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BHR Clinic Patient Advisor
FUE: Some Aspects to Consider
FUE Donor
FUE relies much more than FUT on the candidate having a good donor hair density to reach higher numbers, all round good density and not just in the occipital (back). If by splitting the safe zone into areas prior to extraction it is possible to calculate whether the donor is viable for FUE and how many grafts can be extracted now and in the future. It is unlikely FUE will ever be able to reach the same number of transplanted follicular units than FUT assuming not to over harvest. As one benefit of FUE is no linear scar it can also be said that a benefit is the hair can be worn shorter or maybe shaved, but this can only apply if the supply of the donor is not over harvested otherwise although a linear scar is not left obvious signs of surgery can be evident.
Miniaturisation
The % per cm2 of miniaturisation in the candidate s donor must be calculated and assessed before considering FUE as it could preclude certain areas of the donor to be left untouched and not suitable for harvesting. Most people will have a degree of miniaturisation in the donor but if it reaches too high levels for FUE can make the candidate unsuitable. Simply the hair gives less thickness so if more good hair removed and the miniaturised left it will reduce the thickness of the donor and maybe even leave it see through in places.
Hairs per FU
An under average hair count will greatly restrict the usage of FUE as a technique, regardless if the donor FU count is average to good. Low hair count can minimise the coverage and subsequent result achieved.
Harvesting Protocol
Regardless of the size of the surface area to harvest and the obvious that it is larger than the FUT safe zone does not conclude that more FU can be removed. FUE safe zone is only the indication of where the FU can be removed from and as this surface does not change in size even when the FU are removed the amount of FU will be restricted other factors so as not to leave large gaps/holes/hair less areas or visible scarring between each extraction. Dependent on hair count, density, miniaturisation and general hair characteristics can determine the % viable to remove whilst maintaining a clean looking donor.
Harvesting protocol is important almost regardless of the size of procedure large or small can have a lasting effect on the donor. It can effect the long term number of FU that can be removed from the donor and literally make the difference of maybe 1000 plus less or more FU available to take.
Extraction Pattern
Allowing for an educated and well planned extraction pattern will not compromise the donor as much and give greater options for more grafts using FUE in the future. The pattern of extraction is random to the point it is has to be calculated to not leave obvious areas of no hair or any uniform signs of pre meditated extraction, factory extraction with an obvious pattern seen when short/shaved.
Punch
Diameter of punch will have a consequence on removing an intact Follicular unit, partial unit or more than one unit in a single punch. This can cause increased transection and loss of hairs in the donor that cannot be used, it can create larger scarring and peripheral damage to surrounding hair units.
The design of the punch will obviously have a role in the cosmetic and precision to punch, size, motion etc but the usage and innate skill of the Doctor extracting will override this as the tool is only the instrument of the master. Direction, depth, force, skin texture to name a few are all measured by the Doctor and the more understanding of this and more will result in low transection, less scarring and a greater number of FUE grafts available to harvest long term.
FUE Grafts
FUE grafts are generally leaner and more refined than FUT grafts, greater care must be taken with them, when extracting, cleaning and during placement to ensure they are not traumatised, damaged or killed.
Laxity
This can lead on from Extraction Pattern as too many punches adjacent or in an enclosed area can affect the laxity of the skin and in turn make future procedures harder to perform, be it FUE or FUT.
Hair Direction & Characteristics
1. Again leading on from Extraction Pattern, the skin is flexible and incisions into the skin will have a ripple effect across the area, too many ripples in a confined area will knock on to adjacent un touched areas and can affect the surrounding hairs, again making future extraction technically harder.
2. Variants in hair characteristics will make some candidates better suited to FUE than others, as FUE is a blind extraction technique it is only possible to see the hair exit the skin but under the surface it is a calculated assessment of the direction, especially in cases of very curly hair for example when the hair can exit one way and do a total U Turn in the scalp.
FUE & Repairs
FUE has given a real and notable benefit to those who have had procedures in the past and the typical strip option is no longer available either due to laxity or over harvesting. As FUE opens the safe zone wider it allows for hair to be removed away from the previously worked areas and can add valuable grafts to a candidate who maybe thought their donor was tapped out.
FUE for High NW cases
Although FUE will not yield in one or multiple procedures more than FUT or by combining the two techniques it can still be used on higher NW cases. Obvious restrictions apply as exampled above and of course the goals of the candidate, as in any HT. But for example, and this is becoming more asked for those that are not looking to have a full head of hair and still want to keep their hair short or even shaved especially in the donor can still benefit from FUE even NW6. This is under specific circumstances generally.
