While this may be obvious to you, the possible limitations of the Micro FUE hair transplant procedure are questions we frequently get asked by our prospective patients. And for a good reason: there is no such thing as an FUE hair restoration procedure that does not have its limitations.
When a patient requests microsurgical follicular unit extraction (MFUE), the physician faces numerous questions regarding the technology. If that’s something that’s been bugging you for quite some time, you’re definitely in the right place.
In this post, we’ll be answering this question by giving an overview of the most significant limitations of the Micro FUE procedure and the setbacks it may face in the coming years.
The Micro FUE Procedure
First, it’s important to remember that Micro FUE was designed to improve the traditional FUE procedure. The need was based on the discovery that about one-third of patients who underwent the traditional FUE procedure were experiencing dry and frizzy hair and the desire to make subsequent results more natural and appealing to the patients themselves.Current Limitations of Micro FUE
While the Micro FUE procedure certainly offers additional benefits compared to the traditional FUE method, there are still two main limitations currently associated with this method. The first challenge with Micro FUE is the level of customization involved with the procedure itself. While customizations aren’t necessarily bad — especially considering that each person’s hair needs are unique — it means that there is still a low level of standardization involved in the procedure. Here at Northwestern Hair, we use a combination of two to three technologies based on the unique hair characteristics of the patient receiving the transplant to achieve the quality results our patients are accustomed to today. That could be anything from the bit we use to extract the hairs to hair preservation methods for the final phase of the procedure itself. Another offshoot to this customized approach for hair transplant surgeries is that the procedure’s application is not as widespread as other more popular procedures like the traditional FUE are at different hair clinics. You’ll find different clinics across the world using different variations of the Micro FUE procedure. These variations of the Micro FUE procedures go by different names, such as the Trivellini or Safe hair transplant systems. However, the techniques involved are still limited to a relatively few clinics globally.What This Means
An obvious interpretation of these limitations is that there will always be a small number of doctors who can offer this type of micrografting procedure. And since this type of micro grafting procedure is not widely available or used by many doctors worldwide, they could also be in short supply when you need them, and you may have to travel to get one done. This situation is because the techniques are more time-consuming and require additional training for surgeons, who will have less experience with them than with more traditional methods such as FUE hair transplants. An additional consequence is that there are still comparatively fewer professional minds behind this procedure looking into how the process can be improved and developed further. The good news, however, is that this new procedure is opening up doors to an even newer type of procedure gaining traction today.The Discrete FUE Hair Transplant Procedure
The discrete FUE procedure is a much more advanced version of the Micro FUE procedure in widespread use today. This procedure now allows us to carry out hair replacements without requiring buzz cuts before your procedure and also transfer full-length hairs in the process. This hair transplant method can give you a more immediate preview of your results right after your procedure and the ability to get right back to work or your usual activity in only a couple of days after.Final Thoughts
Overall, hair transplant techniques have come a long way. The FUE procedure can be a great option if you’re dealing with patchy, thinning hair. It will cost a bit more than standard strip surgery, but your results will likely be worth the extra expense. Just make sure you thoroughly research the doctors and clinics you’re considering before deciding.Schedule a Consult
Interested in hair replacement? Schedule a complimentary consultation with a Northwestern Hair specialist. Choose between comprehensive in-person and convenient virtual consultations.