Does an FUE Hair Transplant Get The Same Yield As a Strip Procedure?

[tbtadmin]

After reviewing your materials I’ve made the decision to have a hair transplant, but now my biggest dilemma is whether to go with FUE or the strip harvesting method. I’m really struggling with this. I think I will need at least 3000 grafts to make a dent in my Norwood III pattern of hair loss, [...]

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[Dr. Lindsey]

No. FUE can yield excellent results and we offer these cases to patients who understand the tradeoff of FUE and Strip procedures.

First, when you excise a strip, assuming you have good technicians, you are going to get alot of high quality grafts very quickly; and they can be placed fast. Its relatively common for an established practice to be able to do 3000 graft cases in a day. My office for example currently has 6 techs and we can finish 3000 grafts by 5pm. Practices with more techs can do this more quickly, although at some point atraumatic placement becomes the rate limiting step. With FUE, the doctor has to do all of the punches, although a tech may assist in extraction. Even though we do a fair number of FUE cases, hair shafts change their angle gradually across the scalp and even the best candidate can go from an area of "100%" yield to significant loss in just a few horizontal millimeters on the scalp. So we stop frequently, extract, and reassess. This takes time....and it makes the doc tired.

Now even with the grafts are removed, at many offices including ours, the techs then clean these up under the scopes. It takes time and effort but makes better grafts.

Lastly, hairs are finicky--just like nerves are-- and the extraction process definitely stresses the root bulbs more than strip processing. Some blogs have said that this is a doc's excuse for poor results, but I definitely believe that results are less (often not much less, but less nonetheless) full than with strip procedures.

The upsides though include no linear scar, and conceivably more 3 and 4 hair grafts. I find that we get a fair number of 4s, even with a 1.0mm punch.

I hope this helps some in your decision process.

Dr. Lindsey McLean VA

[Buckerine11]

Thank you for the explanation, Dr. Lindsey. When you say less full, how much are we talking? Is there like a 50% difference? 30%? Let's say for the average strip and average FUE patient.

[Dr. Lindsey]

It varies. I think in most cases FUE gives very comparable results...conceivably better given that we often get more 3 and 4 unit grafts...

A reader may think that the "hair stress variability" thing I brought up is just a doc's excuse for a poor result, but its not. Just as when I have done large cancer surgeries and had to move the facial nerve...sometimes you can just look at that thing and a patient's face will be weak for a long time, in other cases you can maniuplate it alot(to get the tumor out) and surprise, the patient's face works fine immediately postop.

Bottom line: patient physiology varies.

Dr. Lindsey McLean VA

[SLOTHY]

so how many grafts are necessary for a NW3? i am leaning torwards a FUE procedure

[Dr. Lindsey]

it depends on the qualities of your donor hair, and if you are really a 3.... I got an email from out of state this am, saying a national chain recommended 1500 grafts...and I felt he needed at least 2500-3000.

If you are interested in my opinion, email me some pics.

Thanks

Dr. Lindsey McLean VA

[SLOTHY]

this is me with my head shaved yesterday

[Dr. Lindsey]

It all depends on your goals. If you are planning to keep a shaved, or nearly shaved head, you'll need a higher count and will need to do a "u" preserving your frontal tuft. If you grow your hair out, then you may choose to do the frontal triangles and style your hair over the center.

So, for one option...2500; the other maybe 1500. Maybe more or less, really depends on your donor region, your family history, and your goals...

That is why an in person consultation is so important.

Dr. Lindsey McLean VA

[North West Arkansas]

how many hours will take it take for hair transplant to finish? I am bit concerned with how much time will be spent so that I could file my leave from work.


North West Arkansas

[Dr. Lindsey]

Either option takes all day. I strongly recommend a week off work, but not more than a week.

Dr. Lindsey McLean VA