thant,


did you discuss the possibilities of doing FUE with Feller?
what exactly is the FOX test? I have never really researched FUE as I always thought strip was better just to get more grafts.

I wish Dr.Feller or someone of real expertise would jump in on these types of questions. I have always only read unfavorable things regarding FUE on this forum, for the most part anyway. The Feller article on this post was interesting but did not directly answer any of my questions. I would like to hear a doc discuss the difference in yield--if any-- with FUE versus strip.

This is the only real downside in my lights as well. As far as having your sessions spread out over three to four weeks: that is a very small price to pay for having a virtually non-visible scar AND less healing time since there is no strip scar to scab up and worry about stretching.


FUE actually sounds fantastic if I could get a solid answer on yield...

I was very hot for FUE for a good while; the FOX test is a sort of biopsy (spelling?). Anyways, it gauges how good a candidate you are:

"The FOX?„? Test can identify those individuals with the optimal hair and scalp characteristics to get maximum benefit from the FOX?„? Procedure. In the FOX?„? Test, follicular unit extraction is performed in a sample area in the back of the scalp. The FOX?„? Test is performed under local anesthesia and takes about 15 minutes. Patients who are FOX positive will be good candidates for Follicular Unit Extraction. If the test is negative, conventional strip removal with microscopic dissection is the best option. Presently, we are limiting the procedures to only those who are FOX positive."

That is from newhair.com/NHI.

FUE has gotten a lot of backlash on boards, imo, because some may very well be bamboozling people into buying into unfounded hype; marketing and taking advantage of this "revolutionary" procedure. Most of the concern and questioning is well founded to me. However, I in the most capable of hands (e.g. Dr. Feller), for some people, it can be a wise alternative.

With the right doctor, with the right patient, with the right graft count, the yield can be very much acceptable AFAIK. I have a suspicion something isn't kosher, though, in our master plan of spreading out FUE sessions to total the single session FUT procedures. Don't know for sure, though.

Personally, I'm quite keen on FUE if it gone about properly; and, in the future, I definitely will keep a close eye on finding any way I could incorporate it into my battleplan if it makes sense.

__________________
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*A Follicles Dying Wish To Clinics*

1 top-down, 1 portrait, 1 side-shot, 1 hairline....4 photos. No flash.

Follicles have asked for centuries, in ten languages, as many times so as to confuse a mathematician.

Enough is enough! Give me documentation or give me death!

so what, did Feller say you were not a good candidate or did you just decide on strip altogether?

Woops, missed that question.

I initially went to Dr. Feller w/ regard to receiving FUE; at the time, I was under the assumption that FUE could be performed with strip-equivolent megasessions (re: Armani, who I *almost* went to). You may very well agree w/ me that recovery, and to a lesser extent scarring, are prime things regarding the HT process that stress one out.

I wasn't a good candidate for FUE because my hair loss and desires for my 1st procedure exceeded what I could safely receive from FUE and dictated strip.

FUE is far more expensive, and more importantly Dr. Feller is truly on the vanguard of the procedure and has been one of its biggest (realistic) proponents -- so, if there was a way for FUE to suit my needs better than strip I really can't see a reason why Dr. Feller wouldn't have discussed a way.

__________________
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*A Follicles Dying Wish To Clinics*

1 top-down, 1 portrait, 1 side-shot, 1 hairline....4 photos. No flash.

Follicles have asked for centuries, in ten languages, as many times so as to confuse a mathematician.

Enough is enough! Give me documentation or give me death!

DYOHLITFT? ---just kidding! I was going to compose this entire post out of acronyms...

don't you only have loss in the front third?

did you discuss the possibilities of getting 3K grafts spread out over 3 sessions if your finances permitted?----just wondering if he thought it was possible and why or why not...

Ya, frontal 1/3rd pretty much -- but it is quiteeeee ravaged, despite having no "bald spots", per say.

I actually didn't discuss this possibility; it didn't occur to me until fairly recently. I asked about this in another thread a few days ago (no answer), so I am fairly curious. But, I have various suspicions that it has drawbacks; and, the bottom line is that strip will still have a more robust yield on average.

