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Why NOT to get an FUE- Interview with Dr. Willaim Reed- by Dr. Feller and Bloxham


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In America the only trend regarding FUE is to move AWAY from it.

 

While the hype and performance of this procedure has become epidemic in other countries, this country has been roundly rejecting it for very very good reason.

 

FUE has it's place, but not as a first line procedure for large numbers of grafts. Instead, the gold standard of hair transplantation known as FUT or Strip method should be employed.

 

Through interviews with experienced hair transplant doctors we seek to educate the public as to the very real limitations and unavoidable consequences of the FUE procedure.

 

We understand- to the normal person the FUE procedure SOUNDS preferable to the FUT procedure, BUT these interviews with the expert surgeons who actually perform hair transplantation will help you to understand why this is just not the case. FUT is a far far better option.

 

 

Rather than relying on anonymous online posters who have created almost 100% of the false hype underlying FUE, we present actual doctors who have dedicated their careers to hair transplantation. These experts tell the truth about FUE and why they would not have such a procedure on themselves-opting instead for FUT.

 

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Appreciate the informative videos Dr. Feller!

 

What are your opinions on FUE-ing into an FUT scar a year or two post op, assuming a trichophytic enclosure? Would that enable a patient to trim their hair shorter?

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rofl. How many celebrities, athletes, etc. get strip?

 

Nadal, Lebron, etc. all get FUE. Because strip sucks.

 

Spex and Ernie look pretty good with the strip procedure IMO. Have you taken the plunge with surgery yet or still researching?

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Spex and Ernie look pretty good with the strip procedure IMO. Have you taken the plunge with surgery yet or still researching?

 

I've done the research. Just waiting until the best time to do it, which will be soon since I'm almost 30 and my norwood pattern is becoming clear.

 

I can't take finasteride so I need to plan more carefully than most. My point is just that the guys with 10s of millions generally choose FUE so it isn't just some internet hype phenomenon.

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I've done the research. Just waiting until the best time to do it, which will be soon since I'm almost 30 and my norwood pattern is becoming clear.

 

I can't take finasteride so I need to plan more carefully than most. My point is just that the guys with 10s of millions generally choose FUE so it isn't just some internet hype phenomenon.

 

Awesome, I'm in sort of the same situation. A few years away from 30 so want to see what my pattern is going to look like. That'll give me time to save up the $$$. Sorry that you can take finasteride, luckily it's been doing well for me with no side effects

 

Would you mind checking out the question I posed earlier and weighing in?

 

http://www.hairrestorationnetwork.com/eve/186954-styling-pre-op-tips-fut-question.html

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rofl. How many celebrities, athletes, etc. get strip?

 

Nadal, Lebron, etc. all get FUE. Because strip sucks.

 

Because they have egos, and are less willing to educate themselves.

3185 FUT with Dr. Rahal on 2/17/16

http://www.hairrestorationnetwork.com/eve/182611-fut-3185-dr-rahal-day-after-pics.html

 

1204 FUT with Dr. Rahal on 3/27/17

http://www.hairrestorationnetwork.com/eve/186586-round-2-rahal-1204-fut-frontal-third-same-area.html

 

---> total of 4389 grafts to my frontal third via FUT

---> 1mg finasteride daily since 1999:)

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Because they have egos, and are less willing to educate themselves.

 

They also can't afford the downtime of strip.

4,312 FUT grafts (7,676 hairs) with Ray Konior, MD - August 2013

1,145 FUE grafts (3,152 hairs) with Ray Konior, MD - August 2018

763 FUE grafts (2,094 hairs) with Ray Konior, MD - January 2020

Proscar 1.25mg every 3rd day

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This post is biased garbage.

 

I've had 3800 FUE grafts placed into my hairline and nobody can tell I've had transplants. My donor looks exactly how it did before and i don't have to worry about a smiley face scar revealing itself when I'm older, scar stretching, possible nerve damage, etc etc. I had NO pain whatsoever after my transplants.

 

Of course doctors (especially older ones who started by performing plugs and are set in their ways) prefer strip to FUE since it's easier to perform.

