Is there such a thing as good or bad FUE candidates?

[bverotti]

This question pops up from time to time.

To answer this question we must go back to look at the early days of FUE.

Some drs. found that some patients had characteristics that made it hard to extract the grafts. Consequently those patients where redirected to strip surgery if it was too difficult to perform FUE.

 

FF a couple of years.

Newer tools and routines have reached the point where FUE has become more mainstream.

Sure there are more difficult to extract FUE cases. However where there is a will ... there is a way.

By just trying harder, trying harder, some surgeons have come up with a solution for every problem. However it takes time, a lot of time to be able to get to the point where surgeons have grasped all cases. Basically a lot of it commes down to a certain 'finger feeling' that surgeon develop after doing loads of cases.

But it pays, and in the end all patients are FUE positive.

 

Building on the experience of years of refining and fine tuning routines Mega FUE sessions are now reality for everyone. Long gone are the days where it is necessary to sit in the chair 3 days for 2000 grafts.

 

 

Bart

[bverotti]

This question pops up from time to time.

To answer this question we must go back to look at the early days of FUE.

Some drs. found that some patients had characteristics that made it hard to extract the grafts. Consequently those patients where redirected to strip surgery if it was too difficult to perform FUE.

 

FF a couple of years.

Newer tools and routines have reached the point where FUE has become more mainstream.

Sure there are more difficult to extract FUE cases. However where there is a will ... there is a way.

By just trying harder, trying harder, some surgeons have come up with a solution for every problem. However it takes time, a lot of time to be able to get to the point where surgeons have grasped all cases. Basically a lot of it commes down to a certain 'finger feeling' that surgeon develop after doing loads of cases.

But it pays, and in the end all patients are FUE positive.

 

Building on the experience of years of refining and fine tuning routines Mega FUE sessions are now reality for everyone. Long gone are the days where it is necessary to sit in the chair 3 days for 2000 grafts.

 

 

Bart

[Bill - Seemiller]

bverotti,

 

Surely FUE megasessions are NOT for everyone...

 

I do believe that there are some that are simply not FUE candidates based on their physiology. Top doctors such as Dr. Feller has admitted that some scalps are just more difficult than others and the FUs just don't want to come out, at least not well.

 

Newer tools and technology surely help, but sometimes personal physiology doesn't want to cooperate. Continual attempts to use FUE on these candidates creates a greater risk of transection of hair follicles.

 

I would be interested to hear more from doctors as to what makes for an optimal candidate for FUE verses one who is not a candidate and what criteria they use to determine this.

 

Bill

[TheHairLossCure]

Bverotti,

 

Dr. Rose recently performed a 700 graft FIT session. The patient was not necessarily an "easy" FIT/FUE candidate and, as a result, the procedure took the ENTIRE day. Transection was not an issue AT ALL; the grafts were beautiful and intact. The surgery was a very long process however. It surely would have taken 3 sessions to get this patient to 2,000 grafts. Fortunately, only a small number of grafts were in order.

 

In Dr. Rose's hands, growth is *excellent* with FIT/FUE. Most folks are candidates for this work. They must understand the nature of the surgery though. With some patients the grafts are cut with great ease, with others the procedure is arduous and time consuming. I agree that where there is a will there is a way, but I respectfully disagree on other points.

 

Strip is more predictable in terms of surgical time frame. You can finish a session in a day. I find more variation with FUE. Ultimately, we cannot sacrifice the quality of growth for the quantity of grafts.

[bverotti]

I would like to ask to keep an open mind about FUE megassesions for all patients.

 

There where days in the past where it was believed mega strip sessions where impossible. Look at todays giga strip sessions, thought to be impossible due to physical restraints.

 

Rome was not build in one day. I remember to old days where 500 grafts would take all day too.

However the main difference is that by doing FUE on a daily basis it raises skills to another level. I am sure that a lot of drs. would find FUE to be working in their hands well ... if they would just invest loads of time.

 

Anyway, claims must follow proof. That is why our surgeon has accepted the offer to perform live surgery in front of his peers.

I hope it can still be arranged for the next ISHRS meeting.

Also we have invited Pat to revisit us and witness live surgery.

[TheHairLossCure]

I understand your points, Bverotti. Surgeries evolve and require much dedication. Still, my feeling is that some patients have grafts that are harder to extract than others. That does not mean they can't get a good FUE procedure. But it does mean that the numbers of grafts extractable per day cannot be as easily predicted (assuming the doc has high quality standards).

 

I am glad to hear your clinic's procedure is working well.