Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) is a minimally invasive hair transplant technique that involves extracting hair follicles from the safe donor area individually and implanting said hair follicles into the recipient area one at a time. Although the FUE hair transplant method is more time-intensive, it results in minimal, non-visible scarring and shorter recovery periods. Patients who choose the FUE method can expect more natural looking results. It is the preferred method of hair transplantation of qualified dermatologists across the world.
FUE Hair Transplant technique developed in 2004 and gradually improved particularly after launching the motor-based FUE in 2010.
Dr. Civas has been performing FUE operations since 2006. In 2006 he could only extract 1500 to 2000 grafts using FUE. However, due to advancements in medical technology, by 2010, he was able to extract a total of 2700-4000 grafts per day, depending on the patient’s available donor hair..
During FUE hair transplant, the surgeon directly harvests individual follicular units from the donor area, which eliminate the need for a linear incision.
During this procedure, the surgeon uses 0.6mm-1mm punches to make small circular incision around the upper part of the graft, and then directly extracts it from the scalp.
This technique does not leave a linear scar, making it good for patients who want to wear their hair short. Additionally, it’s suitable for patients who have healed poorly from traditional strip harvesting or have a very tight scalp. This method is mainly used to hide a long scar from a previous hair transplant surgery.
A significant advance in Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE hair transplant) has been the addition of “blunt” dissection to the original technique of “sharp” dissection followed by extraction.
Dr. Harris presented the three-step technique at the ISHRS in 2004. In this technique, first, the surgeon uses a sharp punch to score the epidermis, cutting only the upper part of the skin. Second, the surgeon uses a blunt punch to separate the follicular unit grafts from the surrounding deeper dermis. And finally, the surgeon removes the follicular graft from the scalp using fine forceps.
This method is better than the old one because it reduces damage to the follicle.
The blunt-tipped punch pushes the follicles together, reducing the risk of cutting them off.
Removing and transplanting grafts safely is crucial for achieving the desired result. A good hair transplant surgeon must design the hairline and the angulation of incisions very carefully to ensure that the results are undetectable. That’s why finding a skilled hair transplant surgeon is essential.
Please keep in mind that hair transplantation requires both medical expertise and artistic skill, which directly depend on the ability of the hair transplant surgeon.
Dr. Civas is an expert FUE hair transplant surgeon. He has interacted with over tens of thousands of hair loss patients in over 20 years of hair transplantation and dermatological experience.
His constant education and experiences have made him develop a modified FUE technique which he uses on his hair replacement patients.
The FUE technique obtains hair follicles one by one from the donor area by making tiny incisions around the hair follicles and extracting them with special punches.
We recommend the modified FUE technique because of its benefits, like:
Some features of the modified FUE technique are:
The major advantages of the modified FUE technique are:
Sapphire hair transplantation performed using special devices manufactured from the gemstone sapphire/ sapphire mineral via FUE technique, resulting in a better and perfectly natural looking finish. During Sapphire FUE technique, hair follicles are taken with the FUE technique, before being placed in the bald area, micro channels are opened into the scalp of the recipient and the follicles are implanted in these minuscule channels.
The change and increase in technology advancements taking place on a day to day basis, has paved the way for the development of new, more innovative hair transplant techniques. This technique has significantly shaped the landscape of modern hair transplantation. With sapphire hair transplantation, you can reach the quality of hair you desire and the strong image appearance.
Sapphire Hair Transplant uses blades made of sapphire instead of regular steel blades to create incisions on the scalp for implantation. It uses sapphire stone as the material for the blades; this influences the shape of the blade and consequently the overall end result.
Sapphire blades have a V-shaped pin as opposed to the regular U-shaped pin of steel blades. This sharp edge of sapphire blades however helps make more accurate incisions resulting in smaller channels; and thereby eliminating the risk of irritating the neighbor hair follicles and scarring.
All cuts during a hair transplant procedure will leave some degree of scarring but the good news is with sapphire FUE the scarring is less and almost invisible. It is best to discuss the details of the procedure with your surgeon since all doctors have slightly different pre and post operative instructions.
The duration of a sapphire FUE hair transplant depends on how many grafts needed to be extracted and transplanted, if the grafts are many in number the duration is more than the usual time and vice versa but it normally takes 8-10 hours on average for it to be completed.