In the long-term, I personally think a combo of strip and fue is the way to go.m I am looking at 3kish grafts right now from strip, which I know is *the* most reliable, and should make a big difference and lay a great foundation as well. In the coming years I can re-evaluate my hair situation with increased clarity and FUE may be more suitable...PLUS, it wouldn't surprise me if in the coming years someone like Feller or whomever solves the current problems associated w/ fue.

__________________
-----------

*A Follicles Dying Wish To Clinics*

1 top-down, 1 portrait, 1 side-shot, 1 hairline....4 photos. No flash.

Follicles have asked for centuries, in ten languages, as many times so as to confuse a mathematician.

Enough is enough! Give me documentation or give me death!

the only draw back is that you will already have the strip scar...

strip probably is the best way to go from my research as well.

Fantastic FUE article which indicates transection rates are 2-5% for strip and 10% for FUE:
http://www.baldingblog.com/2006/11/17/what-doctors-dont...u-to-know-about-fue/

FUE scar shaved down WOW!!!!:

http://www.baldingblog.com/2007/05/0...ue-donor-area/

FUE into scar by Feller:
http://www.hairlosshelp.com/forums/m...threadid=56190

FUE--8th question directly compres FUE to strip:
http://www.baldingblog.com/category/fue/page/4/

FUE and the first question discusses how some skin characteristics lend themselves to scar stretching:
http://www.baldingblog.com/category/scarring/page/3/


But, I would still like some answers from top docs like Feller regarding both yield and drawbacks, if any, to having 3-4 FUE sessions
over a few weeks to match grafts yielded from one strip mega session...


Regarding getting strip then later FUE-ing in the scar:
Even if one ended up with a big ass crown years down the road and didn't have the 5K donor grafts to densely fill it in, I still think the 5-800 or whatever the # may be to have FUE'd into the scar might still be a good idea if you just say---"to hell with it! I can't fill in my crown and just want to shave my whole head down to a #2-#3 without really seeing the scar...

no one ever discusses this option--they always say once you do a ht you can't go back.

while I believe that to be totally 100% correct, still if you could fill in the scar with FUE to

*somewhat*

make it less obvious then I think this is another option years down the road if you just say to hell with it...

Bill, I agree with you that FUE is not a scarless procedure, anyone who claims otherwise is stretching the truth. We all know that cutting the skin will leave some kind of scar. But there are scars and there are scars. Some remain (highly) visible, some are hardly visible (example > no visible scarring after an injection).
To date one has to accept some form of scarring when considering a HT, period.

Indeed, I agree with you that the numbers available for strip and FUE are about equal for the average patient.


FOX test :
This test was an initial attempt to find out who is a FUE candidate and who is not. This test was developed in the early FUE stages when there was little experience. Dr. Jones discarded this test during the ISHRS in Vancouver for the following reasons : you could to a few extraction in an area to find out if the grafts come out easily. This test however does not take into account that hair directions change. So someone could be FOX rejected, but if the test had been performed in another area of the scalp the FOX test would be positive.

In our opinion there exist no such thing as a non FUE candidate.

__________________
Consultant-co owner Prohairclinic (FUE only) in Belgium, Dr. De Reys.

I have the same issue as you. I think FUE is the best way to thin out the sides of my head. I discussed this with a DR., who thinks that it is an interesting strategy. However, you must take into account that as you age, the sides will thin out on its own also.

Personally i am thinking about going for the 1st HT with strip (mainly due to higher growth rates and lower transections rates) then, with FUE on subsequent procedures as the balding progresses (in order to reduce the chance of scar stretching due to a 2nd or 3rd strip procedures). The scar from strip (from a 1st HT) is really not an issue with me.

Any thoughts on this?

__________________
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I am not a doctor. The opinions and comments are of my own.

HT with Dr. Cooley on Nov 20, 2008
2097 grafts, 3957 hairs
Proscar, 1.25 mg daily, skip the 5th day, started Nov 2007

My Hair Loss Blog - Hair Transplant with Dr. Cooley

Donor area of a patient that shaved down to the bone 1 year after his FUE session. As usualy dr. De Reys used 0,7 mm punch to extract the grafts.
Please note the the red spots are psoriasis, nothing to do with the transplant.
I brightened up the image a bit to make it more clear (the original was a bit too dark).

__________________
Consultant-co owner Prohairclinic (FUE only) in Belgium, Dr. De Reys.