Hair transplantation is a type of hair follicle transfer from the dense area (nape and between two ears) to the needed area. Hair transplantation is the most preferred method against hair loss as it is a permanent solution. There are 2 main techniques of extraction which are called FUE and FUT. FUE is the most advanced technique.
What is FUE Technique?
The FUE technique, which is based on the principle of removing grafts one by one from the dense nape region between the two ears, is the most commonly used hair transplantation technique in the world today. The extracted grafts are then implanted into the opened channels and the transplantation process is completed. This method of hair transplantation called the FUE Technique.
1- Planning
The patient is examined and analyzed by the doctor and the best planning drawing is drawn for him. During planning, the donor area is checked, the number of grafts needed by the patient and how many grafts are going to be transplanted to which part is determined. For example, when a total of 4000 grafts are decided for the patient, it will be determined how many grafts will be added to the frontal line (right-left), how many grafts will be added to the middle area, and how many grafts will be added to the crown area. So for example, 4000 grafts can be distributed to the front line (1250 + 1250), the center area (1000) and the crown area (500). The distribution of grafts will vary from patient to patient. However, the distribution of these planning drawings and grafts must certainly be done by the doctor.
2- Local Anesthesia
Local anesthesia is one of the most important stages of hair transplantation. It is the procedure required for operation without any pain and is performed by injecting the local anesthetic agent through the scalp at certain points with a needle, which takes about 5-10 minutes. Many patients are afraid of local anesthetic needles. The reason for this hesitation is the pain they will experience. However, prior to local anesthesia, the scalp can be anesthetized with almost no pain with needle-free anesthesia. Needle-free anesthesia works with the principle that the anesthetic drug is injected to the scalp without a needle with high air pressure. The patient feels almost no pain during local anesthetic injections after needle-free anesthesia. Needle-free anesthesia is a procedure that should only be performed by doctors.
3- Tissue Test and Grafts Extraction
Tissue test should be performed to determine the punch size, FUE Micromotor speed, depth of each shot, etc. before the graft collection. Tissue test is a procedure performed by a doctor. Graft extraction can be performed in the most efficient way by determining the tissue characteristics by extracting a certain number of grafts and accordingly determining the technical parameters such as punch size and FUE motor speed which will be most suitable for each patient’s donor tissue. All these aspects are determined during the tissue test so that the “map” of the hair transplantation operation can be drawn. After the tissue test, the assistant starts the quick graft extraction of the predetermined amount of graft. Only 10% of donor site grafts are extracted during the operation.
4- Opening Channels
Channel Opening is the part of hair transplantation where the incisions, in which the extracted grafts will be implanted, are made on the recipient area. In this part, the distribution, density, the angulation of the hair and the naturalness of the result will be decided. It can be easily said that this is the most important part of the operation for a natural result. Therefore, having an experienced doctor to perform this procedure is very important for having a natural and optimal result.
We use special custom made sapphire pointed scalpels to make incisions, which results in a more natural appearance and a faster wound healing on the recipient site.
In this part of the operation, the patient will be seated in a comfortable procedure chair. Channel opening takes between 30-60 minutes.
5- The Transplantation
The examination was done by the doctor, needed grafts number determined, the frontal line was drawn in the planning, the blood test is done, tissue test is done, needed grafts extracted, channels opened, so it is the time of transplantation.
Grafts are kept in a special solution called Lactate Ringer Solution, and in a special temperature till the transplantation is being started. Our professional nurses start to transplant the grafts first the frontal line (in frontal line we transplanted grafts which have one hair and transplant grafts which have two or three or four or five hairs at the mid area and the crown area).
Grafts are classified as following; the extracted grafts from the back of the two ears are transplanted at the frontal area and the – extracted grafts from the mid back are transplanted at the mid and the crown area, because the nature of the tissues of the extracted grafts from the back of the two ears are near to each other, and the nature of the tissues of the extracted grafts from the mid back are near to each other. As a result, after The transplantation is done we can say that Hair Transplantation operation is accomplished.
6- Bandage and Dressing
The examination was done by the doctor, needed grafts number determined, the frontal line was drawn in the planning, the blood test is done, tissue test is done, needed grafts extracted, channels opened, transplantation is done, so it is the time of bandage and dressing.
And after bandage and dressing are done; using the medications will be explained to the patient, what should do, what should not do also will be explained to the patient.