The Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) procedure is identical to a FUT transplant in the way the follicles are placed in the recipient area. However, there is a difference in the way the grafts are harvested. The FUE transplant is a more tedious procedure; follicles are individually removed from their original sites in the donor area or “safe zone.” This one-by-one method, combined with Hair Follicle Regeneration treatment, further enhances healing and reduces scarring, and is used to protect the integrity of each follicle throughout the FUE procedure and speed the new growth.
Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE)
Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) is a hair-transplant method in which tiny punches are used to separate each follicular unit from the surrounding tissue. Instead of removing a larger strip from which follicles are taken, Dr. Gray extracts individual follicular units one-by-one directly from the safe zone of the scalp. The harvesting process takes longer because it is much more tedious and labor intensive than the FUT method. The donor sites where the follicles are removed are each about 1 millimeter in diameter, they completely heal within seven to ten days. Since Hair Follicle Regeneration is included in every surgery, healing time and scarring are minimized. After all follicular units have been gathered, the grafts are transplanted to recipient sites just like in the FUT procedure.
The majority of Dr. Gray’s hair restoration surgeries are FUE procedures, and all of these include the benefits of Hair Follicle Regeneration. Follicular Unit Extraction delivers all the results of FUT, but with the added benefit of reduced scarring and post-op pain. If you’re a good candidate interested in FUE, Dr. Gray will help you define the hairline and coverage that will make you feel great about your hair again.
FUE at the Hair Transplant & Restoration Center is Unique in Several Ways
Our Medical Approach
Like any doctor, Dr. Gray will consider your preference, but he’ll ultimately recommend the solution that will give you the best results. There are some important points to consider when deciding where to do the FUE or FUT procedure like: how short do you plan to wear your hair in the donor area, how many grafts do we need for the procedure, and cost. Dr Gray’s goal is to do the right procedure for every patient. His primary goal is to resolve the underlying condition, not just its symptoms.
Focus on Comfort
Given our beautiful and serene location, it should be immediately apparent that your comfort is a high priority at the Hair Transplant & Restoration Center. Besides making sure you are comfortable throughout the procedure, Dr. Gray is one of very few hair transplant surgeons who are proactive about recovery before you even leave our office. At the end of the procedure, Dr. Gray administers a very long-acting local anesthetic, used in operating rooms, to help patients recover from surgery and decrease their dependence on narcotics. For our purposes, the pain relief lasts well beyond the end of the procedure; we have patients who drive themselves three hours home after surgery because of Dr. Gray's planning. Having dedicated 30 years to anesthesiology, Dr. Gray is keenly aware of your comfort and needs at every moment in your hair restoration surgery.
Included Hair Follicle Regeneration
Hair Follicle Regeneration enhances healing, promote hair growth, and protect transplanted follicles, so treatment is included in every surgery at the Hair Transplant & Restoration Center. If you’ve been looking for Hair Follicle Regeneration treatment, you’ve come to the right place. If the method is new to you, you will likely be excited to discover the potential of this powerful option.
Dr. Gray’s Artistry
Constructing a hairline and mimicking a natural growth pattern (whorl and all) is no small feat. Luckily, in addition to being a skilled surgeon and anesthetist, Dr. Gray is also a talented artist.
Our Follicular Unit Extration (FUE) procedure:
- Local anesthesia is used on the scalp to provide the patient with the most comfortable experience possible.
- Small, circular incisions are made around a follicular unit in the donor area.
- The follicular unit is extracted from the scalp.
- Tiny incisions in the scalp are made for recipient sites of the hair follicles using a fine blade. Individual follicular units are placed into the recipient sites in the areas of hair loss.
- Individual follicular units are placed into the recipient sites in the areas of hair loss.
- Hair Follicle Regeneration is applied to promote healing and stimulate hair growth.
- Very long acting local anesthetic is injected for prolonged pain relief after the procedure.
While Follicular Unit Extraction provides natural hair loss treatment results because of the size and precision of the surgery, the natural-looking aspect of follicular unit extraction is, in part, determined by the artistic ability of the doctor performing the surgery. During your consultation, Dr. Gray and his staff will take photographs and study your hair pattern to determine where the individual follicular units need to be placed in order to achieve the most natural-looking results.
Follicular Unit Extraction No Shave (FUE No Shave)
Dr. Gray also offers a variation of the traditional FUE donor harvesting, called FUE No Shave. This technique differs slightly from traditional FUE, where the donor area is cut short with zero guard clippers. In FUE No Shave, the surrounding hair in the donor areas remains at a regular length, and Dr. Gray uses small scissors to clip only the follicles he will harvest. People cannot tell that the patient had a hair transplant, which is an advantage with this technique. The clipped donor hair grows back quickly, but the hair is short for the first couple of weeks.
Discuss Before You Decide
Dr. Gray appreciates that choosing your hair restoration surgeon is one of the most important decisions you are likely to face in your search for hair loss solutions. Using the FUE technique, Dr. Gray can harvest either with the traditional FUE or with the FUE No-Shave, but the FUE No-Shave does cost more because procedures are very tedious and take longer. For reasons like this, he will be happy to talk to you directly to discuss your hair loss condition, your potential for FUE results, and any alternatives that might achieve comparable results. Contact us today for more information.
