FUE Hair Transplant
- Home
- FUE Hair Transplant
What is FUE Hair Transplant?
Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) is one of the most popular hair transplant techniques nowadays. In this technique, each follicle is harvested individually from the donor area on the patient’s head. After that, they are transplanted on the designated area of the scalp via a series of small incisions by a surgeon. Usually the hair units are taken from the back side and sides of the head, as the hair in these areas is the healthiest and fullest, hence ideal for the transplant.
How is FUE Hair Transplant Performed?
In Turkey, FUE hair transplant is carried through a series of small incisions made in the scalp. They are usually only 0.6 mm to maximum 1 mm wide in order to avoid any major scarring of the donor area after the treatment. Microneedles (extraction punches) are used to extract the follicles without affecting or damaging the surrounding hairs. Also it ensures that the extracted hair follicle itself is not damaged during the extraction.
During the implantation process, doctors will make sure that each hair is inserted at an angle which fits the natural growth of the hair on your scalp, ensuring that the volume and density is similar to your existing hair. As the hair will start growing fully, having a natural result is very important.
Different patients require different amounts of grafts to be implanted in order to get the maximum natural results and decent density. For this reason, on patients with large bold areas (corresponding to level 6 or 7 according to the Norwood Scale) more than one session may be required.
All in all, this technique is the most popular hair transplant technique as there is minimal scarring that occurs during the hair transplantation.
Benefits of FUE Hair Transplant in Turkey:
- No skin strips are taken from the donor site, meaning it won’t leave any scar.
- The hair follicles are taken from the back of the head and from the sides, area above the ears.
- It is carried under anesthesia, making the surgery painless and comfortable.
- The grafts are taken one by one, using a special motor.
- Up to 5000 grafts are collected, equivalent to 8000 – 12500 hair follicles.
- If needed, follicles can be taken from other parts of the body too, for example from the chest or shoulders.
- It is a great long-term and standing solution for baldness.
- The results are excellent for mild or moderate hair loss, in the front hairline and nape.
- It is greatly effective for male and female hair loss.
- Its results are the most natural ones compared to other treatments.
- This method works for regaining a mustache, beard and eyebrows.
- The scars on the scalp can easily be covered.
- FUE Hair Transplants are cheaper than other treatments.
- The procedure is not time-consuming. You are OK to travel and go back to daily routine the day after the surgery.
- The transplanted hair will fall down in three weeks. The permanent new hair will start growing within a few days.
Hair Transplant Services
Before & After
Contact us now
Get a quote
Get Free Appointment And Stay Connected
FUE Hair Transplant Step by Step
Consultation and preparation before the surgery
Our clinic has many experts and specialists of FUE hair transplantation. Our team is ready to give you any medical advice for your case whenever, around the clock. All you need to do is to send us pictures about your condition and describe it as detailed as possible. Our medical team evaluates the case and then gives you an assessment, telling you if a medical treatment is better or if hair transplantation is needed.
In case you decide to do a micro-FUE hair transplant at our clinic in Istanbul, you will be taken from the airport to your hotel. Before the operation an interview session is held to examine your case closely while also inquiring more on your medical history.
On the day before the operation blood tests are carried. We explain all the steps of the hair transplant operation in all details to you. This way you are aware of what to expect it to be like. Before the operation, the patient’s head hair is shaved and the clothes changed for sterile purposes.
Fue Hair Transplant Process
The FUE hair transplant in our clinic is carried as of the following stages:
Consultation
The individual patient characteristics are determined by the hair trichologist during the consultation by considering the cause of hair loss, type of hair loss, the likelihood of hair loss progression over future years, hair type (thick or thin), the patient’s expectation, age, gender, and medical history.
During the consultation, the hairline is drawn based on the natural hairline and patient wishes, and the recipient parts are determined with how many grafts are needed at each area and how many grafts can be collected from the donor site.
Preparation
We will perform all the necessary blood tests prior to the transplant. Then we will do the trimming of the hair and sterilization of the head.
Collecting The Grafts
The place where the hair is taken from is called the donor area. Usually this is situated on the back side of the head and on the sides. This area is less affected by hair loss hormones (DHT) so hair is more healthy here and much more resistant.
