Follicular Unit Extraction | FUE Hair Transplant

FUE (Follicular Unit Extraction) is one of the most performed hair transplant techniques that is known as the “modern” hair transplant method thanks to the latest technology it uses.

FUE Hair Transplant does not require a strip of donor tissue to be taken from the donor area. In the FUE hair transplant technique, each follicular unit is extracted one by one directly from donor areas on the scalp that is usually the back of the head between the two ears.

In FUE, the follicular units are individually excised with a micro-punch and moved from the permanent donor area to the area of hair loss called the recipient area.

Based on the research by ISHRS, over 90% of hair transplant surgeons in the world are preferring FUE because it does not involve stitches or leave a linear scar as in the case of strip harvesting (FUT Hair Transplant).

MCAN Health’s Hair Transplant Team prefers FUE Hair Transplant in Istanbul like the other surgeons in the world when it comes to extraction of the grafts from the donor site.

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How is FUE Hair Transplant performed?

FUE Hair Transplant is performed under local anaesthesia. Depending on the extent of hair loss, FUE Hair Transplant takes from 6 to 8 hours. And it involves these main steps:

1. Consultation

The individual patient characteristics are determined by the hair trichologist during the consultation by considering the cause of hair loss, type of hair loss, the likelihood of hair loss progression over future years, hair type (thick or thin), the patient’s expectation, age, gender, and medical history.

During the consultation, the hairline is drawn based on the natural hairline and patient wishes, and the recipient parts are determined with how many grafts are needed at each area and how many grafts can be collected from the donor site.

2. Preparation

Pre-op tests will be performed and your hair will be trimmed. After that, your scalp will be sterilised.

3. Local Anaesthesia

Some patients think that hair transplant is a painless procedure but not the local anesthesia. For the one who can’t stand the pain or are afraid of needles, MCAN Hair Transplant Team offers needle-free anesthesia.

4. Extraction

Manual punch or micro motor punch are used in extraction and FUs are collected one by one. The size of the punch is determined in the surgery depending on the softness of the tissue of the scalp, the hair type; being curly or straight.

When hair follicles are removed from a donor site and transplanted to a recipient site, the follicles should be all physiologically healthy and anatomically intact. Healthy, intact follicles are more likely to thrive and produce hair at the recipient site. That is why an experienced medical staff should do it. Otherwise, the transaction which is a complication of FUE can happen. A Transaction is slicing or tearing FUs at a cross-sectional angle. The damaged follicle(s) in the FU may be useless for transplantation or fail to thrive if transplanted.

5. Canal Opening

It is the formation of micro-cuts into which the hair follicles will be planted. These cuts are very thin slits and determined based on the graft’s width and length in FUE Hair Transplantation.

While making slits or holes in the recipient area, it is very important to follow the direction of the existing hair in that region. The present hair growth angle must absolutely be taken into consideration to provide a natural-looking hair transplant result. This stage definitely should be performed by an experienced hair trichologist.

In DHI, FUs are implanted directly into the recipient area by using a pen called Choi Implanter with a diameter of 1 mm or less without prior creation of holes or slits.

6. Implantation or Graft Insertion

Harvested grafts are typically placed into slits or holes using fine-angled forceps. Two, or even three persons can insert grafts at the same time to make the procedure faster and efficient. In this phase, experienced nurses complete the process.

Methods of FUE Hair Transplant

Classic FUE

Mostly referred to as the “FUE Hair Transplant” is performed with micro motors and it uses steel blades. It is the most performed FUE Hair Transplant method.

DHI Method

It is performed with a special pen called CHOI Pen. The extracted grafts are directly implanted into the recipient area by CHOI pens.

Sapphire Method

Same as the classic FUE with one difference. It uses sapphire blades instead of steel blades.

Advantages of FUE Hair Transplant

In FUE Hair Transplant, the hair follicles are directly collected from the donor area(s) one by one. Therefore, FUE is less invasive compared to the FUT method; it does not leave visible scars on the donor area.
FUE is a hair transplant technique developed for patients who are not suitable for traditional hair transplant methods. So, it offers a more accessible treatment.
FUE offers a high number of grafts – in one session up to 5000 grafts can be implanted

Is FUE better than Strip Harvesting Method?

Strip Harvesting Method, also known as FUT Hair Transplant, is one of the traditional techniques of hair transplant. It has been performed for so long and is still performed in some clinics.

In FUT Hair Transplant, a strip of tissue, with hair follicles on it, is removed from the donor area (generally from the back of the scalp). Then hair follicles are collected from this strip of tissue to be implanted into the recipient areas. The removal of a strip tissue results in a linear scar that is about 1-3mm in width.

Before the FUE technique, FUT was the most popular hair transplant technique. However, after the FUE, the FUT technique has lost its popularity. Because the FUE technique offers a less invasive hair transplant experience and does not leave visible scars as the FUT does.

By considering the advantages of the FUE technique, MCAN Health hair trichologists prefer performing hair transplants by the FUE method.

Who Is A Good Candidate For FUE Hair Transplant?

Anyone, both men and women who:

have hair loss caused by androgenetic alopecia, also known as male/female pattern of hair loss,
do not have an illness that will prevent them from having a hair transplant,
have adequate amounts of hair on the donor area

are generally considered as eligible candidates for a hair transplant.

Instructions Before Hair Transplant

All MCAN Health patients are informed in detail about preoperative instructions, both verbally and in written form, before the hair transplant operation.

Avoiding aspirins, ibuprofen, alcohol, and the use of drugs from 7 days before the surgery and reducing caffeine are among these instructions.

