Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE): How Does It Work?

What is FUE Hair transplant?
Follicular Unit Extraction is most widely used and the most reliable method of hair transplant being utilized for the permanent and scar-less restoration of hair. FUE is so effective surgical method that it is impossible to distinguish transplanted hair from natural hair. Results are natural and undetectable.

How is FUE done?
The procedure is performed in the OPD under Local Anaesthesia. Anaesthesia is given to prevent any discomfort to the patient during the procedure.

FUE is the method of extraction donor hair directly from donor site in a follicular unit hair transplant procedure. An instrument is used to make small circular incisions in the skin around a follicular unit while separating it from the surrounding tissue. The follicular unit is directly extracted from the scalp leaving a small open hole.

This process continues until the surgeon accumulates large number of follicular units for the planned hair restoration. For single session, this procedure can take two to three hours whereas for long session, it may be accomplished over two consecutive days. The donor scars are approximately 1mm in size which completely heals within ten days.

Before the grafts are harvested, tiny 'recipient sites'; are made in the balding area of the scalp using a fine needle-point instrument. The follicular units are then placed into the recipient sites where they will grow into healthy hair-producing follicles. The creation of recipient sites and the placing of follicular unit grafts are essentially the same in both FUE and FUT procedures. The difference lies in the appearance of the donor area and in the quality and quantity of grafts obtained with each technique.

How is the healing phase after an FUE?
The donor wounds, approximately 1-mm in size, completely heal over the course of seven to ten days, leaving tiny white scars buried in the hair in the back and sides of the scalp.

When does the hair begin growing?
The transplanted hair generally shed within 2 to 6 weeks after the surgery as roots enter in resting phase. Within three to eight months, transplanted roots start sprouting hair. It takes ten to twelve months to have denser hair as hair continue to mature and thicken gradually. Once transplanted hair begin to grow, it will continue to do so for lifetime.

What is biostimulated FUE?
It comprises of hair transplantation by FUE along with 3 sessions of Platelet rich plasma therapy which simultaneously enhance residual hairs as well as transplanted hairs by presence of high concentration of growth factors directly near the hair roots and stimulation of STEM CELLS.

In this hair follicles to be transplanted are preserved in a special solution enriched with patient's own growth factors and at the end of surgery this concentrated solution of growth factors is injected into the whole affected area.

With biostimulation, a good proportion of transplanted hairs remain in growth phase (ANAGEN) and directly start growing after transplantation.

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