is FUE totally safe?

[Creative79]

Could someone please tell me the downsides of FUE? I would also like to know whether FUE also leaves behind permanent scars.

 

The thing is that from time to time I like to shave my head, so I am concerned whether I will be able to do that if I go for a HT surgery. I thought FUE was a better option for me, but then I read somewhere it too leaves a lot of scars. I am not sure if that is true, though.

 

In an earlier post I enquired regarding best surgeons of FUE in India, particularly regarding Dr Madhu, but did not get any response yet.

[aaron1234]

Is FUE totally safe? Well, crossing the street isn't totally safe. But if done in the right hands, FUE can be effective.

 

It does leave a lot of scars. They probably won't be noticeable if you shave down to a 1-2 guard. But if you shave it slick bald, they probably WILL be slightly noticeable.

 

One downside is that FUE generally doesn't achieve the same yield as FUT. I believe the best candidates for FUE are those will very minimal balding.

 

Creative79, if you want more responses I highly suggest posting pics. More members would be willing to comment if they saw your balding pattern and donor area.

[Dr. Glenn Charles]

Remember there is no such thing as scarless surgery. With one FUE procedure you most likely will not be able to see any visible scars because they will be very small and spread out over the entire donor area. However, if you have plans to have multiple large FUE procedures over time there could be a thinning appearence to the entire donor area because those tiny liitle scars may start to connect and form slightly larger scars that cover a large area. Under worst case scenario this potential problem could be more difficult to cover up than a linear scar formed from a strip procedure.

[windjc]

Originally posted by aaron1234:

Is FUE totally safe? Well, crossing the street isn't totally safe. But if done in the right hands, FUE can be effective.

 

It does leave a lot of scars. They probably won't be noticeable if you shave down to a 1-2 guard. But if you shave it slick bald, they probably WILL be slightly noticeable.

 

One downside is that FUE generally doesn't achieve the same yield as FUT. I believe the best candidates for FUE are those will very minimal balding.

 

Creative79, if you want more responses I highly suggest posting pics. More members would be willing to comment if they saw your balding pattern and donor area.

 

At least some of the times, FUE has as good of yield as Strip.

[Creative79]

Thanks for the responses. I want to post the pics but I am not sure how to do it. I am going to try now.

 

Please see below if it works..

 

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[Sparky]

I still think fue is way better than strip. My strip scar is the thing thats caused me the most upset.

[Maxxy]

Hey Creative79,

 

Have you had a consultation with a FUE surgeon?

 

That's a large area to cover solely with FUE. Are you planning to treat the whole area and have you been advised that it will be possible to get a satisfactory result from FUE?

 

If you are planning on treating the whole area are you aware that it will take multiple procedures and of the costs involved in this?

[Creative79]

Originally posted by Maxxy:

Hey Creative79,

 

Have you had a consultation with a FUE surgeon?

 

That's a large area to cover solely with FUE. Are you planning to treat the whole area and have you been advised that it will be possible to get a satisfactory result from FUE?

 

If you are planning on treating the whole area are you aware that it will take multiple procedures and of the costs involved in this?

 

I haven't had a personal consultation with any FUE surgeons yet simply because I don't know who is best at it in India (my current location). I have, however, sent my pics to Dr Keser who says I can have a maximum of 3000 graft transplanted. I know that won't do much for me. I will resume my online consultation with Dr Keser after learning a little more about the FUE method. I am aware of the cost but am not sure as to whether it will be as successful as FUT and whether it will leave scars. From the responses above it seems that it probably will leave scars.

 

Its only the scar due to which I am not considering FUT. I frequently shave my hair.

 

I will decide in a month whether to go for FUE or not go for surgery at all (don't think yet I will consider FUT due to scar issue).

[hansklein]

It can be as long as you do your research.

[Maxxy]

Personally, If I was going to have FUE I'd only consider a top clinic who has been using FUE for a number of years and treating a good percentage of patients with the technique. Say you went to DR. Feller, that's $10 per graft and let's assume you require 5000 grafts (most likely more) to get a pleasing result - you're looking at $50,000 in maybe 2-3 procedures.

 

With the large amount of grafts you would require, there is a good chance you wouldn't be able to shave your head right down without the donor looking severely depleted.

 

I know this isn't ideal and you shouldn't go into a transplant assuming you can later conceal any resulting scar but have you thought of visiting a top clinic for FUT? The likely result will be very minimal scarring which you could later FUE into if needed to.