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Dr Feller or Blosham, is there a way to reduce or get rid of raised recipient areas? And to do this without compromising any recipient grafts? Basically, this is when a practitioner fucks up and places grafts inappropriately, thus causing shickloss, then creating a speed bump like feel in the recipient area. Would like to hear your input or video regarding these high density careless recipient megasessions that might do more damage and cause issues that my harm the patient. Thank you.

 

You make good points in the video. There are top docs that cant nail fue right for a lot of folks. I know a lot of sufferers and repair patients and from a couple of doctors. Their FUT may be more solid with less repair folks floating around vs their FUE. That may indicate something.

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rofl. How many celebrities, athletes, etc. get strip?

 

I disagree with the notion that public people opt for FUE. In fact, I think most "celebrities" people associate with hair transplants actually just wear partial hair pieces at public events and in movies. I have had countless patients come to me stating that they want a transplant like X celebrity and don't want one like Y celebrity, when the reality is that they both wear hair pieces and one is simply more subtle and blended with surrounding hair compared to the other.

 

However, I always recommend FUT over FUE to the model, actor, singer, etc, patients who come in. These guys need the best chance at thick, solid, natural results in the front. This is what the camera will pick up; sparse growth and gaps in the hairline, not a linear scar in the back.

Dr. Blake Bloxham is recommended by the Hair Transplant Network.

 

 

Hair restoration physician - Feller and Bloxham Hair Transplantation

 

Previously "Future_HT_Doc" or "Blake_Bloxham" - forum co-moderator and editorial assistant for the Hair Transplant Network, Hair Restoration Network, Hair Loss Q&A blog, and Hair Loss Learning Center.

 

Click here to read my previous answers to hair loss and hair restoration questions, editorials, commentaries, and educational articles.

 

Now practicing hair transplant surgery with Coalition hair restoration physician Dr Alan Feller at our New York practice: Feller and Bloxham Hair Transplantation.

 

Please note: my advice does not constitute as medical advice. All medical questions and concerns should be addressed by a personal physician.

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This post is biased garbage.

 

I've had 3800 FUE grafts placed into my hairline and nobody can tell I've had transplants. My donor looks exactly how it did before and i don't have to worry about a smiley face scar revealing itself when I'm older, scar stretching, possible nerve damage, etc etc. I had NO pain whatsoever after my transplants.

 

Of course doctors (especially older ones who started by performing plugs and are set in their ways) prefer strip to FUE since it's easier to perform.

 

Because of the significantly increased cuts to the scalp and the much larger and wide-spread area affected, the chances of "nerve damage" are actually greater with FUE compared to FUT. This is a very common online myth. You'll read about patients reporting long-term neuropathic pain in the donor post-FUE. Now, of course both procedures are still very minimally invasive with a low side effect profile regardless.

 

You were also very fortunate to have a donor like this after so many extractions. Just like how some will have an imperceivable, "pencil thin" FUT scar, some will also heal with excellent FUE donor sites. But most don't. At the least, most end up with noticeably thin patches or a thin "block" throughout the donor region. This is because the density is simply reduced and the "shingling effect" is lost in the donor. However, most also end up with visible dot scarring in the back when/if you shave low enough. I'm going to include examples of both below. But the idea that you can simply "shave your head" post-FUE if you don't like the results is simply untrue and harmful to patients.

 

This is patient I had come in recently for an modified (mFUE) approach repair of previous FUE work. This is his donor after several FUE patches. He is quite upset about the blown out appearance and is trying to find some type of repair. And please note that this is not a cherry-picked case, nor is is something I had to dig to find online; it's simply a patient who came to my office for surgery:

 

nn1yro.jpg

 

2na5j4k.jpg

 

The other is an example I found online -- full disclosure -- of a patient who underwent one of the large FUE megasessions being touted in certain parts of the world. As you can see by the image, he cannot "shave it off" nor does he appear to be pleased with the result of the first procedure because there are surgical markings on his scalp and he's back for more -- though I truthfully think his donor is essentially tapped:

