What is FUE hair transplantation?

FUE Hair Transplantation (Follicular Unit Extraction), or hair transplantation method by individual hair follicle transfer, has been applied since 2003. The Follicular Unit Extraction is the most modern hair transplantation method and tends to dominate worldwide, as it is minimally invasive. For the application of hair transplantation with the use of this particular technique, a long and specialized training is required by the medical group, as it is a very meticulous and difficult technique and therefore it is considered particularly demanding.

Factors for a successful FUE Hair Transplantation

The design and distribution of hair follicles during their implantation is one of the most critical factors for the success of hair transplantation. Factors like the following must be taken into account for the hair transplantation by Follicular Unit Extraction:

-The age of the patient undergoing hair transplantation

-His facial  features

-The grade of alopecia before applying the method

-The number  of available hair follicles

-The patient’s  expectations

-Possible future needs for a new hair transplantation operation

The design and the distribution of the hair follicles during FUE hair transplantation are totally individualized and must respond to the needs of each patient and fulfill three basic conditions:

-The hair transplantation must have minimal possible consequences to the donor and  receptor area (no scars, uniform coverage),

-Follicular Unit Extraction can produce a totally natural result

-The method must provide the highest density possible, taking into account the length of the session, the available hair follicles and the patient’s needs.

When the above-mentioned conditions are met during a hair transplantation session using the FUE method, the rate of success is particularly high, exceeding 95-98%.

The Stages in FUE Hair Transplantation

-Determination of the donor area and application of local anesthetic before carrying out the method

-Removal of hair follicles one by one  (1000 grafts/hour)

-Storing the grafts for up to 6 hours maximum in a humid and cold environment of 2-4 degrees Celsius

-Design of the implantation area (donor area) where the  hair follicles extracted using the follicular unit extraction will be implanted

Implanting the grafts with a special implanting device. The hair implanting  by individual hair follicle transfer can be done in two ways:

1. By creating small holes (receptors) where the grafts will be inserted. The graft receptors are created with the help of a needle or a small knife (old method). Most hair clinics, regardless of whether they use the FUE technique or strip or FUT method, still use this old way of hair implantation, where initially holes or graft receptors are opened, either with the help of tweezers or by using an implanter. This technique is accompanied by significant bleeding and swelling, while the insertion of grafts with tweezers sometimes does not produce natural results, because the angle and the direction of each hair follicle implanted cannot be controlled, depending on the receptor area.

2. By automatic graft insertion without receptors, but by using special implanter devices. In this way we do not cause injury and scars in the receptor area and the hair growth is more natural, with the suitable direction and angle, because of the implanter’s ability to adapt in relation with the area where the implantation is taking place.

FUE Hair Transplantation – Advantages

The advantages of hair transplantation by individual hair follicle transfer in comparison to the older FUT or strip technique are many and significant, contributing to the establishment of the first and the gradual displacement of strip:

-FUE hair transplant is a minimally invasive technique and is carried out only with local anesthesia

-Follicular Unit Extraction presents minimal bleeding or none at all (in contrast to FUT)

-With FUE Hair Transplantation there are no scars in the donor area of the grafts

-Minimal or no pain after the session

-Fast return to everyday activities after the hair transplantation

-There is no wound suturing in the donor area of the transplantation, therefore the possibilities of  infection are  minimized

-Through the FUE Hair Transplantation a uniform use of the donor area of grafts is achieved (donor area)

At the Follicular Unit Extraction Transplantation we calculate exactly the number of hairs we will collect, maintaining the inventory of the donor area, in order to use it in the future, if necessary, for a new hair implantation.

Hair transplantation through the  individual hair follicle transfer presents a small to no possibility for complications (e.g. forehead swelling, folliculitis)

FUE Hair Transplantation allows the extraction of hairs from various body areas, e.g. chest, back, beard, without leaving marks

FUE Hair Transplantation is ideal both for small (e.g. eyebrow) or large implantations, without causing scars, in contrast to the FUT method, where even for a small operation a whole strip of skin will be taken,  with all possible consequences for the patient (pain, marks, bleeding)

-Minimally Invasive

-Without Scars

-No Bleeding

-Minimal/No Pain

-No Complications

-Immediate Recovery

FUE Hair Transplantation in other areas

FUE Hair Transplantation is applied with total success in the following cases:

-In eyebrow reconstruction when they are thinning. Some women, mainly because of depilation in the eyebrow area, end up showing permanent reduction or disappearance of their eyebrows.  The transfer of individual hair follicles is the most ideal and natural method for restoring this problem.  Through the eyebrow transplantation done through transfer of individual hair follicles, the results in the eyebrows are excellent and absolutely natural, without need to resort to tattooing with ugly results.

-In the restoration of sparse hairs on the face because of injury or patient disposition. Many people desire to thicken their beard or to fill out possible voids that may appear. The Follicular Unit Extraction offers a solution in these cases too, with excellent results, as the operation is done by a specialized and experienced doctor.

-In the restoration and correction of scars caused by previous FUT operations. Unfortunately, a great part of people who have undergone STRIP  proceed to a second hair transplantation with FUE in order to correct the permanent and ugly scars left by this method on the head.