 

Edit: As you have edited your last post I will add two things. There is no doubt about FUE leaving scars, it does and it will - the question is to what extent and how noticeable it is likely to be. Also, 3000 grafts isn't going give you very good coverage.

[Creative79]

Originally posted by Maxxy:

 

I know this isn't ideal and you shouldn't go into a transplant assuming you can later conceal any resulting scar but have you thought of visiting a top clinic for FUT? The likely result will be very minimal scarring which you could later FUE into if needed to.

 

 

 

Maxxy, thanks a lot for your detailed reply. It helped.

 

Is it possible to conceal the scar resulted due to FUT by doing FUE into it?

[Maxxy]

I'm not sure, nobody knows how your scar will turn out but hopefully with a top class surgeon it will be minimal. There are guys who have had bad scars that have later FUE'd into it and been very happy with the results.

[aaron1234]

It is possible to conceal a FUT scar with FUE. However, it is also possible that your FUT scar will not be noticeable due to your hair combed over it. My hair is pretty short and both of my scars are not noticeable with my hair this length.

 

Creative79, you are probably a NW6-7. I would not recommend FUE for someone with such significant balding. I would seriously look into a megasession with a clinic like Hasson & Wong. They continually turn NW6-7's into good looking heads of hair. Check out their pics.

[aaron1234]

Originally posted by aaron1234:

It is possible to conceal a FUT scar with FUE. However, it is also possible that your FUT scar will not be noticeable due to your hair combed over it. My hair is pretty short and both of my scars are not noticeable with my hair this length.

 

Creative79, you are probably a NW6-7. I would not recommend FUE for someone with such significant balding. I would seriously look into a megasession with a clinic like Hasson & Wong. They continually turn NW6-7's into good looking heads of hair. Check out their pics.

 

Edit: H&W have continually put out graft numbers up in the 5-6K range. Something to seriously look into.

[HairHope]

You need a large (possibly) two strip sessions and then you can do FUE to work in between to increase density. I know this isn't what you want to hear, however it is the truth.

 

Note: Before my first HT, I had a relatively full crown and mid-scalp, and after 2000 FUT and 1000 FUE, I probably could use 2-3000 more to be happy.

[hair_me_out]

I agree with HairHope. I don't think FUE with that level of loss is realistic -- assuming you want good coverage.

[Bill - Seemiller]

Creative,

 

Point blank, you are not a candidate for FUE, at least not initially. Sure, you could have the procedure, but FUE will never provide you with enough grafts to give you the kind of coverage/density I'm sure you probably want.

 

That said, I'm with HairHope on this. Consult with a few leading hair restoration physicians that impress you the most after diligent research and assuming you're a candidate, go for FUT which may require more than one procedure. Once you're stripped out and if you want more density/coverage, consider FUE then.

 

Best wishes,

 

Bill

[windjc]

You very well may not be a great candidate for FUE. But there is nothing stopping you from going for a consultation with both a leading strip surgeon and a leading FUE surgeon for their opinions. The best docs aren't going to try to sell you something they can't do.

 

If I were you, I would set up a consulation with Hasson and Wong for strip and Dr. Umar for FUE. If you go to Feller he will tell you to do strip, so what's the point there?

 

As some on here have mentioned, you may want to do a strip (or two) procedures followed by a FUE procedure. But, if I was in your shoes, I would meet with doctors in both fields to make a comprehensive gameplan.

 

Of course, these is assuming you want to tackle this as aggressively as possible.

[Doug Monty]

According to the ISHRS Leadership FUE done with a 1.0 mm punch or smaller is going to leave virtually undetectable scars.

 

I was just at the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery convention 2 weeks ago, with the NeoGraft on display.

 

We had a doctor visit our booth who had a NeoGraft FUE procedure performed with 3,000+ grafts harvested. Another doctor asked to see the harvested area, and for five minutes he was combing through his very short hair trying to find even one hint that grafts were harvested. He found no evidence.

 

So is FUE totally safe? I guess it is when you compare it to a strip procedure, but more invasive when you compare it to topical hair loss treatments.

 

Doug Monty

NeoGraft

[Doug Monty]

I just watched Dr. Feller's Video and he is 100% on the money with his statements.

 

FUE is a great adjunct to anyone's practice.

