Men lose their hair dramatically over the years which eventually leads to baldness.
According to recent statistics published by the International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery, 75.4% of male hair transplants were done using the FUE hair transplant technique as compared to 21.3% done with the FUT/Strip method.
Comparing the percentage of hair transplant techniques - ISHRS Statistics
For many people, a hair transplant does not only restore their hair but also it helps restore their self-confidence.
The spread of hair transplantation in the last two decades increased people’s interest in this procedure.
What is hair transplantation?
Hair transplantation is a process that involves transferring hair from an area that is not affected by hair loss (the donor area located between the ears).
To areas where the hair is thinning or completely bald.
Hair Transplant Techniques
There are different hair transplant techniques which can be broadly divided into two main techniques:
1- The Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) or what is known as the FUE hair transplant technique.
2- The Follicular Unit Transplant (FUT), or the Strip hair transplant
Both involve the redistribution of hair from one area of the head to another. But the most important difference between the two techniques is in the way the hair grafts are extracted.
Follicular Unit Transplant (FUT)
When hair restoration surgeries first appeared, hair transplant operations were performed using the FUT method.
FUT hair transplant is done by removing a strip of the scalp tissue at the back of the head that contains healthy hair follicles.
Once extracted, this slice is dissected into individual follicular units.
After that, small incisions are opened in the areas suffering from baldness and the hair follicles are placed very carefully inside the incisions.
Finally, the back of the head from which the strip was removed is sutured.
This technique is not preferred by many due to its side effects, such as the longitudinal scar left by the operation in the back of the head. Which may be difficult to hide when shaving the hair, as it results in an undesirable look.
FUE (Follicular Unit Extraction)
FUE hair transplant is the modern method of hair transplantation and is usually preferred by patients because it does not leave scars compared to FUT.
With the FUE hair transplantation technique, there are no scars in the donor area, and the recovery period is very fast.
It takes no more than two weeks for all the side effects to disappear.
In this technique, the hair grafts are extracted from the back of the head one by one. And then they are implanted into the bald or thinning areas of the scalp.
The follicles are extracted through two methods, either by manual extraction or by using a device called the Micro Motor.
The motorized punch is an automated medical device that allows the follicles to be collected individually and without any damage.
This device contributes to completing the hair transplantation process in a faster and shorter time.
FUE vs FUT hair transplant
In brief, when comparing FUE to FUT hair transplant, FUE has come to be known in the field of hair transplant as a safer and more sophisticated way of harvesting hair grafts during a hair restoration procedure.
While FUT relies on removing an entire strip of skin tissue. In FUE, your surgeon extracts hair follicles using an extraction device, usually a micro punch.
This extraction technique has allowed the patients to avoid the linear scar left by the FUT strip method.
Instead, FUE leaves small scars in the form of dots that are barely visible even if the head is shaved clean.
The Evolution of the FUE Hair Transplant Over the Years
When the FUE was first introduced to the hair restoration field, the extraction of the grafts was done manually.
But with the passage of time and the development of medical devices, an automated device called the Micromotor was developed.
Punches of different sizes are attached to the device according to the diameter and size of the extracted hair graft.
For example, curly hair or hair follicles that contain 3 or 4 hairs need a larger diameter as compared to single or double hair follicles.
This device enables the procedure to be completed faster and with higher accuracy.
FUE Hair Transplant Extraction Phase: Types & Devices
There are different options to extract the hair grafts (harvesting of the donor area) when using the FUE method. The extraction of the grafts can be done in 4 different ways:
Manual FUE Punch
This is the first form of hair follicle extraction device since the FUE was introduced. In the Manual FUE, the punches are inserted into a handheld tool and the surgeon manually rotates the punch to cut around the follicular unit and extracts it from the skin.
Although not very common nowadays but it is still used by many clinics.
Motorized FUE Punch
On the other hand, there is the motorized punch in which handheld but powered punches are used to extract the hair follicles from the donor area.
This device has helped hair transplant experts in reducing the total duration it takes to remove the hair follicles. This enables them to harvest more grafts in a shorter period of time.
Robotic FUE
The Robotic FUE is simply a computer-assisted robot that uses algorithms to facilitate the extraction of the grafts and gives higher accuracy in determining the donor zone.
This is done by capturing microscopic video images that assist the robotic arm in extracting the grafts with the control of the surgeon.
Hair Transplant Techniques Derived from the FUE Hair Transplant
In recent years, the FUE technique has seen several developments in the tools used to implant hair follicles or create incisions. This paved the way for new methods to be used such as:
The DHI (Direct Hair Implantation)
The DHI, also called the Choi Implanter technique, is not a separate or new technique, but rather a new type of FUE hair transplantation.
In DHI, The process of follicle extraction is carried out in the same way as in a classic FUE hair transplant.
Then the extracted hair follicles are placed in the Choi Implanter Pens and implanted directly into the scalp.
This means that the incisions stage in the recipient areas is not done separately, and thats why this technique is also direct hair implantation.
Click here for more in-depth about the DHI hair transplant.
The Sapphire FUE Technique
The second method is the Sapphire hair transplant technique.
The Sapphire is a tool made of a synthetic gemstone known as the Sapphire. These blades are used by some doctors to open the channels in which the follicles will be placed.
It’s distinguished from steel blades by its durability, smoothness, and sharpness. We have explained in detail all about the Sapphire FUE in a separate article.
While the tools and methods used for implanting the hair grafts vary, they all fall under the FUE technique.
Therefore, they are not new techniques, but merely advanced tools that have been developed to transplant follicles or open the channels.
Advantages of the FUE Hair Transplantation
The FUE hair transplant method offers many benefits that can be summarized in the following points:
- The possibility of extracting a large number of grafts in one session, ranging from 3000 to 5000 grafts.
- The short duration of the operation compared to the FUT technique.
- The speedy recovery after the operation, as it takes 10-14 days for all the side effects to disappear.
- FUE hair transplantation is a comfortable procedure and does not include pain, except for some minor and bearable pain during the anesthesia stage.
- Does not leave visible scars in the donor area.
How much does an FUE hair transplant cost?
An FUE hair transplant costs between 1,700 and 20,000 USD for a single session.
Not to forget that most of the candidates require more than a session for perfect results. This cost varies largely from country to country and clinic to clinic.
An FUE hair transplant would cost 2000 USD on average in a country like Turkey and would cost 7000 USD on average in a European country or USA.
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