Are you worried about excessive hair falling out on your pillow or shower drain? Are you noticing a receding hairline that is making you feel embarrassed or self-conscious each passing day? If your answers are in the affirmative, you may be noticing the possible signs and symptoms of male pattern baldness or androgenetic alopecia. It could be just the right time for you to think about Follicular unit extraction (FUE) hair transplant.
Table of Contents
Feel free to skip ahead if one topic catches your eye:
- What is FUE Hair Transplant?
- When is FUE Recommended?
- How to prepare for FUE Hair transplants
- How is it done?
- Recovery and Maintenance
- Common risks associated with FUE hair transplant
- Cost of FUE Hair Transplant in Delhi NCR
- FAQs
1. What is a FUE Hair Transplant?
Follicular unit extraction or Follicular Transfer can be described as a minimally invasive and outpatient procedure in which hair grafts are extracted by the surgeon as follicular units individually from the donor area (usually the back of the scalp) without creating any linear scars.
In this sutureless method of hair restoration, the surgeon proceeds with the extraction of follicles of the hair from the back of the scalp of the patient through special micro punches. During this surgical procedure, local anesthesia is provided to the patient, and the collected hair follicles are implanted in the balding area.
Advantages Of FUE Hair Transplant
- No linear scar
- Less obvious and smaller incisions that require only a few days to heal
- Significantly less post-surgery pain, discomfort, or irritation
- Harvesting of individual hair follicular units (grafts) can happen from the scalp and other body parts such as the beard
- Uniform appearance of transplanted hair in donor areas reduces the appearance of balding
Main Causes Of Baldness
Generally, each one of us loses about 50-100 hairs every day. This phenomenon is generally not noticeable as the growth of new hair happens at the same time. Baldness starts to happen when the count of new hair is less than the hair that has fallen out. Loss of hair can affect the scalp or the entire body, and it may be permanent or temporary. FUE Hair transplants are usually performed on the scalp though they may also be performed on the legs, arms, or genital area.
Baldness may be caused by one or more of the aforementioned factors:
- Family history (heredity): The primary cause of baldness is a hereditary condition known as androgenic alopecia, female-pattern baldness, and male-pattern baldness. It generally happens on a gradual basis and in somewhat predictable patterns - thinning of hair along with the crown of the scalp, bald spots, or a receding hairline in men.
- Medications and supplements: Baldness may be a result of the side effects of specific drugs used for treating depression, gout, cancer, arthritis, high blood pressure, and heart problems.
- Hormonal changes and medical conditions: Certain medical conditions and complications may lead to temporary or permanent hair loss and baldness. This includes hormonal changes because of childbirth, thyroid problems, pregnancy, and menopause, and medical conditions such as trichotillomania, scalp infections, and alopecia areata.
- Radiation therapy to the head: Radiation therapy treatments and procedures can lead to a dramatic loss of hair.
- Hairstyles and treatments: Excessive hairstyles or hairstyling can lead to a form of hair loss known as traction alopecia.
2. When is FUE Recommended?
FUE hair transplant is ideal for:
- People diagnosed with male or female pattern baldness or hair thinning
- When hair loss is not a result of stress, medication, or medical procedures
- When hair loss is permanent and unresponsive to non-surgical procedures
- People who have a good count of hair follicles on the back of the scalp
- Patients with a limited time set aside before making a return to work
- Patients who have experienced scarring from a FUT procedure in the past
FUE is not recommended for:
- People who don't have thick or healthy hair at the donor site
- People who have been advised by the surgeon not to opt for FUE
3. How to prepare for FUE Hair transplants
You need to follow the tips mentioned below and precautions before getting an FUE hair transplant:
- You should abstain from smoking for at least 2-4 days before the surgery.
- You should not get a haircut before the FUE transplant.
- You should not consume alcohol for at least 3-5 days before the surgery.
- You should not take blood thinners, aspirin, vitamins, or dietary supplements for about 2-3 weeks before the surgery.
- You should also stop medications like Minoxidil (Rogaine) if it is recommended by your surgeon.
- It is best to have blood tests before the surgery.
4. How is it done?
During a Follicular unit extraction (FUE) hair transplant, the surgeon will trim the hair around the donor area so that hair grafts can be easily accessed and removed. The support team of the surgeon will shampoo and clean your scalp so that any risk of possible infection is inhibited in the first place. Thereafter, the hair on the back of the scalp will be shaved. Individual follicles will be collected from the skin of the scalp. You will receive a local anesthetic during this minimally invasive procedure that will take about 4-8 hours and performed by a hair transplant surgeon or specialist in an accredited facility.
The collected grafts will be taken by a specialized motored machine and collected in a clean dish. Thereafter, small incisions will be made by the surgeon on the recipient area and the hair grafts will then be transplanted into the incisions. Once this has been done, the surgical sites are properly covered through gauze or bandages.
5. Recovery and Maintenance
Generally, recovery after an FUE Hair transplant is quick and smooth. You must follow the instructions provided by the surgeon for aftercare. Some of these instructions include:
- You should use a natural, unscented, and gentle shampoo for around 2-8 weeks after you have started washing the hair.
- You should wash your hair or engage in a shower bath as per the guidance of your surgeon.
- You should avoid brushing or combing your new hair for at least 2-6 weeks.
- It is suggested that you take 2-3 days off to help speed up the process
- You should not engage in intense workouts, swimming, or hot water baths.
- It is best to avoid beanies, hats, or other clothing that goes over the head unless specified by the surgeon.
- You should abstain from cigarettes and alcohol.
The factors that determine the recovery process include the type of procedure performed, the response of your body to the treatment and medications, the success rate of the hair transplant clinic, the expertise of the surgeon and his or her team, the count of extracted and transplanted hair, etc.
6. Common risks associated with FUE hair transplant
In rare cases, patients may experience slight pain, discomfort, irritation, or inflammation. However, these side effects are temporary and subside quickly on their own. Your surgeon and his or her team may prescribe antibiotics, anti-inflammatory drugs, or painkiller medications to avoid any complications.
At Dermalife, you will get the best treatment experience with minimum chances of side effects. If there is any side effect, our experienced team of surgeons and medical professionals will take care of it on an immediate basis.
7. Cost of FUE Hair Transplant in Delhi NCR
The estimated cost of an FUE hair transplant is around INR 50 -120 per graft. It is important to note that this cost may vary as it depends on a range of factors, including but not limited to the type of surgical procedure, the success rate of the hair transplant clinic, the expertise of the surgeon and his or her team, accommodation pricing, the overall and general of the patient, etc.
The estimated success rate of FUE hair transplant procedures is usually 85-90 percent and the estimated healing and recovery time is 4-8 weeks.
At Dermalife, you will get affordable treatment with the latest techniques and advanced pieces of equipment.
Takeaway
If you are looking for one of the best methods of hair restoration, FUE (Follicular unit extraction) may be an excellent choice for you. This safe and minimally invasive surgical procedure has been embraced by millions of people across the world to treat hair loss and baldness. The best thing is that the FUE procedure doesn't lead to linear scars and the healing and recovery time is almost negligible. If this is not all, the FUE hair transplant results can be expected to last a lifetime.
It is highly recommended that you have a word with your surgeon to know about this hair restoration procedure in complete detail so you have complete peace of mind and make an informed decision.
Contact Dr. Gaurav Garg, Dermalife now to find out how our teams of experienced hair restoration specialists are making a positive difference in the lives of thousands of people. We assure you of the best hair restoration procedures at our accredited facility under the able guidance of reputed and prominent hair transplant surgeons.
