EVERYTHING TO KNOW ABOUT A FUE HAIR TRANSPLANT

17 October, 2020 | Hair Transplant | Author : Shveta Virmani

With recent medical and technological advancements, new methods of hair transplants have also been introduced. One such way is the FUE hair transplant, which is also known as the Follicular Unit Extraction method. Some of the benefits of a Follicular Unit Extraction are:

Permanent results
Natural hair growth
Natural-looking hair
Painless and scarless surgery
Quick recovery time
A fast regrowth rate of hair
Does not give the look of plugged hair
No scars left after extraction of hair follicles

But What is FUE hair transplant, and how is it different from the traditional methods of hair transplantation?

What is FUE Hair Transplant?

An FUE hair transplant or a Follicular Unit Extraction is an all-natural and clean method of a hair transplant. It is done by extracting individual hair follicles from the donor skin and subsequently planting them in bald spots or areas with thinning hair. In an FUE hair transplant, surgeons use micro punches for the extraction of individual follicles. Once done, no signs of extraction are visible.

An FUE hair transplant treatment is usually completed in multiple sessions of two to four hours each. For the entire FUE hair transplant procedure, it takes a few days. However, since the procedure is minimally invasive, the result of the transplant is quite natural, which leaves the patient with little to no scars.

Follicular Unit Extraction has gained more popularity than the FUT method of hair transplant. This is because it does not lead to a hair plug. Unlike FUT, in FUE, sections of the transplanted graft and hair match the surrounding areas, thereby giving the patient a natural look. Additionally, unlike its counterpart, FUE does not leave a large surgical scar.

The best candidate for an FUE hair transplant is someone who is experiencing thinning hair, or chronic hair fall leading to bald spots. Additionally, those suffering from androgenic alopecia, or any other hair condition which complies with the FUE method of hair fall. However, they must also have an adequate amount of donor hair for the transplant, in addition to a stable donor area. Therefore, the candidate must have healthy hair growth at the back as well as the sides of their head.

What is the cost of FUE hair transplant?

A Follicular Unit Extraction or FUE hair transplant cost typically varies from person to person. It depends on the number of grafts or follicular units that are transplanted on the recipient area. Additionally, the cost of FUE hair transplant also depends on how experienced the surgeon is. Other factors that affect the price of a Follicular Unit Extraction are:

Area of baldness or transplant
Extent of baldness
The treatments executed
Techniques used to extract the grafts
The total number of sessions required for the transplant
The health of the patient
Cost of medical equipment
Labour cost

On average, these are the minimum number of donor grafts required for an FUE hair transplant:

For a full head coverage, a minimum of 5000 to 5000 grafts are required
For a front and mid-front coverage, the candidate requires a minimum of 4000 to 5000 grafts
For a frontal forelock, the candidate requires around 1000 to 2000 grafts
For just a front coverage transplant, around 3000 to 3500 grafts are required

Generally, the FUE hair transplant cost per graft ranges between INR 40 to INR 100 approximately. Furthermore, the cost of a Follicular Unit Extraction also varies from one city to another. An FUE hair transplant in Delhi starts from INR 25 to INR 30 per graft. Therefore, the overall FUE hair transplant cost may vary anywhere between INR 30,000 to INR 2,00,000.

How does an FUE hair transplant work?

The process of an FUE hair transplant is different for everyone. Surgeons usually restore hair growth by replacing the old follicles in the recipient area with new follicles from the donor area. Upon the completion of the transplant, the implanted follicles are nourished by blood vessels. Subsequently, they begin growing hair in the regions that had thin hair or in bald spots. However, Is FUE hair transplant painful?

No, an FUE hair transplant is minimally invasive and very less painful. Local anaesthesia is given to patients before the transplant begins. This makes the scalp insensitive to any pain. But the patient might experience some pressure, tugging or stinging sensation. One of the most common local anaesthesia that is used in an FUE hair transplant is a mixture of Lidocaine and Epinephrine.

Surgeons use motor punches to extract individual hair follicle from the safer areas of the scalp, such as the back or the side. A superficial incision is made around the follicular unit which then gets separated from its surrounding dermis and is thus taken out easily, without any pain.

What is the procedure of an FUE hair transplant?

The FUE hair transplant is quite a time-consuming procedure, which requires extreme precision. Before beginning the procedure, the surgeon assesses the quality of the donor area where hair follicles are taken for the transplant.