You should know beforehand if you are a suitable candidate for Sapphire FUE hair transplant. During our online consultations, the foreign representatives provide all the information as advised by the main surgeon. Deciding to undergo a hair transplantation procedure does not automatically make you a candidate for the operation as there are several parameters.
The following factors should be considered for good candidacy:
U-FUE stands for Unshaven FUE Hair Transplant or Undetectable FUE, where hair transplantation is done without shaving the donor or the recipient area. In the traditional FUE, all hair must be shaved to facilitate extraction and placement of grafts since most of the hair transplant surgery equipment only works with shaven hair.
In U-FUE, there are several variations of U-FUE that are currently being practiced. In some practices only the grafts to be extracted are cut then extracted, while the rest of the hair stays untouched.
In some practices, the donor hair is extracted in its original length and is implanted as long hair to minimize the downtime. Both approaches are limited in terms of the number of grafts that can be transplanted in one session. This procedure tends to be more involving hence slower than the traditional FUE.
In another variation that we practice, the donor hair is shaved, but the recipient area is not; so the grafts are transplanted within existing hair. In this variation, you can achieve maximum graft transfer compared to the other 2 variations.
The major advantage of U-FUE is that it limits the downtime, and reduces the degree of detection. However there is still a slight chance of traces of the surgery to be noticed on the recipient area.
If the patient has long hair, the scabs and redness can be concealed by their existing hair. The disadvantages are it is more involving and cumbersome, the procedure takes longer, less grafts can be obtained with this method and it is more expensive. With an experienced hair transplant doctor, you can get great results with the least inconvenience.
The cost of U-FUE is 1.5€ per graft. The average number of grafts that can be transplanted by this method is 2000-2500 grafts. Take a look at the cost of transplant in Turkey page to compare the costs of other procedures.
FUE and FUT are the main techniques used to harvest follicles from the donor region. FUE involves extracting grafts one by one from the donor area using special instruments. FUT involves dissecting the grafts from a strip of the scalp obtained from the back or the sides of the head. In both procedures, the traces of the hair transplant are visible only for a week. Patients can resume normal daily activities the second day following the procedure, new hair growth starts to appear in 2 to 3 months and is generally completed in 10 to 12 months. See hair transplant procedure.
Please beware that surgeons that are not fully qualified in both techniques would probably just offer one technique. It is better to select a physician that is able to do both techniques at expert level. With a well-trained hair transplant technician and a hair transplant surgeon, quick healing, minimal trauma, natural angles, direction and the distribution of grafts can be easily achieved in both FUE and FUT. Dr Civas, an ABHRS (American Board of Hair Restoration Surgery) certified surgeon, has an artistic hand and expert skills that always bring out natural looking results with both FUE and FUT.
This section summarizes a comparison of the two techniques. When comparing FUE and FUT / strip technique patients should consider the following:
In Robotic FUE graft extraction is done with a specific punch with a motor in which you the surgeon can automatically set-up the speed of the turn. This method tremendously speeds up harvesting so that around 1000 or more grafts can be extracted in an hour. Today, the technique is still evolving with the computer-assisted robotic FUE which allows selecting the healthiest grafts through its image processing intelligence. However, if Robotic FUE is performed by inexperienced physicians and technicians the results could be substandard, with problems like low graft survival and visible scarring. Another disadvantage is that the heat emitted from the device may damage the grafts.
Currently, the most advanced robotic system is the ARTAS system. Harvesting of the grafts is made more efficient by the precision of the robot. The physician controls the specifications of the robot in relation to the patients hair. The robot then extracts the grafts faster and more accurately. It can also be used to create recipient sites where the grafts will be placed.
The advantages of Robotic FUE;
We have not yet invested in the robotic technology in our practice. As of now, all our procedures are manual. As the technology improves, we intend to train out team within the next few years and adapt to the new technology.
The First Night And A Day After The Procedure:
Within 2 Weeks After The Procedure:
I visited Dr Civas’ Hair Transplangt Center twice; first time in 2021 and recently in February 2023. I was referred to the clinic by a friend who had a great experience a{...}
12.08.2023I have just had a hair transplant and am amazed by the professionalism and super service, from the first contact to the operation and following checkups. Everyone has bee{...}
07.09.2023The trip to Ankara and the clinic was great. The clinic staff was friendly and took good care of me throughout the trip. A little over a year has passed since the operati{...}
07.09.2023