A Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) Hair Transplant – Step by Step
The below step by step presentation shows how today’s state of the art follicular unit Extraction hair transplant procedure is normally performed.
This hair transplant surgery is a one day out-patient procedure requiring only local anesthesia. Most patients are surprised by how little discomfort, if any, they experience during and after surgery. Many patients watch TV or nap during their hair transplant procedure.
1. The patient is prepared for surgery
During surgery hair follicles from the back of the head that are genetically resistant to going bald will be removed and relocated (transplanted) to the balding areas.
2. The donor area is trimmed
Prior to surgery, the hair is shaved in the donor area to approximately 1 mm length. This is done immediately before the procedure. In the case of women or even some male clients, the hair is cut at the back of the head (donor area) so that the shaved area can not be seen after the transplant. To do this, the hair must be long enough to cover the shaved area. This is will be explained in the consultation.
3. Harvesting the hair follicle groups
After the local anesthetic has been gently applied on the back of the head, the painless harvesting (extraction) of the grafts can begin. This is done with a hollow needle (diameter approx. 1mm), which is very sharp at the tip and is inserted superficially into the skin so that it does not get into contact with the roots. At the same time, the entire graft is sucked out by a vacuum without damage. This method is the most gentle because the roots are not damaged. A gentle withdrawal contributes 50% to the survival rate of the grafts (to the other 50% in step 5).
4.Preparation of the bald patches (“Aesthetics”)
Now the local anesthetic is administered into the bald area. Thereafter, the canals are prepared for the hair grafts to be transplanted. These must have a certain depth and thickness and the growth direction and natural hair color must be considered. This is done with individually adapted cannulas. Aesthetics plays a very important role in this step since the distribution, growth direction and arrangement of the hair follicle groups are influenced.
5. Implanting the hair root groups
With a very fine tweezer bent at the tip, the hair grafts are implanted into the receiving canals. It is very complex and requires a great deal of patience and skill. The hair roots are very sensitive and can be irrevocably destroyed if the tweezers are not properly handled or simply squeezed into the receiving canals. Therefore, the remaining 50% for the survival rate of the hair roots depend on this step.