Permanent Hair Loss Solution
Hair Transplant Adelaide
Hair Transplant using FUE and FUT technique
Patients researching and considering hair transplant procedures can find that there are two terms most often used; they are follicular unit extraction (FUE) and follicular unit transplantation (FUT) or strip.
The implantation process is identical: Each follicular graft is placed skillfully one by one into the thinning areas to give a natural undetectable result. The primary difference between FUE and FUT is the way in which hair follicles are extracted from the back of your head (also known as the “donor area”). However, there are other differences between the two methods to consider when deciding which method is best for you.
How Hair Follicles Are Extracted
FUE
During the FUE procedure, hairs are extracted individually, using advanced minimally-invasive technology. No cutting, no stitching, and no line of scarring with very little to no post-procedure pain. With FUE it is not necessary to shave your head, although this can be useful. FUE is performed for people who will never need more than 3000 grafts in a lifetime or for people wanting to wear their hair short. Fue is also great for smaller, cost-effective procedures that you can gradually build on to suit your budget, and with no downtime.
1. Punch Incision
Tiny punch incisions are made, using millimetric surgical instruments, around the individual follicular units, from the prepared donor area. This cleanly isolates the graft for extraction.
2. Extraction of Follicular Units
Each of the isolated grafts is carefully extracted from the scalp, using very fine forceps that can cleanly grip the follicular unit.
3. Harvesting of grafts
Trained technicians work with high-powered microscopes to examine and prepare the extracted follicular grafts for placement. Each graft is grouped based on the number of hairs within each follicle.
4. Implantation of grafts
Small incisions are made to the recipient area, to match the natural hair growth pattern. The grafts are strategically placed one by one, based on the numbers of hairs that are within each follicle.
How Hair Follicles Are Extracted
FUT
FUT involves removing a horizontal strip of skin, about 1.5 cm wide from the back and suturing it closed. This is a very simple skin removal procedure under local anaesthetic. This can leave a horizontal white line or scar that usually varies from 1mm to 3mm in width and is the traditional way of harvesting follicles. Sometimes the line is very hard to find, even by hairdressers.
During FUT we do not shave your donor area and your existing hair simply hides where the graft tissue has been accessed. FUT hair transplant is very well tolerated and we can harvest bulk grafts in one day, up to 4000 grafts.
A No.3 hair length is enough to hide the line scar which is placed high in the hairline so you can still have a number 1 haircut just above the ear, or “short back and sides”
1. Strip harvesting
Strip harvesting is the most common technique for removing hair and follicles from a donor site. The doctor harvests a strip of skin from the posterior scalp, in an area of good hair growth.
2. Strip Slivering
The first step in stereo-microscopic dissection is a process called “slivering”. In slivering, the dissector divides the long donor strip into smaller sections of approximately 2-2.5mm in width. The sectioning is accomplished by passing a scalpel blade through the spaces around follicular units. This technique generates smaller pieces of hair-bearing tissue without breaking up follicular units and without transecting hair.
3. Grafts Dissection
One of the most important aspects of FUT Hair Transplant surgery is stereo-microscopic dissection. This allows follicular units to be removed from the donor strip without being broken or damaged.
4. Grafts Insertion
Grafts containing hair follicles that are genetically resistant to balding (like the back of the head) are transplanted to the balding areas of scalp.
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Implantation
The hair is prepped for implantation by a team of highly skilled hair transplant medical technicians. Once prepared for implantation the follicles that are judged to have the highest chance of survival are placed into the recipient area. This step is crucial for the final outcome.
How Hair Follicles Are Implanted
In both the FUE and FUT procedures, when the follicular grafts are ready, microscopic incisions are made in your thinning areas (recipient areas) and the new grafts are placed carefully into the area on an angle that matches your natural hair growth pattern to maximize the naturalness, density, and coverage of the thinning areas, which is especially important for natural hairline re-creation.
It sounds complex, but to experienced doctors who perform hair transplants like we do, it is easy for us to give you the procedure that best suits you.