Instructions After Hair Transplant

MCAN Health hair trichologists are experts in their field; they combine their experience, knowledge, and talent with the latest technology to get the best results.

The only thing they ask from their patients is to follow the post-operation instructions that include but is not limited to the aftercare instructions given below.

Important Note:

The following aftercare instructions give general information to guide you after your hair transplant. MCAN Health does not accept liability for the accuracy of these instructions. You should strictly follow the instructions of your hair trichologist.

Hair Transplant Aftercare Instructions

It is important to follow the tips below to achieve the best results out of your FUE Hair Transplant procedure in our hair transplant clinic in Turkey.

1. Sleeping Position After Your Hair Transplant

You need to sleep in a semi-upright position on your back by placing two or more pillows. This position will decrease any swelling that can occur on your scalp after hair transplantation.

Besides, MCAN Health will provide you a neck pillow after the procedure. By using the neck pillow, you will protect your newly transplanted hair from getting damaged while you are sleeping.

2. Pain Management

You may experience mild pain for a couple of days after the hair transplant procedure. Some people report having difficulty sleeping for the first days of post-op. This can be relieved with some pain relief medication that MCAN Health will provide you with.

3. Swelling After Hair Transplant

Swelling may occur on the forehead and the areas around the eyes. It may last between 2 – 5 days after the FUE hair transplant. If you experience swelling, you can apply an ice compress to your forehead and eyes.

Please note that you must not use ice compress for your recipient and donor areas in any case.

Swelling is not dangerous and it usually goes away without any medication. But still, MCAN Health Turkey will give you anti-edema pills just as a precaution.

4. Crust, Itching & Bleeding After Hair Transplant

About 7-10 days after the FUE hair transplantation, there should be no more traces of dried blood, scabs, or crust on your scalp. If there are still some crusts after 7 days, please gently remove them while washing your hair.

After FUE Hair Transplant, your scalp can get itchy. This is a very common feeling and it usually lasts for 10-15 days. You should never scratch your recipient and donor areas as it can affect the results negatively.

After the hair transplant operation, there may be a small amount of liquid including some blood on your pillow. Do not worry, this is not natural bleeding, the liquid injected during the operation is getting out of your scalp.

5. Washing Your Hair After Hair Transplant

MCAN Health will provide you a special medical shampoo and lotion to use after hair transplantation. Hair wash can be done in 3 easy steps:

Apply the lotion over the recipient area gently by tapping (no rubbing) and leave it on hair for about 45 minutes. This will help soften the scabs around the transplanted grafts. After 45 minutes, wash off the lotion with lukewarm water.
Wash the donor and the recipient areas by using the special medical shampoo. To do this, apply a small amount of the shampoo onto your palm and gently tap the shampoo all over your scalp. Please wash your transplanted area very gently by tapping with your fingers. You can also wash the donor area by massaging to increase blood circulation. Make sure that the water pressure is low as well. It is also important to wash the shampoo and lotion off your scalp completely.
After the washing is over, dry your hair with a paper towel by patting gently. Only use paper towels as they are soft and do not damage the implanted grafts.

These three steps must be repeated every day for 14 days to get rid of scabs and to dry blood. After 14 days, you can start washing your hair in the normal way.

Recovery After Hair Transplant (Short Term)

Most patients feel fine within a day or two after the surgery, although some numbness and mild soreness can be expected for several days following the surgery.

Usually, the patients go back to their normal appearance within 15 days post-op. Slight redness can be visible after this period. Prolonged redness to the scalp is more common for those with the lighter skin types.

Healing After Hair Transplant (Long Term)

You will have some red spots on your recipient area after the surgery that will disappear after 7-10 days of your hair transplant.

The transplanted hair may start to fall out after 15 days and continue to fall out over the first two months that is normal.

3 months after the transplantation, your hair will start to grow.

Your transplanted hair will be visible after 6 months and after 12 months you will have your expected result.

If beard was used as the donor area

You can shave your beard after a week if you want to. The donor area is usually fully healed within a month.

Haircuts After Hair Transplant

You can have haircuts 1 month after the FUE hair transplant operation only with scissors and after 6 months you can use a shaving machine.

Physical Activities, Sun & Holiday

In the first month after your hair transplant surgery, you should abstain from all physical activities such as football, basketball, or any kind of sports that have body contact as well as weight lifting, cycling and running.

You shouldn’t expose yourself to direct sunlight as it can damage your scalp and the skin. To avoid the sunlight, it is always suggested to use an umbrella or wear a special loose hat if necessary.

If you plan to go on holiday after your surgery, you should not swim in the swimming pool or in the sea until you have completed your first month.

Smoking and Alcohol

Alcohol and smoking can make the blood thinner and cause more bleeding which increases the time needed for the wounds to heal. It is better if you wait 2 weeks after the FUE hair transplantation before consuming alcohol and smoking.

Results of FUE Hair Transplant

Thanks to your FUE Hair Transplant, you will get your hair back. Below you can see a few “before and after” photos of some MCAN Health’s patients. Please note that individual results may vary.

You could be the next, why wait? Contact us now to have your free consultation.

Guarantee

MCAN Health is devoted to the maximum patient satisfaction. We assure that patients get the most out of their medical service experiences, and treatments. In the aftermath of their operations, MCAN Health does regularly follow up patients’ progress, and results. In the first, third, sixth, and finally the twelfth months, patients are contacted by MCAN Health Customer Relations Department and its specialized personnel. Patients are reassured and guided according to their immediate needs. Although it is a very rare condition, a free of charge revisionary treatment is offered to our patients according to expert views in case they encounter individual medical complications that need revision.