 

The bulk of the Hair Transplants being performed are "strip procedures" but yet at least 15% of the population wants to have an FUE performed. But so few doctors want to perform FUE because it is tedious and time consuming.

 

So to break it down:

 

If you typically see 100 patients a year and you end up turning away 15 of those patients who want an FUE procedure performed.

 

To use "MAXXY's" Dr. Feller example:

 

15 Patients

$10 Per Graft

1000 Grafts

_____________

$150,000 in yearly revenue

 

Eventually more doctor's will start to see offering FUE is not only a viable option to the bottom line but there is a sizable patient demand for this type of procedure which is not being met.

 

There currently is a real demand for FUE for scar repair and for patients who can't have any more strip surgeries. I am sure it's in the patients best interest to have these procedure performed by the same Doctor who did their Strip Procedure.

 

Dr. Feller is 100% correct once doctors start to offer FUE as an alternative, the industry will start to grow, the doctors will make more money, the cost to the patients will go down and the quality will go up.

 

Doug Monty

 

Note: I work for NeoGraft the Global Leader in Automated FUE Hair Transplant Technology

[scar5]

Dr. Feller is so frank in the respect that he openly admits that FUE is tedious....This alone is good. Clinics that claim otherwise are dodgy. I have paid many thousands of dollars into strip and FUE clinics, and I know there just has to be a point when patients and would-be patients realize the agenda for clinics and patients don't entirely overlap.

[Topcat611]

I would say that there are no downsides to fue. I had 200 fue taken from my face and I have no scarring. But it all depends on who is doing the extractions. I have seen some very bad scarring to the body from other doctors so of course it is very possible in the wrong hands. I have also seen scarring to scalp that was just as bad and this was from doctors that are promoted as the best in the business.

 

As far as yield, I would also agree that in the wrong hands you probably will not have as good a yield as from a competent doctor.

 

So the question becomes not so much about choosing fue, but how to choose a competent and caring doctor. It took me 10 years before I could seperate fact from fiction and make the right choice and I am a 25 year veteran of the ht industry. I have had the giant punch grafts, strips, scalp lifts and reductions so I speak from experience. I also care enough about other people that I don't want to see them make a mistake or ruin their life so somebody can make a few dollars, so take your time.

[Bill - Seemiller]

I would say that there are no downsides to fue.

 

Topcat,

 

I understand that this is your opinion, but the truth is, there are many downsides to FUE. This includes higher costs, less available donor hair over the course of a patient's lifetime, fewer candidates for the procedure, and typically isn't the best procedure for men (or women) with extensive hair loss. That being said, FUE typically provides faster healing times and eliminates the linear scar produced by FUT procedures.

 

I'm certainly not against FUE and believe it has its place. However, there are certainly times that FUT is the better procedure for patients just as there are times where FUE may be the better choice. Both procedures have their advantages, limitations, and risks.

 

Best wishes,

 

Bill

[Topcat611]

I agree with what you wrote. I probably should not have stated that there are no down sides to fue. I believe all those downsides such as cost, donor availabilty, and not being a canidate all exist for too many clinics now offering the procedure.

 

I think where we differ is that it is my opinion that it is not the procedure that is flawed, but it is that some of the doctors and clinics that performing the procedure are flawed.

 

But I can only speak from my own experience over the last 25 years and I always try to have an open mind. Sometimes I am shocked by what I see still happening in this industry.

 

I still stand by my statement that I have had 200 fue's extracted from my face by Dr. Bisanga and I have no scarring along with 100 fue's from my chest. In fact I went out to a local restaurant for dinner the day after the procedure and I felt very comfortable.

[Bill - Seemiller]

Topcat,

 

I wouldn't call the FUE procedure flawed, but compared to strip, I'd consider its methodology and consistency immature.

 

I believe the right FUE candidates in the hands of a skilled physician can obtain excellent results and maximum yield equal to strip. A skilled physician should also know when a patient isn't a good candidate and call it quits rather than use "brute force" to extract and transplant grafts.

 

Additionally while FUE megasessions sound appealing, I'd be much more comfortable going to a surgeon who takes their time with each follicular unit and spreads a "session" out over multiple days rather than potentially damage grafts by being too quick and potentially careless (even if it's by accident).

 

That said, I have no reason to doubt your personal experience. I just felt compelled to make the above points so members and guests reading this thread for years to come weren't under any misconceptions about the procedure and make poor choices accordingly.

 

Best wishes,

 

Bill