All of our hair transplants are individually tailored just for you.
What to expect on your Hair Transplant procedure day
Both FUE and FUT are easily tolerable with local anaesthesia. Our patient care team prides itself on patient comfort and safety during and after your procedure. In fact, you can sleep, watch TV, movies, or listen to your favourite music while we work. Lunch and refreshments are provided throughout the day.
Is there Scarring?
FUE procedures don’t require stitches, and the tiny extraction sites leave virtually no detectable scars. These sites are easily concealed with longer, neighbouring hair. These will heal by themselves, typically within three to seven days. The FUE procedure is often preferred by those who want to wear their hair very short.
FUT procedures result in a fine scar on the back of the head that is easily concealed with the hair worn at a half inch or longer. Healing is prompt with both procedures.
There are key advantages to using each technique which are based upon several factors unique to each patient. At epiclinic®, Dr. Molton offers both procedures with a focus on using the FUE technique for patients undergoing hairline lowering, gap filling, designing and shaping.
We welcome you to our clinic and will be here to support you every step of the way through your hair transplant journey. It gives us much pleasure to see our patients with new found confidence.
About the epiclinic Hair Transplant Team
As an Accredited Medical Clinic with The Australian Council of Healthcare Standards our Hair Transplants are performed by the most highly skilled team using our advanced techniques and technology.
Dr Molton has been performing Hair Transplants for 28 years.
Dr Molton’s team of advanced hair transplant nurses and clinicians have been performing hair transplants for 18 years and have worked with the most renowned surgeons worldwide.
We love what we do and value every individuals journey. Watch our video below of a typical Hair Transplant Consultation with Dr Molton, where he answers the most common questions and concerns.
At epiclinic®, patient care is a priority. That’s why we offer a personalised treatment plan that is tailored to the individual. Our team will always ensure you are looked after and all your questions are answered.
Hair Transplant: Quick Facts
WHAT EXACTLY IS HAIR TRANSPLANT PROCEDURE?
At Hair Transplants Adelaide we move your hair follicles from one area of the scalp (the safe zone) to another area. The safe zone contains healthy hair roots (follicles) that are not part of hair loss patterns and will regrow permanently when placed in another area. It is not the skin of the hair loss area that is the problem in balding, it is the follicles or roots that are weakened in that area. Follicles from the safe zone will grow in almost any area and continue to grow skin, even in scars.
As soon as the new follicles grow in their new location, they are healthy, normal and active and will continue to grow for the rest of your life. The re-located transplanted hair is your natural hair now and continues to grow just as it did from where the graft was taken.
WHERE DO THE HAIR FOLLICLES COME FROM?
Most of the time the donor area is at the sides or back of the head where the hair follicles are resistant to thinning. Even when these follicles are transplanted into a bald area, they preserve their hair growing qualities and do not suffer from the effects of the metabolic processes that cause inherited male pattern baldness. This area is called the safe zone and is the basis of all permanent hair transplants.
HOW MANY GRAFTS WILL I NEED?
It really depends on the area that needs to be covered. Some approximates:
Crown 800 grafts
Front corners 1200 grafts
Front to crown thinning 2000 grafts
Front to crown with lots of hair loss 2400 grafts
Top of head with little hair or patchy baldness 3000 grafts
Totally bald 3200-4000 grafts Remember one graft has an average 2 hairs in it.
HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE FOR MY NEW HAIR TO GROW?
Shortly after your hair transplant procedure, the actual hairs will pass into a resting phase. New hairs begin to grow at 4 months after being relocated by us. Between 4-6 months there is a significant growth spurt and by 6 months about 60% can be seen growing into mature hairs. It takes 12-14 months depending on your hair length for full growth. While it’s growing, it blends in with all the hair around it, so it’s actually like hair loss in reverse.
WHEN CAN I GO BACK TO WORK?
A lot of our patients go back to work the following day. The skin is pink for a week or so but can be covered by surrounding hair, caps or scarfs for women.
DO I NEED ANY SPECIAL CARE AFTER HAIR TRANSPLANT?
