicles implanted via the transplantation method. The best thing about this procedure is that it doesn’t result in the “hair plug” look and people won’t be able to find out you have had a hair transplantation done.
Sapphire FUE hair transplantation is an aesthetic procedure wherein a sapphire blade is used to excise or harvest each follicular unit. It is nearly scar-free, safe, and non-invasive. The sapphire blades are made from a single aluminum oxide synthetic sapphire crystal and are more precise and sharper than the scalpel-like tool. This allows for rapid healing, accurate incisions, fast recovery, and a better transplant experience. It is also a great option for someone who is allergic to metals.
Things to Know about FUE Hair Transplant
Let’s take a look at five things you must know about FUE hair transplant treatment.
FUE Hair Transplant Recovery : After an FUE procedure, you’re required to take at least three days off from your work. For about a week after the transplantation process, the transplanted area may have scabbing or crusting and a pinkish appearance. The donor zone may take around ten days to get fully healed. During the recovery period, you will have to follow the instructions provided by your doctor for caring for and washing your hair. Most doctors advise not to wash your hair up to 2 days after the treatment. After three days you can do light exercise and perform daily routine activities like light yoga and walking. You can resume moderate exercise after seven days. However, you should refrain from indulging in activities that can cause you to perspire or increase your heartbeat. Excessive sweating can irritate your scalp as it becomes very sensitive after the treatment. After ten days you can perform strenuous activities like cardio, swimming, and weight lifting.
Within five months you can see 50% of the transplanted hair grow, 80% of hair growth can be seen in eight months, and in 12 to 24 months you can see the final results.
FUE Hair Transplant Cost: FUE hair transplant cost depends on the experience of the surgeon, the volume of grafts needed, and the location of the clinic where you’re getting the treatment done. The average cost of a FUE hair transplant is around $4,000 to $8,000. The more advanced and specialized the training of your doctor, the more you will have to pay for your hair transplant. Your degree of thinning or balding along with your expectations for the healthy hair growth and volume of new hair you want to see will determine the grafts needed. This number can even exceed 2,000 in some cases and can have a huge impact on your hair transplant cost.
Most hair transplant surgeons in Bangalore charge for FUE hair transplant by the graft. Your surgeon will have to spend more labor and time on you if you need a greater number of grafts making the procedure costlier. If more than two thousand grafts are needed the transplant may be performed over two days. You can consult a hair transplant surgeon to know the exact FUE hair transplant cost.
Who is a Good Candidate for FUE?: The best candidates for FUE hair transplant are those who have hair loss along the hairline, near the top of the head, or around the crown. You can find out whether you’re a good candidate for this procedure or not by knowing the cause of baldness. The surgeon will evaluate you based on five factors pre-existing conditions, age, amount of hair loss, reason for getting the transplant, and donor area’s quality. You should not undergo this procedure if you have immune system disorders, scarring from burns or injuries, keloid scars history, or Alopecia areata which is a kind of baldness. The donor hair should not be scarred or damaged. If they are not unhealthy or damaged, they may not grow after the transplant in a proper way. To qualify for this treatment, you should have a good amount of healthy hair follicular units. If you’re undergoing advanced thinning, you may not be ideal for this procedure. You should have very good overall health else it will affect the healing process. You should consult with a skilled surgeon to determine if you can undergo a FUE hair transplant.
Complications and Risks Associated with FUE: There are a few complications and risks associated with an FUE hair transplant. If not performed properly you may experience bruising, swelling, and sensitivity after the procedure. These side effects should go away on their own after a few days of treatment. You should immediately see your doctor if you notice signs of infection such as puss, pain, or redness. In case of follicular swelling, crust, or drainage at the surgery site, unbearable pain or swelling, bleeding from the surgery site, and thinning or continued balding after the transplant you should immediately see your doctor. Before surgery and a few days after the transplant, you should avoid taking medications that thin the blood and drinking alcohol to avoid chances of excessive bleeding.
Is an FUE Hair Transplant Painful?; FUE hair transplant causes less discomfort and pain than traditional methods. This procedure is performed by an experienced hair surgeon without causing irritation or extensive damage to the scalp. FUE hair transplant is not painful. However, you may experience some minor pain before and after the treatment. The local anesthesia injections are the worst part of an FUE transplant. During the actual transplanting and harvesting portions, you won’t experience any kind of pain. If you feel a slight burning sensation or pinching during the procedure, you should inform the staff and request them to inject more anesthesia. You may feel some amount of discomfort a week after the procedure. Some patients report tenderness or mild soreness the day after their FUE transplant which is normal. However, most patients do not report any kind of pain after the transplant.
Conclusion
Getting a FUE hair transplant is a big decision so you should consult with an experienced surgeon to clear all your doubts about the procedure and know if you’re a good candidate for this treatment. This procedure can be effective at treating thinning hair that is usually caused by androgenetic alopecia in males. This genetically caused condition leads to baldness or receding hairline at the temple or crown. You won’t experience any kind of scars from a FUE transplant other than tiny dots in the area where follicles were taken out. The best thing about this procedure is that it looks very natural and its failure rate is very low. If you choose an experienced hair transplant surgeon and a good hospital you can expect to get the best results from this procedure. The recovery time is also very less so you can return to your normal activities just after a few days of the treatment.
