Complete guide to hair transplantation by FUE method

Hair transplantation is a surgical procedure that is used to move hair follicles from one place on the head or even the body to another place on the head. The area from which the hair follicles are taken is called the “donor area” and the place to which the follicles are transferred is called the “recipient area”. Patients who undergo hair transplantation often encounter terms such as FUE hair transplantation, which we are going to talk about in detail in this article.

Follicular unit extraction is a procedure that involves extracting each hair follicle without removing the tissue strip. In the FUE hair transplant technique, the random removal of the hair follicle is performed, which causes minimal and unnoticeable changes in the donor area. Therefore, dear clients will not have to worry about covering the scar like the FUT method. In this article, we are going to share comprehensive and complete information about FUE hair transplants.

FUE Hair Transplant: The Best Solution for Painless Hair Transplant

The FUE method is one of the methods in which the hair follicles are taken one by one from the donor area and then enter the small channels prepared and opened by the doctor. Unlike the FUT technique, there are no cuts or stitches in the FUE hair transplant method. Since the grafts taken with the FUE method are standardized and uniform, and since they can be planted at any desired angle, this method produces the most natural results and ensures that the grafts blend seamlessly with the original hair.

When performing FUE hair transplantation, hair follicles are placed one by one on the scalp so that the grafts are placed in the right direction for the most natural result. One of the main reasons for the success of this hair transplant method is its natural appearance. The steps of FUE hair transplantation are that after the doctor approves this technique and examines the applicant’s expectations from the transplant, as well as ensuring the health of the hair bank and the applicant’s body. On the day of the transplant, the doctor will mark and design the hair growth line in the individual’s head and determines the places of hair transplantation.

Then, both the hair receiving area and the hair removal area are numbed with local anesthesia and the individual hair follicles are extracted from the hair bank, which is mostly the back of the head or the sides of the ears. This is done by the doctor using precise and standard tools. The number of follicles that can be extracted in the FUE hair transplant method is about 1500 to 4500.

These follicles are then placed in preservative solutions to prevent their death. Respected personnel under strong microscopes arrange the follicles on paper strips to be ready for planting in the bald area.

Then these follicles are implanted in the incisions made by the doctor in the bald areas. Our main advice to you is to be careful in choosing your doctor, because at this stage, the incisions made on the applicant’s scalp play an important role in determining the direction of hair growth in the future, and if you choose a skilled doctor, the best result will be obtained.

Advantages of FUE Hair Transplant

1. In the FUE method, no cuts or stitches are created.
2. There is no possibility of excessive bleeding due to the removal of individual follicles.
3. The healing process takes a short time.
4. It gives very natural results as the process is done by professionals.
5. The implanted hairs last a lifetime and it is not possible to lose them again in the place of implantation.
6. FUE hair transplantation is performed without the use of a surgical knife and the need for stitches.
7. There is practically no discomfort during or after the treatment, or rarely there may be, which can be controlled with the use of prescription drugs.
8. General anesthesia is not used, so you will be safe from its side effects. Instead, local anesthesia is used to reduce pain at the place of hair removal and implantation.

Disadvantages of FUE Hair Transplant

Usually, the side effects caused by the FUE hair transplant method will not be as much as the FUT method, but none of the beauty techniques are without side effects, so you will also see some controllable side effects in this technique, such as pain in the donor and recipient areas and infection. If you do not perform health care, you will experience bleeding in the donor area, bruising and swelling in the scalp and under the eyes, lack of sensation in the scalp, itching and scab formation.

Another disadvantage of FUE implantation is that it is usually expensive and time-consuming due to individual follicle extraction, and it may not be a suitable option for filling large areas of baldness.

Another disadvantage of this technique is that you need to shave the entire head. And maybe you have to have more planting sessions to get the desired results so that you can reach your desired density.

Care Before and After FUE Implantation

One of the most important stages of FUE hair transplant and all hair transplant methods is the recovery period and how to follow the doctor’s health and care recommendations. This is the step that determines whether the final results of your operation will be good or not. Among the cares before FUE hair transplantation, the following can be mentioned:

1. It is forbidden to take some blood thinners such as aspirin, Ibuprofen, anti-inflammatory drugs or pain relievers, some vitamins including vitamins B and E, and herbal medicines two weeks before implantation.
2. The use of any type of hair growth-enhancing product such as steroids and the use of cortisone creams is prohibited due to the increased risk of bleeding during surgery.
3. Alcohol consumption and smoking are also prohibited during this time.
4. It is necessary to have enough sleep, avoid using any hair spray, gel, or other styling products, and take medications prescribed by the doctor in the days before the implantation.
5. On the day of the surgery, in addition to taking the doctor’s medicine, the applicant should wear a shirt that is open from the front and does not need to be worn from the head.