The new grafts need to be protected for approximately 7 days after the transplant. The scalp can be washed gently the day after the procedure. Hair Transplants Adelaide will provide you with post care instructions. Basically, the grafts look after themselves, just no sport so you don’t knock them during the first seven days. After that, you can return to normal activities, including sport and recreation. We encourage you to wash your hair with the special shampoo and conditioner we provide to use at home, at this time. We recommend to continue to use these products to maintain the healthy environment of the scalp, not only for the transplanted follicles, but to help preserve your existing hair growth. Showering daily is advised, without rubbing the scalp , air-travel is ok the next day, other hair can be combed the next day. It’s a lot simpler than people think.
CAN I HAVE MORE TRANSPLANTS LATER IN LIFE ?
Yes. The average male with a balding pattern will have two lifetime transplants. Time between strip methods is 10 months and FUE is much sooner. Eyebrow transplants often take two sessions to complete, about 4 months apart.
HAIR TRANSPLANT: THE PROCEDURE
During the procedure, stinging occurs during the local anaesthetic injections, lasting several seconds each time. You may experience a mild headache in the afternoon of the procedure. We can provide analgesia for this. If you suffer from low back pain, we keep you comfortable with pillows and posture changes as well as analgesia.
HAIR TRANSPLANT AND PAIN
Mild to moderate pain at the donor area can occur for FUT (strip) surgery. You will require over the counter pain medication and perhaps prescription pain medication for a week or two. Pain is variable amongst individuals. But this should not be severe. Remember to follow the instructions on the packet. Our aim is to keep you as comfortable as possible during the initial healing phase. FUE procedures are far less painful afterwards with many people describing no pain at all. This is one of the advantages of FUE.
BLEEDING
Bleeding or spotting can occur from the donor site or recipient site for the first few days or so. This can occur after a shower if the scalp is rubbed or if the scalp is picked or knocked. Mild pressure resolves this.
CRUSTING AND SHEDDING
Crusting and shedding of the exposed piece of the graft occur over the first few weeks. Tiny dry pieces of skin, some containing a tiny hair fragment will shed from the recipient area like dandruff. The hair roots are buried under the skin where they remain. Most grafts will reject the tiny hair that is in place. Crusting of the stitched area occurs and resolves by itself over 4 weeks.
PRP
PRP, or platelet rich plasma is thought to enrich the scalp during the hair transplant procedure. This involves harvesting blood direct from the patient, just like having a blood test, while the grafts are being prepared for transplantation. A no-touch process separates the platelets from the blood specimen which remains sterile throughout collection and processing. Your own PRP is then introduced into the access points where the transplanted grafts are to be placed. Many hair transplant doctors believe PRP provides additional nutrition to the transplanted follicles to provide superior results.
HAIR TRANSPLANT COST
New Patient consultations $125
HAIR TRANSPLANTATION PRICES
| Grafts | FUT | FUE |
|---|---|---|
| 400 | $3,800 | $4,200 |
| 600 | $5,300 | $5,800 |
| 800 | $6,700 | $7,400 |
| 1000 | $8,100 | $8,900 |
| 1200 | $9,200 | $10,100 |
| 1400 | $10,400 | |
| 1600 | $11,500 | |
| 1800 | $12,700 | |
| 2000 | $13,800 | |
| 2200 | $14,800 | |
| 2400 | $15,700 | |
| 2600 | $16,500 | |
| 2800 | $17,200 | |
| 3000 | $17,900 | |
| 3200 | $18,400 | |
| 3400 | $18,900 | |
| 3600 | $19,500 | |
| 4000 | $20,250 |
SCALP MICROPIGMENTATION
$450 per session taking 1.5 hours approx.
2 sessions required per area at 4 week intervals.
Excellent procedure for those with fine hair to create the illusion of thicker hair in the crown or top of scalp.
Call for an appointment 8227 2242
WHAT IS THE COST FOR A CONSULTATION?
New patient consultation fees to see Dr Molton are $125 and are payable when booking.