Which Hair Transplant Method is the Best and Why?

Which Hair Transplant Method is the Best and Why?

There is significant data that confirms the fact that the experience of balding and hair loss can have psychologically harmful effects from emotional stress and suffering to work-related, personal and social problems. People suffering from severe balding are more prone to suffering from psychological stress. According to studies, around 60 % of males and 50 % of females suffer from some form of hair loss, in their lives, especially men are more prone to going bald, due to hormonal changes and male pattern baldness. The fact of the matter is that most readily available over the counter remedies do not offer satisfying hair regrowth solutions to most patients, and patients usually want to have a permanent and lasting solution for hair loss.

Hair transplantation surgery offers the benefit of long-lasting and reliable treatment options in solving such problems of hair loss and baldness. In simple terms, hair transplant surgery involves the existing hair of a patient to be transplanted or shifted to fill areas where they may be thin hair or balding. The process involves the removal of hair follicles from areas of the scalp or body; where there may be plentiful hair; also known as “donor site”; then implanting those donor hair follicles to the areas of hair thinning or baldness, either on the scalp or on the body.

Medical professionals, since the early 1950s, started establishing the practice of hair transplantation in both the USA and Japan. However, medical practice has developed heap and bounds in the recent years and there has been great progress in the development of safe, reliable, lasting and minimum invasive methods of hair transplantation; owing to which medical practitioners are now able to restore hair with implantation on the beard, mustache and even eyebrows. With decades of experience with hair transplantation therapies, doctors have gained a better knowledge of the natural balding process and pay attention to the natural hairline patterns; thus providing a natural hair aesthetic for the patients. However, the primary complications which are still being investigated today are inconsistent hair growth and the concern of survival of hair follicular implants, post-surgery. 

Now, generally hair transplant surgical methods involve 4 basic stages:

• The examination - Before the transplant, the medical professional will examine the bald or balding areas, possible donor areas and thus in accordance, determine the number of grafts you can receive, depending on factors like; hair type, area, and size of the transplant site, hair quality including hair thickness and color.

• Follicular extraction from the donor site – The process of extracting donor hair follicles with minor surgery or follicular extractors and preparing them for implantation. 

• Preparation of donor-recipient site – preparing the site where donor hair follicles are planned on being grafted

• Grafting or implanting of donor follicles – the actual process of grafting of hair follicles into the balding or bald area. 

We understand that a hair transplant surgery can transform a patient's persona and aesthetic; boosting their morale and confidence, but before you embark on this journey, we would like you to consider reviewing the doctors, medical teams, transplantation methods, and related prices. 

Hair Transplantation Surgeries - Methods and Costs

 

Now, we will attempt to examine the different types of hair transplantation methods, used today and how these methods compare to each other in terms of hair regrowth and overall hair aesthetics.

FUT also is known as follicular unit strip surgery (FUSS)

This was the first established and standardized method for hair transplantation throughout the world. In this method the medical professional removes a strip from the scalp of the patient, of about 6 to 10 inches, containing hair follicles; generally from the backside of the scalp – follicular extraction. After surgically closing the donor strip area, the medical professionals, separate the donor follicular strip into several smaller fragments called graft. They may split the donor follicular scalp into as much as 2000 grafts with some might containing just one hair each. Utilizing a surgical blade or a needle instrument, the medical professional would make small incisions on the scalp or the recipient area, where the hair follicles are to be implanted – preparation of the donor-recipient site. Then the smaller follicular pieces are carefully inserted into the incision holes, earlier made; a process called grafting. Once all the donor hair follicles have been completely implanted or grafted; the surgical sites are bandaged or gauzed. 

 

Follicular unit extraction (FUE)

Similar to the FUT method of hair transplantation; an FUE method involves the same method and technique; with the main difference of the extraction or harvesting of hair follicles. Primarily, in such a method the medical professional, shaves the donor site and individually extracts hair follicles, out from the scalp or donor skin. With FUE, the extraction process involves a circular incision of a diameter of 0.7mm-0.8mm around each follicular unit of 1 to 4 hair follicles; for both the extraction and its implantation to the balding area of the scalp. The advantage of this process is that very smaller holes remain on the donor area and it allows medical professionals to extract individual follicular units while ensuring the minimum of peripheral damage to the donor site. Although, it may leave small marks on the skin from where the follicles were removed but are less invasive than FUT; where a whole 6 to 10-inch strip is extracted which firstly, causes a linear incision scar on the donor area and secondly, requires longer recovery times for healing because of the follicular extraction process. Thus, in comparison, FUE allows for more precise harvesting of hair follicles and limits any visible scar formation in the process. Similar to the FUT process, the medical professional then prepare the recipient site with small circular holes of the same size as the FUE extractor; 0.7 to 0.8mm, and implants the donor hair follicles. In so doing, covering the surgical area with bandage or gauze. Furthermore, it is established that FUE can mimic natural hair growth because the transplanted hair follicles regrow in their naturally occurring groups of 1-4 hairs follicles. Thus, when highly skilled medical professionals apply this method, FUE can provide a much refined, undetectable and natural hair aesthetic result and can also help patients to recover hair for hairlines, temples, sides and even eyebrows. 

