Small scale FUE Sessions

[Thinning@30]

I've read that some patients find out too late that they are not good candidates for HTs. For unknown reasons, they either don't heal properly, their implanted grafts do not take, or their scalp characteristics result in a high rate of transected hairs. Often the explanation given by the surgeon is the patient's physiology was unsuitable for HT.

I am wondering why clinics don't offer small-scale FUE sessions of say 100 to 200 grafts that patients could stagger several months apart. Having a small FUE session and then waiting several months would give patients and their surgeons an opportunity to see how they respond to FUE. Similarly, could the clinics perform a test session of about 1 cm several months before performing a large scale session of 1500+ grafts? If the grafts do not grow or the donor site does not heal properly, the patient would have a chance to reassess whether to continue with HT or with that particular surgeon before the damage to the scalp becomes too noticeable.

I realize this would not be an option for everyone. Obviously, it wouldn't work with strip procedures. In addition, some patients have to thousands of miles to their desired clinic, and others may not want to endure the prolonged recovery times this would entail. But assuming a patient had the tiime, $$, and there was a clinic nearby, why isn't this an option?

[Mr. 4000]

I've read that some patients find out too late that they are not good candidates for HTs. For unknown reasons, they either don't heal properly, their implanted grafts do not take, or their scalp characteristics result in a high rate of transected hairs. Often the explanation given by the surgeon is the patient's physiology was unsuitable for HT.

I am wondering why clinics don't offer small-scale FUE sessions of say 100 to 200 grafts that patients could stagger several months apart. Having a small FUE session and then waiting several months would give patients and their surgeons an opportunity to see how they respond to FUE. Similarly, could the clinics perform a test session of about 1 cm several months before performing a large scale session of 1500+ grafts? If the grafts do not grow or the donor site does not heal properly, the patient would have a chance to reassess whether to continue with HT or with that particular surgeon before the damage to the scalp becomes too noticeable.

I realize this would not be an option for everyone. Obviously, it wouldn't work with strip procedures. In addition, some patients have to thousands of miles to their desired clinic, and others may not want to endure the prolonged recovery times this would entail. But assuming a patient had the tiime, $$, and there was a clinic nearby, why isn't this an option?

because they only care about the money, and they don't give a bleep about patients

[Follicle Death Row]

I've read that some patients find out too late that they are not good candidates for HTs. For unknown reasons, they either don't heal properly, their implanted grafts do not take, or their scalp characteristics result in a high rate of transected hairs. Often the explanation given by the surgeon is the patient's physiology was unsuitable for HT.

I am wondering why clinics don't offer small-scale FUE sessions of say 100 to 200 grafts that patients could stagger several months apart. Having a small FUE session and then waiting several months would give patients and their surgeons an opportunity to see how they respond to FUE. Similarly, could the clinics perform a test session of about 1 cm several months before performing a large scale session of 1500+ grafts? If the grafts do not grow or the donor site does not heal properly, the patient would have a chance to reassess whether to continue with HT or with that particular surgeon before the damage to the scalp becomes too noticeable.

I realize this would not be an option for everyone. Obviously, it wouldn't work with strip procedures. In addition, some patients have to thousands of miles to their desired clinic, and others may not want to endure the prolonged recovery times this would entail. But assuming a patient had the tiime, $$, and there was a clinic nearby, why isn't this an option?

In fairness, some docs will. I know Dr. Feller has said if a patient wants to do FUE he'll do a few test grafts and if they're good (as in he can tell from the extraction if it's viable) he'll go ahead with the session and if it's not viable he will offer them the alternative of strip.

[Surgassist]

Actually, Dr. Keene does offer to do FUE test grafts on patients, for example, on patients who have a lot of scar tissue. In the past, many patients were very concerned with why doctors would be willing to do small surgeries because a very small surgery, for example, of 100 grafts, doesn't result in much of a cosmetic difference for the patient. But doing FUE test grafts can be helpful for some patients.