What Is Follicular Unit Extraction?
By Daniel McGrath | Published on February 12, 2010 | 0 Comments
If hair loss is something that’s been bothering you and wreaking havoc on your self-esteem, then a hair transplant might be a good option for you. While the notion of undergoing elective surgery might seem a bit extreme, consider the fact that today’s hair transplants are actually relatively painless procedures that offer smooth, rapid recoveries. Best of all, hair transplants today are nothing like the transplants of old from a visual perspective. Those who choose to undergo hair transplants these days can rest assured that as long as they have their procedures performed by experienced doctors, they will come away with hair that is full and natural-looking.
Of course, when it comes to hair transplants, the one aspect that might be a turnoff to some is the notion of having their donor hair removed. For this reason, Dr. Daniel McGrath, a hair restoration surgeon at Texas’s McGrath Medical, is happy to offer his patients the option of Follicular Unit Extraction. Follicular Unit Extraction is a hair transplant technique in which a small punch biopsy is used to extract follicular units from a patient’s head one at a time in order to create grafts. Unlike the more medically serious types of transplants, when it comes to hair transplants, you get to be your own donor. Your doctor will remove your donor hair from the back of your scalp and then use it to create grafts that will be implanted into the areas in which your natural hair is missing. While there’s no getting around the hair extraction process as far as transplants are concerned, Follicular Unit Extraction is considered by many hair transplant candidates to be a far more favorable approach than the standard strip excision method.
The standard method of hair removal for transplant purposes generally involves surgically removing a strip of scalp from the hair loss-resistant area of the head and then stitching it back together to allow it to heal. In some cases, the stitches in question might dissolve on their own, and in other cases, they are removed seven to 10 days following the surgery. Although this particular process can result in a thin scar on the back of the head, in most cases, such blemishes tend to become nearly undetectable once the surrounding hair grows in.
Although the donor hair extraction process is performed under local anesthesia and is therefore considered virtually pain-free, the idea of undergoing the standard strip removal method is awfully troubling to some. Additionally, many candidates for hair transplants can’t help but get turned off at the notion of being left with a scar, albeit a fairly unnoticeable one. For these reasons, the option of Follicular Unit Extraction has been growing in popularity ever since it was first introduced.
The primary benefit of Follicular Unit Extraction is that it will not leave a patient with a long, linear scar, but rather, hundreds of tiny scars that are pretty much impossible to detect. Those who have a tendency or desire to wear their hair short are most likely to appreciate this lack of scarring. Follicular Unit Extraction is also preferred by people who have previously undergone hair transplants but healed poorly.
While Follicular Unit Extraction might be the less invasive alternative of the two, the strip excision method is certainly far less expensive. Since the standard strip extraction process enables doctors to remove and transplant more donor hair in less time, from an economic perspective, it is certainly more cost efficient, coming in at almost half the price of Follicular Unit Extraction. On the other hand, Follicular Unit Extraction is said to require less healing time as compared to strip excision, so those who choose this less invasive method can often return to work and resume their regular activities much more expeditiously.
If you’re truly interested in undergoing a hair transplant but can’t bring yourself to sign up for the standard strip excision method, then consider finding a surgeon who offers the option of Follicular Unit Extraction. It might cost you a bit – okay, a lot – more, but if the idea of undergoing Follicular Unit Extraction seems to sit better with you, then remember that it’s hard to put a price on comfort and peace and mind.
The information in the article is not intended to substitute for the medical expertise and advice of your healthcare provider. We encourage you to discuss any decisions about treatment or care with an appropriate healthcare provider.
Tags: follicular unit extration, hair loss, hair transplants
Related Articles
*Disclaimer: The information on this website is not intended to substitute for the medical expertise and advice of your healthcare provider. We encourage you to discuss any decisions about treatment or care with an appropriate healthcare provider.