Thoughts: What makes a great FUE surgeon?

[Spanker]

I have been considering this and I feel that first of all he has to be a great strip surgeon.

 

But the main difference seems to be pulling the grafts. That said, many docs have techs pull them...so in a way, isn't the tech that pulls the grafts just as important as anything when talking about FUE? While comparing docs based on there FUE results?

 

Just a thought....for instance, I understand that a very skilled surgeon's tech (I will call him Dr. Voldemort....get it? He who shall not be named....) moved to SMG and extracts for them now....that said,it gives me a higher amount of trust in SMG considering they have only been doing FUE's for 2 years or so....but their tech has been extracting for 10 years or so.

 

Anyway, I think this is something to consider when chosing an FUE doc.

[uselessgomez]

I don't think it matters so much who pulls the grafts, whether the surgeon or a tech. The division of labor and specialization of tasks probably makes the procedure better. As long as everything is under the direct supervision of the surgeon, I don't see how it matters.

 

Since the distinction between an FUE surgeon and strip surgeon lay in the extraction process, I would say that a great FUE surgeon is someone who is honest about it's challenges (physics involved with the handling of grafts), who consistently posts their results for everyone to see, who demonstrates low transection & high yield, and who leaves the donor area looking good (i.e., minimizing the tell signs of surgery).

 

The skill and artistry involved with the placement of the grafts should be exactly the same as with strip.

 

And treating patients well and providing good support and communication would be exactly the same as strip, too.

[Thehairupthere]

It is extremely important who extracts grafts for an FUE procedure. Only a surgeon should do so. Grafts must be taken out at a very precise depth in one's dermis and removed carefully as to not "cap" or damage the graft while extracting. This is why FUE is regarded as more risky due to the higher chance of damage to the graft, but if an experienced surgeon knows what he is doing he can minimize that risk significantly.

[Spanker]

I guess Dr True and Dorin do their own. I have seen some quite impressive results from them. That said I would take a 10 year succesful FUE tech over a 1 year FUE surgeon for extraction. I know that there has been some controversy about techs extracting...the only thing that I can think of is that the esctraction too seems to be more of a punch/need then a scalpel so I guess that they can get away with it. I am sure that the doctors very closely look at the techs transection/damage rate.