Introduction
Hair transplants can be risky and costly. Some may even require prolonged periods before any results start to appear.
But did you know there’s a new way to get a hair transplant that’s safe, affordable, and produces impressive results? It’s called “Follicular Unit Extraction” or FUE.
In this article, we’ll go over two kinds of automated hair transplant systems, what an FUE hair transplant is, and how it differs from other transplant methods.
Keep reading to learn more.
The ARTAS iX Robotic Hair Transplant System
The ARTAS® iX Robotic Hair Transplant System features cutting-edge technology that allows surgeons to perform safe, accurate, and repeatable hair transplants.
With state-of-the-art imaging capabilities, the ARTAS® iX system provides high-definition images that enable precise identification of follicular units, allowing the surgeon to harvest precisely placed grafts. The system also uses a unique multi-camera stereo vision system with a 44-micron resolution, which enables it to detect even the tiniest hairs.
The NeoGraft® Automated Hair Transplantation System
NeoGraft® is the world’s leading provider of hair transplant solutions, providing physicians with the most efficient and cost-effective surgical tools to treat male pattern baldness. In addition, NeoGraft® offers the highest level of precision and control, providing physicians with the ability to deliver the best possible patient outcomes.
NeoGraft® ‘s patented Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) technique allows surgeons to harvest individual follicles directly from the donor area, resulting in fewer grafts and less scarring than traditional techniques. This enables physicians to achieve faster recovery times and better cosmetic results.
The NeoGraft® System is the only solution combining the latest advances in robotic technology with the FUE method, allowing physicians to use multiple instruments simultaneously to place each graft into the recipient area.
With NeoGraft®, there are no limits on how many hairs can be extracted per session; thousands of grafts can be harvested during a single procedure.
How Much Does Hair Transplant Cost
The price of a procedure varies greatly depending on whether you choose to use donor or synthetic follicles, how many grafts are needed, and where those grafts come from.
Donor follicle transplants typically cost about $3,500 to $5,000, whereas synthetic follicles run around $2,000 to $6,000. Hair transplants, in general, can cost up to $15,000 a session.
What Is FUE Hair Transplant
Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) hair transplants are performed by extracting individual follicles from the skin and implanting them anywhere else on the body, giving the appearance of thicker hair.
While it sounds simple enough, many variables are involved in performing a successful FUE hair transplant. Some of those factors include the type of hair loss you suffer from, the amount of hair loss, the size of the area needing treatment, and the number of grafts required.
The hair follicle itself does not die off; rather, the hair shaft thins out because fewer and smaller hairs grow from each follicle, giving the appearance of being thinner and finer.
In some cases, doctors would recommend Follicular Unit Transplantation (FUT) to treat hair loss. With FUT, a strip of skin containing several thousand tiny hair follicles is removed from the patient’s head. These follicles are then implanted in small groups throughout the receding areas.
While both procedures work, FUE offers certain advantages over FUT.
FUE allows patients to harvest multiple grafts from different body parts, such as the chest, stomach, arms, legs, etc., while FUT requires harvesting just one large piece of tissue. Additionally, FUE is much less painful than FUT.
Talk to your doctor if you’re thinking about having a hair transplant, as they may be able to help you decide which procedure would be most appropriate for you.
What Are the Benefits of an FUE Hair Transplant?
There is a lower risk of damaging the skin that surrounds the area where individual hair follicles were harvested to be grafted into bald spots, creating fewer visible scars. If performed correctly, FUE does not require stitches, making the process much faster.
The length of time needed for a patient to recover depends on how many grafts are implanted. A single session of FUE usually takes about one hour per side, while multiple sessions can take up to three hours each. However, recovery time from having an FUE is often shorter than a FUT.
Why Is the FUE Method Superior for Hair Transplants?
Strip harvesting hair transplant surgery is the most common type of surgical hair restoration procedure. This technique requires taking out multiple strips of hair from the donor areas, usually the sideburns, beard, mustache, etc., and stitching them together into one large patch. A downside of this method is leaving behind a large scar.
FUE hair transplant surgery uses small punches to remove individual hair follicle grafts from the donor site and place them in the recipient region. Consequently, a large scar isn’t left behind but instead tiny scars that become less and less visible as the skin heals.
Are FUE Procedure Hair Transplant Results Permanent?
Going bald again after FUE procedures is highly unlikely.
The transplanted hair follicle is a small piece of tissue that contains several thousand hair follicles that are outside of the pattern of balding, so it will most likely not be lost. However, over time the transplanted hair will fall out and be replaced with new, healthy hair.
How Long Does It Take to Recover and Heal?
After the procedure, you’ll be able to gently wash your hair two to three times per week, but you may be advised not to wear pullover shirts for several weeks.
The recovery time after having an FUE is shorter than FUT procedures. The part of your head that had been operated on should heal within two weeks, and you can then resume normal physical activities.
When Will My New Hair Start to Grow?
Patience is key! Your follicles are living tissues that grow in a cycle, so rest assured that you’ll be seeing new hair growth over a few months after your surgery.
Does the FUE Procedure Hurt?
Most often, FUE is performed using a local anesthetic. It is a minimally invasive procedure, with some discomfort during the process that is minimal compared to other procedures like strip harvesting.
After the procedure, you will need to expect some swelling in the grafted area, as well as some discomfort or tenderness, which could last up to three days.
How Many Grafts Will I Need?
This varies depending on the size of the bald spot and the number of hairs required to cover it. Generally speaking, the more grafts you have, the better the results.
Will My Hair Transplant Be Obvious?
If you see the results of the transplant immediately, don’t get discouraged; your new hair will start growing and thickening within the next few months. The scarring from the donor site will eventually fade and become hidden under even shorter hair.
Conclusion
If you have thinning hair, bald spots, or even just a receding hairline, you may be interested in getting an FUE hair transplant.
This type of procedure involves taking small samples from around the back of your head (the donor area) and using them to create new follicles in the areas where you’d like to grow hair.
There are many advantages to this method over traditional strip harvesting, including faster recovery times and fewer side effects.
If you want to learn more about whether FUE suits your needs, then contact us today!