The transplant begins by applying local anesthesia on the patient’s donor area. As a needle is used, there might be a little pain. It goes on for only a few minutes until anesthesia takes effect. The collection of the hair is done with a micromotor that uses a millimetric punch of 0.7-0.8 mm. One of the advantages of the FUE method is that the holes are small and almost invisible. They heal quickly after the surgery and do not leave any disturbing effects.
During the extraction phase, the patient lays on a special bed on the facedown position, the same position as used during a massage. The extraction of the grafts takes 2 – 2.5 hours, all depending on the number of hair follicles that will be extracted. After the extraction, the worked area is sterilized and covered with a bandage.
The extraction is performed considering two main factors: the density and the space of the donor area. The richer the donor area is, in terms of density, the more grafts can be extracted.
We should not forget that hair follicles are different from each other. We separate them with a microscope into singles, doubles and triples. Lastly we place the follicles in a nutritious material in cold temperature, in order to keep them healthy until they are implanted back.
Drawing The Hair Line
Deciding on the front hairline is among the most important stages for a hair transplantation. Natural line of the hair starts just after the last muscle in the forehead, it can easily be seen if eyebrows are raised. We ask the patient to lift the eyebrows upwards for his natural line to be obvious.
We should be aware that the hairline is very much affected by the muscle layers of the forehead. The muscles of the forehead have a tendency to gradually rise up while aging. This is why we should take it into consideration while choosing a new front line for the hair in order to get the most natural look possible. Our medical staff is aware of this and will seek the best results that satisfy our patients’ desires in getting the most natural and healthy hair.
After we draw the front line, the next step is to mark the other areas where hair loss or poor density is present. Once the patient approves the treatment plan the next step is moving forward to local anesthesia on the recipient area. It takes a maximum of 2-5 minutes to give effect. Bear in mind that the patient does not feel pain after the anesthetic is complete.
Opening Of The Channels
Then we start to open the tiny channels/incisions where the new grafts will be placed. It takes something between 40-90 minutes (depending on the amount of grafts), during which the patient is lying on his/her back. We use Sapphire blades to open the new channels.
The size of the blade will be dependent on the size and length of the extracted grafts.
Things To Be Considered When Opening The Channels
There are 2 important elements to consider when opening of the microscopic channels: first is the angle on the front line of the hair, and second is the bend angle of the follicle itself. Both are essential, as any mistake in one of these angles makes the hair have a less natural appearance. It is at this phase when experience of the staff is the key factor for a successful hair transplant.
At our clinic, our skilled medical staff opens the micro-channels by considering the direction of growth of your hair in order to give you the best and most natural results. The channels are opened from left to right and get an exact degree of inclination to match your normal hair growth.
After the angle is verified and the opening of the first channel starts in the left side of the bald area, the channels get opened following the desired hair line.
In the absence of proper expertise in opening the channels, results will not be natural. The hair also, might grow in different directions, making it clear to everyone that an extremely bad hair transplant has been done. Something nobody wants and we never wish for any patient.
Does The Patient Feel Pain?
It is positive to mark that the patient does not feel any pain during this stage. Contrary to it, while all these steps and stages of the surgery are being done you can relax.
Planting The Grafts
Planting is the last stage of the hair transplant process with the FUE technique. It takes place with the patient lying on his back. It usually lasts between 2 and 3.5 hours, all depending on the number of hair follicles to be implanted. Once again the expertise of our team is essential to give you the best results in the shortest time. We should not forget that it’s essential that the new extracted follicles do not stay too long outside and to be implanted in the shortest time possible. Otherwise, the survival rate declines.
In order to give you the best natural appearance, we do not recommend to implant in the front line bulbs that have 2-3 hairs. They give the patient an abnormal appearance, making it clear a hair transplantation has been carried. We only use the single hair grafts on the front line. Once the front line is finished, the double and triple hair follicles are put in the upper regions of the head, giving a higher density in these areas.
After finishing the implant of all the follicles, a whole examination and inspection of the area is done from the front line to the back side. This process takes only 15 minutes. Then the head is washed and cleaned with pure sterile water. This is so to remove the effects of the operation. After that the donor area in the back or sides is covered with a sterile gauze. In order not to affect the hair implants the implanted area remains without coverage.
When the hair transplantation is finished, we check some vital signs of the patients like the blood pressure. If everything is OK, the patient will be taken to the hotel to rest from the operation.
