FUETechnique
Follicular Unit Extraction
This technique was born from the fundamental idea of avoiding the extraction of the ‘strip’ from the donor area. With this procedure the follicular units are extracted individually, without the aid of a scalpel, with microsurgical instruments specially designed to obtain each follicular unit one by one. The follicular units are then processed under stereoscopic microscopes and finally transplanted into recipient areas with Gardel implantation techniques.
The advantage of the FUE technique is that there are NO visible scars* as there are no strips, no cuts, only small holes removed by the surgeon which, after healing, will disappear in a short time.
**NOTE: Human beings heal in different ways and sometimes, due to genetic reasons, undesirable scars can form, even when the surgical procedure has been performed perfectly.
This technique is recommended for patients who do not wish to have any visible scars, but who do NOT need a large amount of hair, as the maximum that can be transplanted is 2000 follicular units per session. If a larger amount of follicular roots is desired, a second or even third session will have to be performed. Also, due to the time involved, this technique is much more expensive.
Recovery is extremely fast, in a period of 10 days the patient can already do aerobic and anaerobic sports activities, this time is only for the transplanted follicles to implant in the recipient area. In a short time, the scar in the donor area is covered by the surrounding hair and although there is a mark, it will be imperceptible unless the patient completely shaves the area.
The FUE technique is ideal for small sessions of less than 2000 follicular units, it does not leave any visible scars and if there is any discomfort it will be minimal and transitory.
Procedure
1. The hair to be removed is isolated
2. Incision around the follicle
3. Repeat
4. Extraction
5. Gardel implantation
Advantages andDisadvantages
ADVANTAGES
• The main benefit of the FUE technique is only in the donor area, instead of having a hidden linear scar, it would leave small unnoticeable ‘dots’. But, these will not be visible unless you are going to completely shave your head.
• This technique is ideal for initial baldness where only 10 to a maximum of 4000 hairs are needed.
• With the FUE technique it is also possible to obtain hair from other parts of the body (chest, back) ideal to give volume when previous transplants have been performed with the same technique and the donor area is exhausted, as body hair does not behave in the same way as hair.
DISADVANTAGES
• Intensive surgical time and sometimes several days or sessions are required to complete a case.
• Lower survival of grafts obtained by follicular transection, i.e. 10-15% of grafts obtained are lost.
• Higher cost, which is generally double that of the FUSS technique.
• Greater difficulty in obtaining hair in subsequent sessions.
PossibleComplications
• As it is a ‘blind’ technique, when introducing the instruments to extract each follicular unit individually, amputation and/or transaction inside the follicle is possible, therefore there is a greater risk of the follicle being traumatized in an involuntary way and lost definitively.
• During the extraction process it is possible to injure the germinative centres of hair growth.
• Loss of hair after the graft has been planted due to damage to the dermal papilla (these are found in the inner part of the hair bulb and their function is to form.
• Necrosis in the donor area due to large amounts of FUE extraction. This information was discussed at the recent ISHRS meeting in Montreal in September 2008.
• Because of all the possible complications mentioned above, follicular units that could have been used in future hair transplants may be wasted.
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