Finding round patches of hair loss on your scalp or thinning hair can be frustrating for both men and women. Before you start to worry, consider seeing a hair specialist for a consultation. You may be a good candidate for a FUE hair transplant. So what is FUE hair transplant, exactly? Keep reading for more information about this hair restoration procedure.
What is FUE Hair Transplant
Follicular unit extraction (FUE) is a hair transplant procedure used to restore hair health. It’s an outpatient surgery performed by a hair restoration surgeon. The surgery only takes a few hours and recovery time is less than a week. FUE hair transplant involves taking individual hair follicles from the skin (mostly the scalp) and transferring these to the transplant area. 10 to 80% of the transplants can grow back within four months.
How Does FUE Hair Transplant Work
According to American Hair Loss Association, about 25% of men with androgenetic alopecia start losing hair before they turn 21 years old. At age 35, approximately 66% of them have some degree of hair loss and significantly thinning hair by the age of 50.
One of the most effective treatments for thinning hair is the FUE hair transplant. The procedure works by replacing old hair follicles with healthy ones. As a result, you get fully restored hair.
What to expect during the procedure:
FUE hair transplant is a minimally invasive procedure — which means the patient is conscious the entire time. However, he will be under local anesthetic to minimize or eliminate pain. Most patients don’t feel anything at all. It’s normal to feel minor discomfort after the procedure though but this only lasts for a few days.
During the procedure, the back of the head (donor area) is trimmed to 1-2 mm in length. Then, the surgeon slowly administers the local anesthesia with Xylocaine, 1 percent diluted with saline, over the entire donor area. He will remove the hair follicles using a micro punch tool, make tiny incisions on the transplant area and insert the hair follicles.
By using micro punches, you won’t see any signs of extraction on the donor area. Also, because the process leaves no linear scars, the surgeon can harvest hair from the chest, beard and even the extremities. However, harvesting hair from other parts of your body is only used when there is inadequate hair on the scalp. After the session, the surgeon will clean and bandage the affected area. Make sure you don’t do any heavy exercises or wet your hair after the procedure.
FUE Hair Transplant Side Effects
While FUE hair transplant is considered safe, a patient may also experience minor side effects. The most common side effects the patient experience after the surgery include bleeding, itching, crusting, swelling and hair loss. In rare cases, the transplanted area can be infected which can lead to tissue loss.
If you feel pain in the donor and the transplanted area, it could be due to the anaesthetic that has worn off. Take some paracetamol or ibuprofen to manage the pain, and you should feel better the next day. When the pain persists, go back to your surgeon as there might be an infection. It’s best to choose a highly qualified surgeon to prevent serious side effects after the hair transplant.
Is Fue Hair Transplant Right For You?
The majority of patients suffering from hair loss can be good candidates for a hair transplant. You can get an FUE hair transplant so long as you have a healthy scalp and are in good health. Please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us so we can help you make an informed decision.