 

dscf2498_1.jpeg

 

I also must disagree with the notion that FUT is "easier" to perform than FUE. Both procedures require skill, dexterity, and a solid understanding of scalp anatomy. But as someone who performs both regularly, I can attest that FUT -- on top of everything else -- requires a bit more surgical "know how," a stand-alone hair transplant surgery center (not a room in a clinic), and the ability to attract, train, and maintain a skilled staff of super technicians. FUE simply does not. And if FUT were really "easier," why did we never see "FUT tech mill" clinics popping up all over the globe like we see FUE tech mills popping up in places like Turkey today? If it was a simpler procedure that could be passed off to technicians, it should have undergone the same phenomenon we're seeing now with the FUE mill model.

 

Regardless, I'm very happy you achieved the results you were shooting for! Thank you for participating in the thread. These discussions are helpful for patients in the end.

Dr. Blake Bloxham is recommended by the Hair Transplant Network.

 

 

Hair restoration physician - Feller and Bloxham Hair Transplantation

 

Previously "Future_HT_Doc" or "Blake_Bloxham" - forum co-moderator and editorial assistant for the Hair Transplant Network, Hair Restoration Network, Hair Loss Q&A blog, and Hair Loss Learning Center.

 

Click here to read my previous answers to hair loss and hair restoration questions, editorials, commentaries, and educational articles.

 

Now practicing hair transplant surgery with Coalition hair restoration physician Dr Alan Feller at our New York practice: Feller and Bloxham Hair Transplantation.

 

Please note: my advice does not constitute as medical advice. All medical questions and concerns should be addressed by a personal physician.

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I disagree with the notion that public people opt for FUE. In fact, I think most "celebrities" people associate with hair transplants actually just wear partial hair pieces at public events and in movies. I have had countless patients come to me stating that they want a transplant like X celebrity and don't want one like Y celebrity, when the reality is that they both wear hair pieces and one is simply more subtle and blended with surrounding hair compared to the other.

 

However, I always recommend FUT over FUE to the model, actor, singer, etc, patients who come in. These guys need the best chance at thick, solid, natural results in the front. This is what the camera will pick up; sparse growth and gaps in the hairline, not a linear scar in the back.

 

They wear hair pieces because a hair transplant is unlikely to yield a Hollywood worthy head of hair. But the ones who get hair transplants and aren't strapped for cash typically get FUE.

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But the ones who get hair transplants and aren't strapped for cash typically get FUE.

 

As someone who actually consults and performs surgery in an area with a lot of actors, models, musicians, etc, I disagree.

Dr. Blake Bloxham is recommended by the Hair Transplant Network.

 

 

Hair restoration physician - Feller and Bloxham Hair Transplantation

 

Previously "Future_HT_Doc" or "Blake_Bloxham" - forum co-moderator and editorial assistant for the Hair Transplant Network, Hair Restoration Network, Hair Loss Q&A blog, and Hair Loss Learning Center.

 

Click here to read my previous answers to hair loss and hair restoration questions, editorials, commentaries, and educational articles.

 

Now practicing hair transplant surgery with Coalition hair restoration physician Dr Alan Feller at our New York practice: Feller and Bloxham Hair Transplantation.

 

Please note: my advice does not constitute as medical advice. All medical questions and concerns should be addressed by a personal physician.

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As someone who actually consults and performs surgery in an area with a lot of actors, models, musicians, etc, I disagree.

 

Your practice is FUT based. As someone who is only interested in FUE, I would never consult with your clinic. It's called sample bias.

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As somone who has had nearly 5k grafts removed via FUE manual punch. No way I would have been able to cut my hair this short if I had gone via FUT. Photos showing grade 0 hair cut and with donor grown out. Notice the homogenization of the donor and with the hair grown out no sign of patchiness; I don't need to use any other fancy words to describe. FUE in the right hands is not scaremongering as biased clinics claim it to be.

