FUE and FUT Hair Transplant in malaysia ?
FUE and FUT: a glance at both
techniques
The most important feature of a successful FUE and FUT Hair
Transplant in malaysia involves achieving a natural-looking
hairline and the right hair density, without any signs of the treatment being
noticeable. Technical progress and improvements over the last decades have
contributed greatly towards achieving complete naturalness. Through
increasingly smaller grafts, a greater amount of hairs can now be extracted and
transplanted.
In the field of hair transplantation, we distinguish between two
techniques, FUT and FUE. The main difference between the two lies in the way
the follicle units are extracted. In an FUT, the strip technique is used, by
which a strip of the scalp with hairs on it is taken from the back of the head,
with its hair follicles subsequently being extracted. Using FUE, individual
follicular units are extracted directly from the scalp.
The dominant feature of both
techniques is the extraction of the smallest natural hair groups, the so-called
follicular units, or FUs for short. Each of these anatomical units generally
consists of 1 – 4 hairs. Both techniques – FUT and FUE hair tranplant in
malaysia – make use of these natural units.
The extraction method is one of the
most important and decisive factors in any hair transplant. The focus is not on
extracting as many grafts as possible, but on the quality of the hair roots, as
they play a decisive role in determining whether the grafts take root.
In the FUE extraction method, the
size of the punch needles plays a decisive role. Choosing the right size
minimises damage to the donor area. Put in a nutshell: the finer the punch
needle used, the less damage is caused to the skin in the donor area and the
less visible the extraction is. This is the reason why Dr. never uses
any punch needles wider than 0.95 mm. After extraction, the selected hair roots
need to be carefully prepared. The following step, their implantation, is
common to both methods.
The learning process needed to
master FUE, the state-of-the-art method, is more intensive and time-consuming
than when using strip extraction. Alongside a sure instinct, many years of
experience are needed for a hair surgeon to successfully perform a
transplantation using the FUE technique. Key success factors include the
accurate use of the smallest possible punch needles, ideal FU quality and
expert knowledge of transplantation techniques.
FUE and FUT Hair Transplant in
malaysia : the donor area and scarring
The two extraction techniques – FUE
and FUT – differ with regard to the scarring left in the donor area. Whereas
strip extraction (FUT) will leave a narrow linear scar on the back of the head,
all that can be seen after an FUE transplant are micro-scars looking like
little dots.
The appearance of the scar in the
donor area is therefore a criterion for patients wanting to wear their hair
very short. As scarring differs from patient to patient and is also dependent
on the type and number of previous and future transplants, the in-depth and
well-prepared consultation of a hair surgeon is an absolute “must”. Special
closure techniques such as trichophytic closure are beneficial for obtaining
minimum scarring after FUT strip extraction.
FUE and FUT Hair Transplant in
malaysia : the survival rate of follicular units / grafts
A meticulous approach exercising
utmost care is a prerequisite for any medical treatment. This is especially
true for the extraction of hair follicles and their subsequent survival rate.
Extracted grafts are vulnerable to
dehydration. Moreover, continuing cell metabolism can lead to a sort of
self-poisoning. This is the reason why the environment and handling that FUs
are subject to between extraction and implantation are very important.
Extracted FUs waiting to be implanted are kept in a physiological solution
corresponding to the human body environment. When being processed under the
microscope, they are always kept damp.
Generally speaking, grafts extracted
vie FUE are much more sensitive, as the extraction technique leaves much less
protective tissue around the hair follicles. This ultimately leads to a
slightly lower survival rate. Damage to healthy hair follicles influencing
their survival rate, as well as a worse rooting rate, are possibilities in both
techniques when the work is not performed in an optimal manner. This is the
reason why the choice of the right hair surgeon is a decisive criterion for the
success of any hair transplant.
FUE and FUT Hair Transplant in
malaysia: the number of grafts and their density
Dependent on the size of the area to
be treated, 1000 – 5000 follicular units are generally required. For
transplants taking place under ideal conditions, both extraction techniques
will provide excellent results. The desired hair density of 30 – 90 FUs per cm²
can be achieved with both techniques.
FUE and FUT Hair Transplant in
malaysia : implanting the grafts
Even when optimally extracted,
grafts can still become damaged during transplantation. This in turn will mean
that a lower number of grafts actually take root. This can happen when the hair
surgeon or his team do not have sufficient experience, skill and/or technical
expertise. The surgeon must be skilled enough to work to high aesthetic
standards. This involves him being able to implant the right number of grafts
in the right places according to aesthetic principles, thereby achieving a hair
density result that looks completely natural. This applies to the whole head,
though the focus is on the hairline – the right depth and angle of the
incisions is of crucial importance for determining what the patient’s hair will
look like later on.