FUE Donor
FUE relies much more than FUT on the candidate having a good donor hair density to reach higher numbers, all round good density and not just in the occipital (back). If by splitting the safe zone into areas prior to extraction it is possible to calculate whether the donor is viable for FUE and how many grafts can be extracted now and in the future. It is unlikely FUE will ever be able to reach the same number of transplanted follicular units than FUT assuming not to over harvest. As one benefit of FUE is no linear scar it can also be said that a benefit is the hair can be worn shorter or maybe shaved, but this can only apply if the supply of the donor is not over harvested otherwise although a linear scar is not left obvious signs of surgery can be evident.
Miniaturisation
The % per cm2 of miniaturisation in the candidate s donor must be calculated and assessed before considering FUE as it could preclude certain areas of the donor to be left untouched and not suitable for harvesting. Most people will have a degree of miniaturisation in the donor but if it reaches too high levels for FUE can make the candidate unsuitable. Simply the hair gives less thickness so if more good hair removed and the miniaturised left it will reduce the thickness of the donor and maybe even leave it see through in places.
Hairs per FU
An under average hair count will greatly restrict the usage of FUE as a technique, regardless if the donor FU count is average to good. Low hair count can minimise the coverage and subsequent result achieved.
Harvesting Protocol
Regardless of the size of the surface area to harvest and the obvious that it is larger than the FUT safe zone does not conclude that more FU can be removed. FUE safe zone is only the indication of where the FU can be removed from and as this surface does not change in size even when the FU are removed the amount of FU will be restricted other factors so as not to leave large gaps/holes/hair less areas or visible scarring between each extraction. Dependent on hair count, density, miniaturisation and general hair characteristics can determine the % viable to remove whilst maintaining a clean looking donor.
Harvesting protocol is important almost regardless of the size of procedure large or small can have a lasting effect on the donor. It can effect the long term number of FU that can be removed from the donor and literally make the difference of maybe 1000 plus less or more FU available to take.
Extraction Pattern
Allowing for an educated and well planned extraction pattern will not compromise the donor as much and give greater options for more grafts using FUE in the future. The pattern of extraction is random to the point it is has to be calculated to not leave obvious areas of no hair or any uniform signs of pre meditated extraction, factory extraction with an obvious pattern seen when short/shaved.
Punch
Diameter of punch will have a consequence on removing an intact Follicular unit, partial unit or more than one unit in a single punch. This can cause increased transection and loss of hairs in the donor that cannot be used, it can create larger scarring and peripheral damage to surrounding hair units.
The design of the punch will obviously have a role in the cosmetic and precision to punch, size, motion etc but the usage and innate skill of the Doctor extracting will override this as the tool is only the instrument of the master. Direction, depth, force, skin texture to name a few are all measured by the Doctor and the more understanding of this and more will result in low transection, less scarring and a greater number of FUE grafts available to harvest long term.
FUE Grafts
FUE grafts are generally leaner and more refined than FUT grafts, greater care must be taken with them, when extracting, cleaning and during placement to ensure they are not traumatised, damaged or killed.
Laxity
This can lead on from Extraction Pattern as too many punches adjacent or in an enclosed area can affect the laxity of the skin and in turn make future procedures harder to perform, be it FUE or FUT.
Hair Direction & Characteristics
1. Again leading on from Extraction Pattern, the skin is flexible and incisions into the skin will have a ripple effect across the area, too many ripples in a confined area will knock on to adjacent un touched areas and can affect the surrounding hairs, again making future extraction technically harder.
2. Variants in hair characteristics will make some candidates better suited to FUE than others, as FUE is a blind extraction technique it is only possible to see the hair exit the skin but under the surface it is a calculated assessment of the direction, especially in cases of very curly hair for example when the hair can exit one way and do a total U Turn in the scalp.
FUE & Repairs
FUE has given a real and notable benefit to those who have had procedures in the past and the typical strip option is no longer available either due to laxity or over harvesting. As FUE opens the safe zone wider it allows for hair to be removed away from the previously worked areas and can add valuable grafts to a candidate who maybe thought their donor was tapped out.
FUE for High NW cases
Although FUE will not yield in one or multiple procedures more than FUT or by combining the two techniques it can still be used on higher NW cases. Obvious restrictions apply as exampled above and of course the goals of the candidate, as in any HT. But for example, and this is becoming more asked for those that are not looking to have a full head of hair and still want to keep their hair short or even shaved especially in the donor can still benefit from FUE even NW6. This is under specific circumstances generally.