What are the pros and cons of FUE hair replacement?

 

FUE stands for follicle unit extraction, and it’s a type of hair transplant used to treat hair loss. An experienced hair surgeon will harvest individual hair from the back and sides of your scalp and then use small punches to insert these grafts into the healing area.

There’s a lot of hype around FUE hair transplantation. In fact, many industry experts consider it the best hair transplantation method. But having worked with the FUE method extensively on our hair transplant procedures, we often get the question that many potential new patients are asking “What are the pros and cons of FUE hair transplantation”?

Pros of FUE

Unlike FUT — the strip procedure — FUE processes do not leave a linear scar on the back of your head. Instead, we use a small surgical blade to extract each hair shaft and follicle from your donor without leaving any perceptible scars on your scalp in the process.

This hair replacement procedure is relatively painless and heals quite quickly compared to other hair restoration processes you may consider.

Cons of FUE

The major challenge with the FUE procedure is that you can’t make too many holes in the back of your end, and that limits the number of hair grats you can take to about 3000 units. While most clinics will carry out the process with less than 2500 shafts, our procedure can get up o 4500 shafts for much better results.

Another disadvantage of the FUE procedure is how the hair extraction process works. The FUE procedure captures only your hair follicles without the important sebaceous gland. However, healthy hair is more than just a follicle; it needs to be extracted with the sebaceous gland as well, an area where FUE methods seem to struggle.

Conclusion

The bottom line is that despite the positive aspects of the FUE hair transplant option, it still has limitations. FUE hair transplantation is a safe, proven method of increasing the density of new hairs in an area with moderate to severe hair loss. In addition, the procedure has a high chance of producing permanent, natural-looking results that grow out evenly and don’t seem out of place.

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Interested in hair replacement? Schedule a complimentary consultation with a Northwestern Hair specialist. Choose between comprehensive in-person and convenient virtual consultations.