The incisions in the recipient area,
into which the extracted and prepared grafts are implanted, also play a major
role in any transplantation. Incisions are best made with scalpels or blades
specifically adapted to individual patients – so-called customized blades.
Using these, the hair surgeon can match the width, length, depth and angle of
the incisions with the direction the patient’s hair grows in. The right
incisions also help the grafts to quickly connect up to blood vessels and
nerves, having a major influence on their survival rate and making the
transplant look natural.
FUE and FUT Hair Transplant in
malaysia: healing
The level of pain felt is dependent
on a patient’s sensitivity to pain. Hair Transplant in malaysia is
always done under local anaesthesia and is therefore in general completely pain
free. One effect of the local anaesthesia when using FUT is a feeling of
tension on the scalp. This is however generally only minor and will disappear
after a few days. Healing after FUE treatment is faster than after FUT and
generally free of pain. A temporary numb feeling, which could last for several
months in case of FUT, does not occur with FUE.
The swelling in the transplantation
area or possibly around the forehead and eyes is dependent on the FU density /
size of the area treated or on the number of transplanted hair roots. It occurs
with both methods and generally lasts for 6 – 8 days.
FUE and FUT Hair Transplant in
malaysia: Hair Loss/Shock Loss
One often very unpleasant effect for
patients, occurring independent of the method used, is the hair loss in the
transplantation area that occurs 2 – 6 weeks after the operation. This affects
mainly the transplanted hairs, but may also affect existing hair. In the course
of the second or third week after a hair transplant, most of the transplanted
hairs fall out. This effect happens to 98 % of patients.
This hair loss is completely normal.
Patients need to know that it is only hairs weakened by the transplantation
that are falling out. By contrast, the hair roots remain in place, gathering
strength and producing new hairs after 3 – 6 months, evidence of the success of
the hair transplant. This also applies to hairs already growing in the
transplantation area before the transplant. It does not however apply to hair
follicles which were already so weak that they were no longer in a position to
produce new hairs.
FUE and FUT Hair Transplant in
malaysia : conclusions
Both techniques – FUE and FUT – have
very good success prospects, but: there is no one best or right method – each
method has its own pros and cons.
The decision on which extraction
method to use should be individually weighed up in consultation with the hair
restoration surgeon. There are many factors needing to be taken into
consideration. A hair surgeon must be in a position to assess future natural
hair loss, the quality and density of existing hair, and in particular the hair
structure. He must also be able to calculate the number of grafts needing to be
extracted to fulfil a patient’s wishes, discuss alternative forms of treatment
such as a medication-based therapy, and explain to the patient the pros and
cons of each technique. In addition, comprehensive tests need to be carried out
before any recommendation for any one extraction method can be issued.
The extraction of hair follicles is
just one of many aspects needing to be taken into account in any successful
hair transplant. Should little or no attention be paid to other aspects such as
the incisions, there is a great possibility of the result not meeting up to
expectations.
This is why the success of any FUE
or FUT transplant is to a great extent dependent on the training, experience,
techniques and technology, ability, intuition and expertise of the hair
restoration surgeon: though both extraction techniques require extensive
know-how and experience, the FUE extraction technique is much more demanding.
In a nutshell: irrespective of which operation technique is used, any FUE or
FUT transplant should always be performed by an experienced specialist.
An FUE is best for patients wanting
to avoid a linear scar at all costs, and for younger patients only requiring
minor treatment. Moreover, FUE is the right choice when transplanting body hair
or when corrective / reconstructive hair surgery is involved.
FUE is also good for patients with
(very) little donor hair, as well as for patients with a tendency to extreme
scarring or patients wanting to wear their hair very short. Patients with a
Norwood V or VI diagnosis should choose a combination of FUE and FUT to attain
the highest possible number of donor hairs.
Though both extraction techniques
basically allow the same number of hairs to be extracted, there is one major
difference. In an FUT, under good working conditions, 4000 – 5000 FUs can be
extracted in one operation session. The corresponding figure for FUE is 3000 –
3500 FUs. Using the FUE technique, a second operation is generally needed to
achieve the same number of FUs. This can only take place some 6 months later.
The hair density needing to be
achieved (30 – 90 FUs per cm²) is possible with both techniques, meaning that
the selected extraction method has no appreciable influence on the end result.
Using experience as a guideline, it
can be said that an FUE is less painful and that healing is quicker.
Nevertheless, FUE is an operation with no 100 % guarantee of success.
