The main advantage of Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) is the unitary and millimetric way in which the follicles are extracted, thanks to various instruments. In addition, this technique leaves no visible scars and allows the patient to wear short hair without any embarrassment. It should also be noted the easy and painless postoperative period, which does not require stitches, bandages or dressings of any kind.
It is a minimally invasive procedure, which is always performed with the patient’s own hair. The anesthesia required is local. The patient, after being operated, can leave the hospital the same day. As previously mentioned, the postoperative period is painless in the vast majority of cases. In case a slight discomfort appears, it disappears with the use of common analgesics.
The recommendations that professionals in hair medicine give to patients are very basic. Firstly, it is advisable to rest for at least two days after surgery. Immediate return to routine is not contraindicated, but without exposing oneself to great physical effort.
It is also not recommended to apply chemical products (dyes, for example) to the transplanted area for at least the first 45-60 days after surgery. From then on, the patient can resume his or her routine and hair care.
It should also be noted that the hairs used for transplantation are not subject to the action of the hormone responsible for hair loss. For this reason, the hair resulting from the FUE technique is permanent and with a very natural finish. It can become long without problems.
It is very common to perform transplants to other areas of the body such as the beard, sideburns, eyebrows, chest and groin. All of them with the usual procedure mentioned above. Although experts do not guarantee the same satisfactory results as with head hair.
Despite the positive points of this surgical technique, not all patients can be operated on. For this reason it is essential to carry out a prior medical consultation, through which it will be possible to confirm or deny this possibility, and to find out the hormonal or other changes that cause hair loss.
The good candidate for transplantation should have the following characteristics:
- Healthy individual
- Not have any chronic disease that presents problems with this surgery.
- Have a good donor area
Likewise, the pre-surgical consultation will include the usual blood tests and electrocardiograms before any surgical intervention. The specialist doctor in Aesthetic Medicine and Hair Medicine may request other tests that he/she deems convenient for the correct follow-up of the patient.
Anyone who wishes to undergo the FUE technique should look for a good and experienced professional with prestige in this area of treatment, including the search for a suitable and qualified center to perform this surgery. Once such a professional has been found, the patient should simply be advised and evaluated.