In FUE hair transplant surgery, an instrument is used to make a small, circular incision in the skin around a follicular unit, separating it from the surrounding tissue. The unit is then extracted (pulled) directly from the scalp, leaving a small open hole. This process is repeated until the hair transplant surgeon has harvested enough follicular units for the planned hair restoration. This process can take one or more hours and in large sessions, may be accomplished over two consecutive days. The donor wounds, approximately 1-mm in size, completely heal over the course of seven to ten days, leaving tiny white scars buried in the hair in the back and sides of the scalp.

This method of donor harvesting, removing follicular units one-by-one directly from the scalp, is what differentiates FUE hair transplant from a traditional Follicular Unit Transplant (FUT), where the donor’s hair is removed from the scalp in one thin, long strip and then subsequently dissected into individual follicular units using a stereo-microscope.

Before the grafts are harvested, tiny “recipient sites” are made in the balding area of the scalp using a fine needle-point instrument. The follicular units are then placed into the recipient sites where they will grow into healthy hair-producing follicles. The creation of recipient sites and the placing of follicular unit grafts are essentially the same in both FUE and FUT procedures. The difference lies in the appearance of the donor area and in the quality and quantity of grafts obtained with each technique.

MEDICATION

Patients are prescribed with pain relievers after the surgery. Once reaching home don’t forget to take the medicines as soon as possible or as directed by the surgeon.

WEAR PROTECTION

Wear protection on your head when you go outside in rain or sunlight for 3-4 weeks after the transplant. Direct prolonged sun exposure can harm newly transplanted follicles.

DO NOT SMOKE OR DRINK ALCOHOL

Do not smoke or drink alcohol for minimum of 48 hours following the procedure. Alcohol may thin the blood and cause bleeding, where as smoking hampers the healing process.

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY

Limit all strenuous activity for next 2 weeks. This includes dancing, jogging, driving, lifting heavy objects and especially vigorous working out. Avoid bending over and excessive neck movements. Patient can resume yoga and brisk walk after few days.

SLEEPING

Lie down and rest for 2-3 hours after the surgery. When sleeping or resting, use a travel pillow to avoid pressure on the stitch line.

SCABBING

Scabs will form and fall off naturally over the next week. Do not pick the scabs or pull out the hair root. A void scratching the transplanted area.

HEAD BAND

This band should not be removed in the first 48 hours except when you are shampooing or if the doc tor tells you to do so.

SWELLING, NUMBNESS AND OOZING

With advanced techniques, the chances of these problem are minimal but they can occur occasionally. Do not panic! S welling is normal in the forehead area. Numbness on top of head and at the stitch line is normal after the transplantation. It will gradually improve. Oozing of blood or fluid at the stitch line is normal for up to 48 hours after your procedure.

SALT WATER SPRAY

Begin it on the 1st day of your surgery. Spraying saline on the grafts helps speedy healing and promotes shedding of g rafts. Ask your surgeons to provide the saline spray or process to make the same.

HAIR GROOMING

Do not comb your hair on the day of your hair transplant. A void scraping the scalp with your comb or brush.

FOLLICULITIS AT THE GRAFT SITE

Very rarely, a patient may develop folliculitis at the g rafted site. They are pimple- like lesions looking similar to acne. If this happens, apply antibiotic ointment to the areas three times a day or consult your surgeon.

TOPICAL MEDICATION

Resume your topical medication prescribed by the doctor after 2 weeks of the surgery for proper hair growth and maintenance.

GENERAL PRECAUTION

Be careful when you get into the car! Make sure your head will not hit the rim of the door. A void wearing tight, round neck t-shirt. While wearing, they may rub on the transplanted area and dislodge a few grafts. Loose cotton caps should be used for protection form sun exposure.

SHAMPOO AND CLEANING

Your hair should be washed on the 4 day after surgery. Use lukewarm water to wash your hair. You can use baby shampoo for hair washing, lather up shampoo on your palm of your hand and pat the shampoo on the area (Do not rub) and let it be for 1 or 2 min and then the gently rinse off. After 10 day, you can shampoo normally.

• The hardest part of hair transplantation is waiting for the hair to grow.
• The hair transplanted today will not begin to grow until 3-4 months after the procedure.
• The scabs will fall off in 7-10 days along with the shaft of the hair.
• The new hair shaft will mature and add density to the areas.
• It will take 10-12 months to actually see the result of surgery since the hair grows at an average rate of 1.5 cm per month.