If you’ve been considering a hair transplant, you might be wondering what method will best suit you and your hair. The answer ultimately depends on what you’re looking for, your hair loss pattern and, of course, the hair transplant UK company you choose. Despite these variables, there are plenty of methods available and there is likely to be one that suits you. For now, we’re taking a look at four of the most common procedures:
Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE)
Follicular Unit Extraction, more commonly referred to as just ‘FUE’, is considered to be the standard method of hair transplantation in most clinics in the UK. This technique sees individual follicular units extracted from the scalp using tiny, circular incisions. This is usually done using a punch tool, after which the units are extracted using medical-grade tweezers. The hair is typically extracted from the back or sides of the head, depending on where you experience the best level of growth.
Following the extraction, the grafts can often be grouped depending on the number of the hairs present to make producing a natural look far easier when implanting them back into the scalp.
In order to implant the follicles, small incisions of no more than 1mm are made in the scalp using microneedles, after which the units are transplanted into the cuts at an angle that matches natural growth. The use of microneedles allows for precise placement that doesn’t risk damage to the other follicles present at the recipient site.
Recovery typically only takes a couple of hours and your scalp will be fully healed with minimal or no scarring within a few days. Growth will begin to show between 3-6 months, according to the hair growth cycle.
Follicular Unit Transplantation (FUT)
Follicular Unit Transplantation is an older method but offers high follicle yield and precise dissection of each unit. The process sees the surgeon remove a small strip of skin at the back of the scalp from which to remove the hair follicles, after which a high-precision microscope is used to determine and dissect the harvested units.
Once the grafts have been harvested, they are transplanted into the recipient site in a similar manner to FUE. This procedure is beneficial to those wanting high hair density at the recipient area, as the graft yield can often be higher than FUE.
Direct Hair Implantation
Direct Hair Implantation is a relatively new method of hair transplantation. This innovative process sees the use of the Choi Implanter Pen to extract and implant the follicles in a much more precise and accurate manner than FUT or FUE. The implanter pen offers patients a method that puts less stress on their scalp but unfortunately, isn’t available for every patient. It is designed to tackle small areas of hair loss or thinning and may take longer than other traditional methods due to only having one surgeon perform the procedure.
PRP Injection
PRP injections are a little different. While not strictly considered to be a hair transplant method, this treatment can help improve the natural growth of your hair by using your own blood. If you opt for PRP, you will have blood drawn, which will be put into a centrifuge to spin. This separates the blood, leaving layers of red blood cells, platelet-poor plasma and platelet-rich plasma – it’s the latter that will be injected into your scalp to promote healthier and stronger hair growth.
Platelets are the driving force between healing in our bodies and when used for hair transplants, either as a treatment on its own or to accompany a standard hair transplant, it can encourage healthier growth.
If you are unsure about the best method for you, you can speak to a clinician during your consultation. They will be able to inform you of the right method, and how successful a hair transplant is likely to be for you and your hair loss pattern.
