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HAIR TRANSPLANT
Hair transplant refers to non-hormone sensitive hair follicles from the back part of hairy skin being implanted into hairless areas using special techniques. Hair replacement today is performed using the follicular unit extraction (FUE) technique. Using this technique, since the hair follicles are hormone-independent they do not fall out again. Before hair replacement surgery begins, the areas from which the hair follicles are to be taken and implanted into are marked and anesthetized. Grafts are then taken. These are then implanted in the hairless area. During the procedure it is very important to ensure that the direction of the graft hairs is compatible with the hairs around the area to be implanted and that the selection of single hair follicle grafts does not cause an unnatural appearance. Once the FUE procedure has been performed the patient can return home and resume daily life. The implanted hairs begin to emerge approximately 3 months after the implant procedure and continue growing at the same speed as the original hairs. The ideal results are obtained 1 year after the implantation procedure. The ideal outcome is a natural one, in which the hair implantation is not visible.
FUE is a hair implantation technique in which grafts are collected individually using a special device, with no cutting of hairy skin and no scarring. The technique is today performed using micro-motors, which shortens the time involved. In addition to head hair, hair from the back of the neck, chest and back can also be used. Implanted hairs grow in line with the region to which they are transplanted. The hairs in the donor region are shortened and a local anesthetic is applied to the area. Grafts are taken using a special 1 mm diameter surgical device. In order to achieve thick growth in the recipient region, the grafts need to be implanted in a dense manner. Some 3000-4000 grafts can be collected with this technique, which requires a team and is relatively longer-lasting.
The advantages of FUE include the absence of suturing and surgical complication, there is no scarring on the back of the neck, the wound in the graft donor area scabs over and heals quickly and there is no lack of sensation in the donor area after the procedure. The disadvantages are that FUE takes longer than FUT, and since the technique is more complex and time-consuming the costs are greater.
Follicular unit transplantation (FUT) in which groups of follicle units from donor areas are transplanted into hairless areas. There are normally 70-100 follicular units per centimeter in hairy skin. Transplanting between 35 and 50 follicular units, depending on the thickness of the patient's hair, will provide adequate hair thickness. The advantages of FUT are that 2000 hair follicles can be collected at every session, surgery is shorter at an average of 4-5 hours, the patient has a greater rest period as single follicles are divided into two-hour follicles, it can be combined with other techniques when a greater number of hair follicles is required, there is no need to cut the hairs short, normal length hair can be implanted and the technique is more economical. The disadvantages of FUT are that a slight linear scar is left in the donor region, although this is hidden by the hair and improves with time, numbness or loss of sensation lasting up to a few months may be experienced in the donor area and a second cannot be performed before 6 months has elapsed.
Hair implantation using FUE is used in our clinic.