IMG_0921.JPG.211194da307ffaedf02b25e028927ae2.JPG

IMG_0922.JPG.af767bc83b9c589f795f04738e9522f1.JPG

IMG_0920.JPG.a9f0ad94cf7a029c157b8384a3d3773e.JPG

IMG_0919.JPG.ae545a0de1e986111127f6cd12c97e1d.JPG

IMG_0923.JPG.d9edafccd19a265c2418ca2179441343.JPG

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Actually our practice is FUT and FUE based. So no sample bias.

 

When a lay member of the public says they are only interested in FUE it just demonstrates an overall lack of knowledge regarding hair transplantation in general- and that patient is usually setting himself up for disappointment.

 

Patients shouldn't try to pick the procedure they want performed. Patients simply don't understand what is involved. I know they think they do because of lay forums like this one, but discussions on this board do not include the subtle details of either surgery.

 

The bottom line is that FUE procedures injure the grafts far more than FUT and also injure the donor area more as well. The result is a consistently poor result by comparison.

 

With all due respect to education and intelligence, if a person hasn't actually performed these procedures then they have no idea which is the right procedure to have.

 

You should not be saying you are "only interested in FUE". You should be saying you are only interested in choosing the physician/clinic who can give you the best final result possible. How they do it should be left to the doctor. This is what you pay him for.

 

Hair Transplant procedures are not options like engines and radios in cars.. Unfortunately, unethical doctors, unethical equipment manufactures, and uninformed but loud online posters mislead the public into thinking that they are.

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Your practice is FUT based. As someone who is only interested in FUE, I would never consult with your clinic. It's called sample bias.

 

Nope. We do both regularly and receive consultation requests for both on a daily basis.

Dr. Blake Bloxham is recommended by the Hair Transplant Network.

 

 

Hair restoration physician - Feller and Bloxham Hair Transplantation

 

Previously "Future_HT_Doc" or "Blake_Bloxham" - forum co-moderator and editorial assistant for the Hair Transplant Network, Hair Restoration Network, Hair Loss Q&A blog, and Hair Loss Learning Center.

 

Click here to read my previous answers to hair loss and hair restoration questions, editorials, commentaries, and educational articles.

 

Now practicing hair transplant surgery with Coalition hair restoration physician Dr Alan Feller at our New York practice: Feller and Bloxham Hair Transplantation.

 

Please note: my advice does not constitute as medical advice. All medical questions and concerns should be addressed by a personal physician.

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As somone who has had nearly 5k grafts removed via FUE manual punch. No way I would have been able to cut my hair this short if I had gone via FUT. Photos showing grade 0 hair cut and with donor grown out. Notice the homogenization of the donor and with the hair grown out no sign of patchiness; I don't need to use any other fancy words to describe. FUE in the right hands is not scaremongering as biased clinics claim it to be.

 

Actually, this fade cut is an excellent example of the type of styling many of my post-FUT patients choose.

 

And, as expected, you can absolutely see your scarring at that level. No one should expect to shave this low after any hair transplant procedure. FUE or FUT.

Dr. Blake Bloxham is recommended by the Hair Transplant Network.

 

 

Hair restoration physician - Feller and Bloxham Hair Transplantation

 

Previously "Future_HT_Doc" or "Blake_Bloxham" - forum co-moderator and editorial assistant for the Hair Transplant Network, Hair Restoration Network, Hair Loss Q&A blog, and Hair Loss Learning Center.

 

Click here to read my previous answers to hair loss and hair restoration questions, editorials, commentaries, and educational articles.

 

Now practicing hair transplant surgery with Coalition hair restoration physician Dr Alan Feller at our New York practice: Feller and Bloxham Hair Transplantation.

 

Please note: my advice does not constitute as medical advice. All medical questions and concerns should be addressed by a personal physician.

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Dr Feller and Dr Blake, I have always admired you guys but come on man, this is just too much. We have a saying in the UK which is OTT (over the top).

 

Blake, not one person has clocked my donor and said "oh! What is this!". I been sporting this cut for many years even after my ht. Secondly, I haven't seen no FUT results cut short as mine. I believe the most I have seen are either grade 3-4. Gladly post some of your patients with donor's shaved like mine.