 

FUE “Sapphire”

This method is an innovative update to the FUE method, and follows the same standard protocols of a regular FUE treatment, but involves the use of specialist equipment which allows for much better overall hair transplantation and aesthetic result. As its name gives it away, FUE “Sapphire” utilizes a specially formed blade from the valuable gemstone “Sapphire”; instead of the regular steel blades, for the preparation of the follicular recipient site. Due to the V- shape of the sapphire blades, instead of the U-shaped steel blades, the sharper edges of the sapphire blades allow for more accurate incisions which result in smaller channels and the process eliminates the risk of irritation to neighboring hair follicles. This works very positively for patients who recently suffered from hair loss, as the blades do not irritate neighboring hair follicles; thereby retaining hair density. In comparison to steel blades which may lose their sharpness

and cause tissue loss, sapphire blades are durable and do not lose their sharpness over time; hence do not cause any tissue loss or trauma. Additionally, sapphire blades are antibacterial and do not upset blood circulation in the treatment areas. It must be noted that for a more natural aesthetic, the donor follicles must be anchored correctly and in a natural hair direction of the patient; and with the use of sapphire blades, there is no disturbance to the blood circulation and the quality of the recipient tissue; thus, donor hair follicle are grafted or anchored in a natural hair pattern, on the hair recipient site. Furthermore, as the sapphire blades allow to open channels for hair grafts at a micro level it reduces recovery times for patients and the risk of donor hair follicles to dislodge or lose position and/or angle is limited as well.  From a medical professional, point of view, the sapphire blades reduce the vibration caused while making incisions; in comparison to standard FUE steel blades; this, in turn, helps to keep difficulties like trauma and tissue damage at an insignificant level. 

 

Direct Hair Implantation (DHI)

This state-of-the-art method offers the most natural hair aesthetic, currently. It involves the medical practitioner extracting hair follicles from the donor site, by utilizing a sophisticated hair extractor device, which has a diameter of less than 1mm. This single-use extractor and implanter device, allows the extracted hair follicles to be directly grafted into the bald or balding donor-recipient area; thereby reducing the time the hair follicles are placed outside the body and hence, greatly lessens the chances of follicular redundancy or death. Furthermore, it allows the medical practitioner, a greater degree of control, during the surgery and helps in ensuring that the implantation was at an accurate depth, angle, and direction; thus giving a more natural aesthetic result of the hair transplantation surgery. The recovery time for DHI is around a day, as the procedure is carried out under local anesthesia and is painless; thus patients can return to their daily routine, the very next day. The major difference between DHI and FUE is the technique used for the extraction and grafting of the donor hair follicles; utilizing a specialist patented tool which implants each hair follicles, one at a time thereby eliminating the need of any incisions and subsequent scarring. Thus, it is easy to conclude that DHI offers substantial advantages in comparison to FUE. Firstly, it eliminates any scaring, as with the revolutionary extractor and grating device, there is no need for any incision and subsequent scaring. Secondly, due to the accuracy and control, it offers the medication practitioner, the over hair transplant aesthetic is more natural. Thirdly, as there are no incisions and scars, the recovery times are much shorter. Fourthly, it is recorded that DHI has a very high survival rate of hair follicles, of more than 90%, owing to the short period it spends outside and gets grafted immediately. Lastly, the only disadvantage with DHI is that the surgical procedure is very time-consuming since the medical practitioner has to individually extract and implant each follicle, one at a time. Thus, on averages, a graft of 3000 hair follicles with DHI can last up to 10 hours, in comparison to FUE which can conclude the same amount of grafts in around 6 hours.

Why BulMD?

BulMD medical tourism is the number one search portal for medical treatment options in Turkey. We are connecting doctors and patients, bridging the language gap and provide the best care for our patients possible. We keep a close eye and regularly conduct audits of the medical clinics and hospitals we work with ourselves. We only work JCI certified medical facilities with a google score of 4.5 and above; to provide the highest quality and satisfaction to our patients.

BulMD strives to provide its patient’s with world-class healthcare services; serving patients from all over the world, coming to turkey from over 90 countries. We are providing healthcare services with more than 3 hospitals and several medical clinics in Istanbul, Turkey.

Our medical top of the class hair transplant package is specially tailored to make your surgical experience as comfortable and stress-free as possible. Our packages include everything from VIP airport transfers to Hotel accommodation, specially tailored to the needs of our international patients. Furthermore, our expert patient’s consultants are always ready and available 24/7 to assist our patients in their native languages.  

We understand that hair transplant is a surgery that can transform a patient, but before you embark on this journey, we would like you to consider glancing at the doctors, medical teams, transplantation methods, and related prices. 

 

To find out more about the best Turkish Hair transplant clinics and their relative costs

Best Hair Transplant Clinics & Costs in Turkey

Read more about why Turkey is a leading hotspot for Hair Transplant surgeries

Why get a Hair Transplant Surgery in Turkey?

For more information regarding Hair Transplant surgeries and which methods would best suit your situation, please contact us at [email protected] 

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For direct consultation, please contact our expert patient consultants via phone or WhatsApp: +90 531 988 3090