FUE on curly hair?

[saska]

Hi all,

I'm considering an HT and the only procedure I can think of is FUE (as I wouldn't want to have a scar). I'm about NW 4-5 and may progress to NW6 in future. My donor density is 80 fu/cm2 according to 3 different HT surgeons with whom I had consulations with recently.

Now the question is: Am I good a candidate for FUE? Especially for the fact that my hair are a bit curly.

Looking forward to get valuable comments.

Thanks:

[mattj]

FUE can be performed on patients with curly hair. It's somewhat more challenging, but certainly doesn't rule you out as a patient.

Your Norwood level would be the main thing counting against you being a suitable FUE candidate. As a NW4-5 you would need a lot of grafts to achieve good coverage and density. As you might know, FUE is much more time consuming than strip, and therefore more expensive. You must also be aware that a high number of FUE extractions can lead to the donor area looking thinner.

FUE isn't truly scarless. Many patients have little in the way of real, visible scarring, but as this cannot be guaranteed then ethical surgeons don't advertise the procedure as scarless. However, to many patients, the tiny extraction scars are preferable to a linear strip scar, and healing is also quicker.

So as a patient with a fairly advanced balding pattern, strip would probably be your best option. However, FUE is possible as long as you consider some of the things I've mentioned and have the funds to meet the higher surgery costs.

[saska]

Thanks mattj for giving such an elaborative response.

I understand that being NW 4-5 I would need lots of grafts. I had consultation with one doctor here in canada and I was told I would need around 5000-6000 grafts to cover the frontal third with good coverage and the crown a bit less. And as my donor is around 80 fu/cm2 so there are enough grafts available according to the doctor. As for the budget thing, that is not an issue as I have enough funds to go for FUE. I'm also Ok with having 2 or 3 surgeries rathar than going for one big procedure.

Now having said that: Being curly haired, should I drop the idea of FUE altogether or can I still consider it? What is rough yield rate with FUE? And how much could it decrease when the hair nature is curly?