Hair transplantation is indicated in cases where hair is missing in an area where it existed before. A typical example is the androgenetic alopecia (commonly baldness).
The evolution of the hair transplant methods has led us to apply the most advanced technique in most cases:
- FUE (Follicular Unit Extraction).
This technique involves the very precise extraction of follicular units at the back of the head using micro-scalpels which are less than 1 mm thick. This allows to select the follicular units with the highest number of hairs and to control the angle and direction of hair growth as well as the depth of the incision.
With this technique, the surgeon can obtain multiple grafts without having to create a linear scar, which is a great advantage. The FUE technique is particularly suitable for patients who want to wear their hair short – less than 0.5cm long – in the donor area; without the risk of a potentially visible scar.
In addition, just over a week after the FUE is completed, the microscars are undetectable and the patient can resume his or her normal sports activities.
Another advantage of this technique is that postoperative discomfort in the donor area is minimized and the sutures in this area do not have to be removed.
Due to these reasons the FUE technique has gained popularity over the lasts year, especially among active men who want to wear short hair.
The FUE Technic step by step
- The patient arrives in the morning and is welcome by the clinical assistants.
- The documentation will be reviewed and signed informed consent will be given.
- The assistant will accompany the patient to the locker room to wear the surgical pajamas and shoes.
- The doctor meets the patient to explain all aspects of the process and go once again over the design details transplantation.
- Pictures will be taken before and after performing the transplantation design. They will serve to monitor the progress.
- The receiving area will be shave in order to access more easily to the grafts.
- After the shaving, the limits of the receiving area will be marked.
- Ones the patient is shave and the design reviewed, he will go to the operation room with the doctor and the nurse, who will proceed with the monitoring.
- The patient lies face down to start the surgery.
- The surgery begins by applying an antiseptic solution and anesthesia in the donor area. Punctures are virtually painless as vibrational technique is used during anesthesia.
- The extraction of follicular units procedure begins when the area is completely numb. The use of 0.8 mm cylindrical micro -scalpels and micro forceps prevents the follicle to be damage when handling. Precision magnifiers are use to extract the follicular units.
- The extracted follicular units are saved on Petri dishes, refrigerated and submerged in saline water to increase their survival.
- These follicular units are prepared by the surgical with the help of stereomicroscopes. This methodology promotes the proper handling and graft survival.
- After the extraction phase there is a period of rest for the patient. He will become something to eat and to drink.
- Ones the patient is recovered, the implementation phase will begin. At this stage the same antiseptic solution used in the extraction phase will be apply and the area will be anesthetize with the same type of vibratory anesthesia. Tools named implanters will be used for the implementation. They allow the make the receiving incision and to deposit the follicle at one time. Precision magnifiers are also used to implant the follicular units during the implantation.
- Pictures will be taken to monitor the evolution of transplantation once the implementation is finished. An antibiotic will be applied and the donor area bandaging with a sterile dressing. The receiving zone will be discovered.
- After the implantation, the patient receives written post-operative recommendations explaining how to make the first wash and how to take postoperative medication.
- At the end of the operation the patient receives a package that includes all the medication needed for the post-operative and the daily surgery suitable hygiene utensils.
Most of the transplanted hair will fall during the first month. This hair will grow back naturally 6-9 months after surgery. The end result is estimated at 12 months.
The transplanted hair will be normal hairs grow like the rest. It will have the characteristics of hair in the donor area, which will is resistant to the miniaturization that occurs in androgenetic alopecia.
