Surgical Treatment Options
There are 2 ways of doing surgical hair transplantation:
• The conventional Strip Surgery or otherwise known as Follicular Unit Transplantation FUT
• The alternative method known as Follicular Unit Extraction FUE
Strip Surgery or FUT Follicular Unit Transplant
Hair transplantation by far is the most effective permanent method of hair restoration for both Men and Women. It is mostly indicated in the androgenic alopecia AGA type of hair loss. Hair transplantation is an out-patient surgical operation that takes hair from the back of the head and transplant it to areas of hair loss elsewhere on the scalp. It is done by cutting a strip of partial thickness scalp from the back of the head, carefully and meticulously isolate individual hair follicular units, then transplanted it to the desired recipient areas. Research have shown that hair follicles from the back of the scalp are resistant to Dihydrotestosterone DHT which makes it grow throughout life. Having that inherent eternal traits, these hair follicles tend to be resilient to hair loss once transplanted in areas that are prone to hair loss such as the frontal hairline and the vertex.
Advances in Surgical Hair Transplant
A Cell MatriStem MicroMatrix®
We, at the New England Center for Hair Restoration strive to get the latest techniques and innovations in hair transplant surgery for excellence. Over the years, we have incorporated the use of A Cell MatriStem MicroMatrix®, a sterile porcine-derived naturally occurring lyophilized extracellular matrix in powder form that maintains and supports a healing environment for soft tissue environment. Our experience shows that exposing and soaking the grafts to A Cell MatriStem MicroMatrix® yield an optimal hair follicular tissue survival, growth and proliferation. As have been claimed from other sources, the A Cell MatriStem MicroMatrix® grows a severed fingertips and other loss of tissues.
Latest Hair Transplant Technique
Currently, we are one of the pioneers in doing micro-grafts and mini-grafts in the whole world. Using the micro-graft technique gives you the most natural looking transplanted hair especially on the front hair lines. Our facility is equipped with the latest technology in preparing grafts with the least amount of transection. We also use a special kind of micro-transplanter for delicate handling of graft and minimize the transection of other existing hair follicles in the recipient site.
Follicular Unit Extraction FUE
Follicular Unit Extraction FUE is a hair transplant technique in which follicular units are taken directly from the donor area. The grafts are then transplanted into recipient area. FUE is different from the traditional FUT in which follicular units are extracted by an extraction device without having to cut a long strip of tissues from the donor site. Individual follicular unit grafts are excised one at a time using a tiny one millimeter in diameter (or less) instrument. The device makes a small circular incision about the size of 1 millimeter or less on the skin around the follicular unit. The donor site is usually the chest, the beard area or from the back of the scalp. The extracted graft is then threaded to an implanter which is then directly transplanted to the recipient area. The small opening left behind after the follicular unit extraction heals in few days. The tiny aperture contracts as it heals, resulting in a very tiny round scar that is hardly visible. The scar could end up with some slight skin discoloration which is practically unnoticeable.
Best Candidates for Follicular Unit Extraction
• Patients interested in a smaller size procedure (typically up to 1,000 grafts).
• Patients with inherently limited donor supply or less scalp elasticity or simply as a result of several FUTs before
• Patients who have a need or desire to wear their hair exceptionally short at the back of the scalp without having to worry about the strip surgery scar from FUT.
