FUE Hair Transplant

Hair loss is very common, about 30% of men in their 30s, 40% by 40s and 50% by 50s will show noticeable signs of hair loss.

Hair loss in men can be caused by several factors, however, the most common type is androgenic alopecia (commonly known as male pattern baldness). The hormone dihydrotestosterone (DHT) causes hair follicles to shrink and eventually disappear, with the areas most susceptible to DHT being hair at the front, top and crown. Hair on the side and back of the scalp are DHT-resistant, providing them the ability to continue growing when transplanted.

Hair plays a major role in our appearance and identity, and so hair loss can be very traumatic. Many of our patients try to style or conceal areas of thinning for years until the hair loss becomes significant and styling becomes frustrating. With attempts using hair growth products with little results, some question whether there is a treatment or if treatment is affordable. Now with advancement in medical techniques, we are able to reverse hair loss and give patients the freedom and confidence.

Using hair regrow products and/or medications can assist with the prevention of hair loss and something we always discuss for a holistic approach. But once follicles are damaged they will no longer respond to any non-surgical treatments, at which time we would recommend hair transplantation to reverse the appearance of hair loss.

FUE (Follicular Unit Extraction) removes each unit/graft from the donor area one at a time leaving tiny incisions which heal faster and are almost invisible. FUT (follicular unit transplantation) also known as the “strip method” removes a strip of skin leaving a linear scar. Because of the meticulous process involved with FUE procedures, FUE takes a longer time to finish and can be higher priced.

As these transplanted hairs are resistant to the hormone DHT, they will continue to grow just as your own hair forever. This gives you the freedom to cut it, style it, swim with it and do everything you would normally do without worrying about hiding.

Some patients notice growth immediately, following by shedding at 4-6 weeks. This is simply the graft shedding the old hair preparing for a new one to take over. Hair naturally has different growth cycles, so when transplanted they will regrow in different cycles. Because of this ‘visible’ growth is seen from 3-4 months appearing wispy, this density increases every month with the full density reached at 12 months. Certain areas such as the crown take up to 18 months until the density plateaus.

We recommend patients take 3+ days off to focus on their recovery. Redness and swelling can last up to 5-7 days, with any noticeable scabbing disappearing from day 7. Your scabbing will continue to decrease and disappear between 7-10 days. In some cases mild redness can persists for up to 4-6 weeks, with rare cases beyond this time.

To break it down:

Can I work from home: Of course, you will have some discomfort expected for the first few days after any procedure, but it will not stop you from working from home.

Can I go into work: depending on your work and whether you want people to notice as it is visible that you have undergone a procedure. You will required to spray your head every 30 minutes in the first few days so ensure you can accommodate this. Just as any other surgery, you should keep out of harsh environments (sunlight, swimming, sweating, dusty or dirty environments).

When will any sign of surgery disappear: days 7-10. Swelling, redness and mild bruising are the most obvious signs of surgery with swelling at its peak on days 2-3. By days 7-10 most of our patients notice no visible swelling or bruising and are able to return to their daily routine. At this point hair from the donor site regrows as well.

How you look after your hair after your procedure contributes to how well you will heal. Just like any other medical procedure, if the area is not adequately cared for as instructed you will not get the best result. We recommend choosing a time you will be able to follow the below advice to ensure you get the most out of your procedure.

For 7-10 days avoid: alcohol (you will be on antibiotics which cannot be taken with any alcohol), smoking.

For 3-4 weeks avoid: long exposures to direct sunlight, wearing tight fitting hats/helmets/protective head wear, excessive sweating of the scalp.

BENEFITS less than 1mm FUE extraction

Less discomfort than STRIP and faster healing time – no scalpels no stitches.

No visible scarring: FUE leaves only tiny dots that are hard to see in the donor area so your hair can be cut short.

Hairs are handled less as they are already in singular units and do not need to be cut by technicians as with strip surgeries.

CONS:

Due to the precision this process takes longer and often is more expensive.

As extraction is spread to preserve donor density, only suitable candidates with enough donor hairs can undergo FUE.

Traditional transplants have pre-made incisions and hairs are pushed in with forceps. Due to the fragile nature of hair follicles, using the implanter pen protects the entire follicle as hairs are guided in. The implanter pen also allows our doctor to strategically control exact depth, direction and angle of each transplanted follicle to match your existing hair.

The small tip of the implanter pen allows for very dense transplants so patients typically only need one surgery to achieve their desired density.

1. Your doctor will draw your hair design discussed in your consult appointment.

2. For the graft removal process, you will be lying on your stomach with a warm blanket over you. Your doctor numbs the donor area and commences the delicate extraction of follicles. In this time you can listen to music or podcasts. This will take between 2 - 3hrs depending on the size of the surgery.

3. You will be given a break and provided lunch whilst the team prepare your hairs for implantation.

4. You will be sitting forward and watching Netflix for the implantation process. Once numb, this part takes 2-4hrs.

5. Once completed we will bandage the donor area. You will NOT be able to drive home and we recommend patients organise someone to pick them up. You are able to use taxis/Ubers, but we find after a procedure having family or friends on the way home more comforting.

Any cut in our skin produces a scar, but with the micro FUE extractors the scars can be unnoticeable. The truth is if you are actively looking for FUE scars and look closely you will find them, just as you would for scars from small cuts/pimples.

The main consideration for appropriate age is an individual’s current degree of hair loss and the implications for potential future hair loss. It is important to discuss how to prevent future loss progression, but also to be informed about future treatments if this were to occur.

The number will depend on the size of the surface you’d like covered, as well as the density you would want to achieve. We will be able to assess your hair loss and let you know how many grafts you will need in order to achieve the results you want.

Medication can be used for suitable patients to slow the rate of hair loss. This can often delay loss by years, but unfortunately is not a permanent solution. Medication will also not re-grow hairs in an area with complete follicle loss (no hairs visible on the scalp) - this is where a hair transplant procedure is required.

For those suitable, we recommend medications to preserve existing hair for as long as possible.

We assess your donor hair under a magnifying tool to look at the health, shedding phase and density of each area. Following this, we are able to determine whether we can safely extract enough grafts to meet your outcome expectations, as well as to ensure there is minimal visible scarring.

If your hair loss has not yet stabilised, further hair loss may result in you requiring further hair transplant procedures in the future. We examine your individual hair loss pattern and discuss the potential for future loss to advise on the best hair loss treatment plan for you.