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Actually our practice is FUT and FUE based. So no sample bias.

 

When a lay member of the public says they are only interested in FUE it just demonstrates an overall lack of knowledge regarding hair transplantation in general- and that patient is usually setting himself up for disappointment.

 

Patients shouldn't try to pick the procedure they want performed. Patients simply don't understand what is involved. I know they think they do because of lay forums like this one, but discussions on this board do not include the subtle details of either surgery.

 

The bottom line is that FUE procedures injure the grafts far more than FUT and also injure the donor area more as well. The result is a consistently poor result by comparison.

 

With all due respect to education and intelligence, if a person hasn't actually performed these procedures then they have no idea which is the right procedure to have.

 

You should not be saying you are "only interested in FUE". You should be saying you are only interested in choosing the physician/clinic who can give you the best final result possible. How they do it should be left to the doctor. This is what you pay him for.

 

Hair Transplant procedures are not options like engines and radios in cars.. Unfortunately, unethical doctors, unethical equipment manufactures, and uninformed but loud online posters mislead the public into thinking that they are.

 

I ain't no layman Dr Feller. You are absolutely correct mentioning how research is important. Myself, I researched both procedures. And FUT just wasn't compatible to my needs. The scar, especially the recovery from what I have read is time consuming and painstaking. I have an cochlear implant. And I remember when the incision was healing; it took many weeks for it to be completely heal and that nerve pain! I can only imagine how would an FUT incision be like. Would have been an thousand times worse

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As somone who has had nearly 5k grafts removed via FUE manual punch. No way I would have been able to cut my hair this short if I had gone via FUT. Photos showing grade 0 hair cut and with donor grown out. Notice the homogenization of the donor and with the hair grown out no sign of patchiness; I don't need to use any other fancy words to describe. FUE in the right hands is not scaremongering as biased clinics claim it to be.

 

With all due respect I must disagree with you.

 

1. You have a fade cut in the back, your hair is not that short. FUT scars have been hidden successfully using this method for over 20 years. Plenty of my military patients wear their hair this way and nobody has any idea there is a linear scar concealed above the buzzed portion.

 

2. I can plainly see your FUE scars, patches of FUE scars, and confluence of scars in the buzzed part of your donor area. What's worse is how many were taken from OUTSIDE the safe zone and how all these scars are indicative of the amount of unnecessary damage inflicted on your donor area.

 

3. All your fade cut pictures that are supposed to demonstrate how unscarred you are were taken at unusually high angles. Why not just a straight shot ?

 

4. In fact the only straight shot you provided of the donor was before you cut the hair.

 

I hope and am glad you are happy with your transplant. But to say the result you are enjoying is the the exclusion the FUT method is just not true. In fact, you paid a higher price for the same thing even if you are unaware of it.

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With all due respect I must disagree with you.

 

1. You have a fade cut in the back, your hair is not that short. FUT scars have been hidden successfully using this method for over 20 years. Plenty of my military patients wear their hair this way and nobody has any idea there is a linear scar concealed above the buzzed portion.

 

2. I can plainly see your FUE scars, patches of FUE scars, and confluence of scars in the buzzed part of your donor area. What's worse is how many were taken from OUTSIDE the safe zone and how all these scars are indicative of the amount of unnecessary damage inflicted on your donor area.

 

3. All your fade cut pictures that are supposed to demonstrate how unscarred you are were taken at unusually high angles. Why not just a straight shot ?

 

4. In fact the only straight shot you provided of the donor was before you cut the hair.

 

I hope and am glad you are happy with your transplant. But to say the result you are enjoying is the the exclusion the FUT method is just not true. In fact, you paid a higher price for the same thing even if you are unaware of it.

 

Thank you very much Dr Feller. I am extremely happy with my surgeries. It has been life changing.

 

Regarding my pics, no I am not denying the FUE scars cannot be seen. As I explained to Blake, no one has noticed anything through the years. Of course an trained eye, like yourself would be able to. I state once again, I have not seen FUT results with shaved doners like mine. Please post some; for the benefit of this community

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