Prior Assessments:
Assessment is done for donor scar, its position, and mobility, the thickness of hair follicles, and the quantity and quality of hair follicles. Furthermore, the surgeon also checks for the presence or absence of retrograde alopecia in the donor area. This helps the surgeon to figure out the number of donor grafts that are available for the transplant.
Preparations:
Once the donor area is assessed, the patient is prepared for the surgery. They are given local anaesthesia in the recipient as well as donor areas. Both areas are also shaved for easy extraction and implantation.
Extraction of hair follicles:
Following this, the surgeon makes a micro-incision on the donor area. This incision is typically less than 1 mm in diameter. After creating an incision around a follicular unit, the surgeon then isolates a graft. Then, the follicular unit is extracted from the donor area. The same procedure is followed for all other follicular units. After extraction, all the units are put in a holding solution so that they do not become dry or unusable for the transplant.
Implantation of hair follicles:
Next, the surgeon makes tiny incisions in the recipient area and inserts the extracted follicles into the incisions.
After Care:
Then, the recipient, as well as donor areas are cleaned and bandaged for recovery.

What are the target areas for an FUE hair transplant?

An FUE hair transplant is most commonly done on the scalp. However, it can also be done on other areas of the body where a person experiences hair fall or thinning hair. This includes the eyebrows, eyelashes, beard as well as mustache. It is best suited for people who:

Suffer from androgenic alopecia or male pattern baldness
Suffer from female pattern baldness
Want a hairline, eyelash, eyebrow, mustache, beard reconstruction
Suffer from scarring alopecia patches
Want a FUT scar reconstruction

Is FUE hair transplant safe? What are the risks and side effects associated with Follicular Unit Extraction?

An FUE hair transplant is a very safe procedure. It is a sophisticated surgical procedure with very minimal post-surgical pain and side effects. However, just like other surgeries, it may involve certain risks and side effects. Some of the common side effects of FUE hair transplant consist of swelling, bleeding, and numbness of the scalp. But these are mostly temporary and tend to subside in a week or two.

Additionally, an FUE hair transplant also has some other side effects, which include:

Infections
Formation of crust or liquid discharge in the donor or recipient area
Pain around the surgery area
Swelling of follicles
Bleeding from the surgery area
Continuous hair fall or thinning of hair even after the transplant

What can I expect after an FUE hair transplant?

The transplanted hair begins to grow back around three to four months after the FUE hair transplant. Immediately after the FUE hair transplant, you might experience some tenderness in your scalp. Your surgeon may also prescribe some pain medications for the next few days. These include anti-inflammatory medicines or antibiotics. Additionally, you may have to wear a bandage over your scalp for the first two to three days. However, the recovery time from an FUE hair transplant is relatively quick. Therefore, you can return to work after a week.

Some of the Post hair transplant care that FUE patients must follow are:

Do not wash your hair for at least three days after the FUE hair transplant
Once you start washing your hair after the transplant, use a gentle, unscented shampoo
Do not comb or brush your new hair for a few weeks after they begin to grow
Do not do any physical activity for a week at least.
Avoid using any hair dyes, chemicals or coloring agents on your hair for a few months after the FUE hair transplant
Avoid direct sunlight for a few weeks after the transplant

The method ensures natural, reliable and permanent results. The transplanted hair follicles from the donor area will begin to grow and thereby stimulate new hair growth. Furthermore, some of your new hairs may fall out during the recovery process. But that is normal. You can see the actual results of the transplant only after three to four months.

How do I prepare for an FUE hair transplant?

Before getting an FUE hair transplant, you are required to be fully prepared with the following things:

Do not smoke for at least a day or two before the transplant
Do not consume alcohol for at least three to four days before the transplant
Avoid the consumption of any blood thinners or aspirin for around two weeks before the transplant
Avoid consuming any herbal drugs, Vitamin B and E or any painkillers
Do not get a haircut before the surgery
Do not use any heat styling or hair styling gel or products
Take any medications prescribed by the surgeon on time
Get an ECG (electrocardiogram) and blood tests done before the transplant
If you suffer from autoimmune diseases like Diabetes, Thyroid or Hypertension, inform your surgeon about the same before continuing with the medications

Take Away

The FUE hair transplant is an advanced step in science and medicine. In addition to giving patients almost scarless surgery, this method also gives quicker results with a reduced recovery time. FUE transplant is giving people a more comfortable and more permanent way of getting rid of their hair loss. With FUE, hair restoration and regrowth have become easily accessible.