FUE Is Best For Caucasian And Asian (non-curly) Hair
FUE hair transplant surgery, also known as Follicular Unit of Extraction, involves the pulling of one hair root of 1 mm or less diameter at a time without cutting open the scalp. FUE hair surgery is the most advanced technology available and the least invasive of the two current harvesting techniques, FUT (Follicular Unit Transplantation) or “Strip method” and FUE. The FUT procedure entails cutting a strip of skin with hair in the donor area, resulting in a linear scar running across the scalp from one ear to the other. Learn more about the pros and cons of the FUE and FUT procedures. In theory, FUE harvesting on straight hair is easier than curly hair. Caucasian hair roots tend to be easiest to harvest because the hair follicles are thin and short with soft skin and surrounding connective tissue. This creates less resistance when hair grafts are pulled out, leading to less of a transection. It is harder to harvest Asian hair roots than Caucasian hair follicles because Asian hair roots are often thicker and longer with tougher skin and stronger surrounding connective tissue, making them more resistant to extraction. Black African hair follicles are the most difficult to harvest because the hair follicle is curly with very tough skin and strong surrounding connective tissue. The FUE extractor can adapt to different widths of ethnic hair by adjusting the diameter of the FUE tip from 0.8-1.0 mm. The length of the extractor tip can also be adjusted for shorter or longer hair roots for better extraction. Precise angle adjustment is very important for intact hair root harvesting.
The difficulties involved with harvesting by the FUE method depend on the client’s hair angle, skin, and surrounding connective tissue resiliency. Some hair might appear straight, but the hair root may lie slightly bent to the left, or right, or any angle underneath the skin. Some hair roots may bend at inconsistent angles of varying degrees. When the hair angle is not consistent, there will be a higher transection rate. The longer the hair root, the deeper the FUE instrument is needed to enter the scalp for extraction which can lead to a higher risk of inaccuracy. Tough skin with strong surrounding connective tissue and weak, soft hair follicles can cause hair grafts to break more easily during removal. The stronger the grafts, the better chance they will remain intact while being pulled out of the scalp.
There are many types of FUE instruments such as a manual FUE tool, motorized FUE tool, Neo grafts, and Robotics or Artas. The hair transplant doctor who specialize in the art of FUE hair surgery tend to perform the extraction themselves, ensuring better yield with healthier grafts. As one of the very few hair transplant surgeons who specializes in the art of FUE harvest, Dr. Diep has invented his own technique called ”DFC” or “Diep FUE Curve”. Using the DFC technique, he is able to successfully harvest straight, wavy, or curly hair. Due to the doctor’s experience and FUE expertise, Dr. Diep is known as an FUE specialist not only for straight Caucasian and Asian hair, but also for wavy or curly Black African-American hair roots.
FUE is an art form and is the most advanced, least invasive hair surgery available. The technique is gaining popularity because it leaves less visible scars than the FUT procedure. This allows an individual to comfortably wear his or her hair short without worrying about an obvious or embarrassing scar. FUE works best on clients with mild to moderate hair loss, while FUT, with the ability to harvest large number of grafts up to 5,000 hair grafts, can be very effective for advanced stages of hair loss. FUE can also be done on severe hair loss, but multiple surgeries are needed because only 2,500-3,000 hair grafts can be harvested per day. Both the FUE and FUT methods work well and Dr. Diep performs both techniques daily. The choice between FUE or FUT is personal for each individual client and the decision is usually dictated by price, the amount of scarring, and recovery time.