And the Instructions After the FUE Hair Transplant

1. The most important stage of safety care is related to the time after hair transplantation because there is a high probability of some allergies, side effects, and especially infection during this period, so it is recommended to take painkillers, antibiotics, and anti-inflammatory pills prescribed to prevent the occurrence of any type of side effects, on time and regularly.
2. To keep the incision line and surgical area clean, the person should wear a bandage for at least one day after the operation and keep it on overnight.
3. Two days after the operation, FUE post-implantation care includes bathing and cleaning the donor area. On this day, the patient should pour some water on the recipient as well as the donor area to clean it. However, it is important to avoid using a towel to dry your hair.
4. After the second day of the hair implant, the person should wash the recipient area twice a day using mild and antimicrobial shampoo and conditioner. This is an important step in hair transplant care and ensures that the scalp is removed and does not cause any infection.
5. Alcohol, tobacco, and alcoholic beverages are prohibited until your doctor gives permission.
6. Heavy sports activities should not be done until partial recovery is achieved.
7. It is very important to observe the tips about sleeping after FUE implantation in keeping the grafts safe, so it is better to keep the head in a high position while sleeping. For this purpose, the patient can place several pillows under his head.
8. It is better to remember that only the shampoo, conditioner, and lotion prescribed by the doctor should be used for at least two weeks after the transplant.
9. Exposure to heat and sunlight should be avoided for three weeks after the operation.
10. Swimming, sauna, and Jacuzzi are prohibited during this time.

The Estimated Cost of FUE Hair Transplant

One of the most important issues for hair transplant applicants is the FUE hair transplant cost. It should be noted that the cost of this method is not fixed and varies from person to person according to different conditions. For example, the cost of planting FUE may be different in Dubai, and this is affected by the facilities that exist in Dubai and may not exist in other cities. But in general, the price of hair transplant by FUE method depends on the following factors:

1. The extent of baldness and the number of follicles needed to fill the bald area. Certainly the greater the amount of baldness, the more money and time it will take.
2. The quality of the hair in the hair bank area, the more you have a good hair bank or the hair shape you like does not require a large number of grafts or follicles, the lower your cost will be.
3. Salary of surgeons and technicians
4. The clinic of your choice, whose costs may vary depending on how advanced it is and where it is located.
5. Costs related to drugs required after the FUE hair transplant and pre-implantation tests

Finally, you can contact Helia Dermatology Clinic to get information about the approximate cost of your hair transplant and after receiving the necessary consultation and guidance, you can also get information about the transplant price.

What Should We Expect After FUE Implantation?

About 80% of your implanted hair will fall out between the third and sixth weeks after the surgery, which is called shock shedding, and this happens to most patients, except in rare cases, but there is nothing to worry about because this is the shed hairs leave their roots inside the scalp. Sometimes it happens that due to physical changes or mechanical damage to the hairs around the follicles removed from the donor area, we also see some loss of unplanted hair, which if you choose an expert doctor, will prevent such situations from occurring.

Hair loss may continue until the third month, that is, about 12 weeks after implantation. Finally, new hairs will grow from these roots or the remaining follicles under the skin. As we said, growth starts 3 to 4 months after transplantation.

Since transplanted hair does not contain the genetic code for baldness, it does not have the same tendency to fall out as a person’s non-transplanted hair and will have long-term results. The FUE hair transplant method is easier and less painful compared to other methods such as the FUT technique: that’s why people who want to undergo hair transplant surgery prefer this method.

Of course, thanks to the ever-increasing advances made in the field of science and technology, especially in the field of hair transplantation, which has many fans and applicants, today techniques such as micrografts have been invented that remove and implant hair without the slightest discomfort and even completely automatically without manual intervention.

The Recovery Period After FUE Implantation

The FUE hair transplant process is one of the easy methods in terms of the length of the hair transplant period and the recovery period.

1. Examination and bandaging of the implanted area are done the next day.
2. In the first week, depending on the person’s condition, the bandage can be repeated.
3. Within a few weeks, we see the hair growth and loss, which is temporary.
4. Then the regrowth of hair will resume. This grown hair is now permanent and is not affected by hormonal changes.

The treatment process varies from person to person. The natural appearance of hair and healthy growth is from 6 to 18 months, that is, from the 4th to the 12th month, you will see your hair grow. The thickness and diameter of your hair strands will be increased and they will be very similar to your natural hair.

Stages of Hair Regrowth After a Period of Loss

After hair transplantation using the follicular unit extraction method (or FUE), you will observe hair loss in a stage after the implant, which is called shock loss and is a completely natural and expected phenomenon after FUE hair transplantation, and it may last up to three months, that is, the twelfth week after planting. But don’t worry because these shed hairs are just the hair shaft and the root, in other words, the hair follicle is located under the skin in a safe place, which after the resting phase of hair growth will come out from under the skin again and the hair will be safe and normal. In a normal state, the hair growth process after transplantation will finally reach the standard and normal level by the twelfth month, and from this period onwards, and approximately until the 18th month, the thickness of your hair strands will increase and you will see the main and final results of your hair transplantation.

Helia Specialized Beauty Center is one of the best hair transplant and restoration centers that has advanced equipment and methods and operates in Dubai. If you have any kind of hair loss problem or need a hair transplant with methods such as micrograft, SUT, combined, etc…, you can contact this clinic and get a free consultation from this center about the available methods and also get information about the price.