05 Mar Meet the New Hair Transplant! Can’t See It? That’s FUE Magic
Hair transplants aren’t what they used to be (thank goodness!). At RefinedMD, hair transplantation surgeon Dr. Sudeep Roy offers the latest procedures in hair transplants including SmartGraft and NeoGraft. These two options are the latest hair transplant procedures in San Jose, and entirely different than the hair transplants of yesteryear. Unfortunately, old school hair transplants and similar procedures (like hair plugs) were so poorly done that they’ve become the butt of jokes even decades later. Many sitcoms have at least one hair transplant joke, and if you’ve ever seen one of these outdated procedures in real life, you know why. But SmartGraft and NeoGraft have changed everything.
First, let’s take a look at the old-fashioned hair transplants. They definitely worked, but not without a seriously invasive procedure and lifelong scarring. These hair transplants used “donor sites,” usually on the neck, and transplanted big chunks of the scalp to target areas. As you can imagine, this required shaving the entire head, an intensive surgery, and a lot of downtime. This was especially troubling for women who reeled at the idea of months of baldness and healing to address their thinning hair and baldness concerns.
Say Goodbye to Horrible Hair Transplants
Ultimately, those old kinds of transplants often worked, but they were a painful and risky nightmare to live through. Hair plugs are also a kind of implant, but this process takes groups of donor hair and places them in perfectly round “plug-like” groupings that are then inserted in the donor site. They look unnatural, but they required smaller incisions than the big hair transplants of yore.
You no longer have to decide between painful, scar-inducing hair transplants and hair plugs. Today’s technology uses follicular unit extraction or FUE. It’s the same concept of hair transplants that we’ve always had, but on a follicular level. FUE works by taking one follicle from the donor site at a time and transplanting that individual follicle to the target area. As you can imagine, there’s no linear scars and virtually no downtime! Clients are given anesthesia so they don’t feel these tiny transplants, but they’re completely alert, awake, and can even watch the process and provide input.
SmartGraft or NeoGraft?
FUE can be done in one of two ways that both end in a revolutionary, completely natural-looking hair transplant. SmartGraft is almost completely automated, which allows for a quicker process. The machine takes care of removing donor follicles, separating them, and storing grafts in a small, unassuming device. NeoGraft is largely manual. It takes longer, but offers the unprecedented artistry that only a human can provide. So, which is right for you?
It depends on you, your hair and goals, and how long you’d like the process to take. In most cases, a client has the choice between NeoGraft and SmartGraft. However, it’s often recommended that clients who want a lot more transplanted follicles to opt for SmartGraft. In these instances, the minute attention to detail that NeoGraft offers isn’t necessary because you’re transplanting such large areas. However, Dr. Roy has certainly worked with clients who demand incredible attention to detail despite wanting a large area transplanted, and in this case NeoGraft was the best fit.
Do I Quality for FUE in San Jose?
Healthy adults who can receive anesthesia and do not have certain scalp conditions that cause open wounds are probably qualified for FUE. However, keep in mind that FUE is still a surgery and you’ll need to prepare for it. This means stopping smoking, not using blood-thinning medications (including aspirin), and making sure you have someone to drive you home from your appointment. You’ll also need to use a special antiseptic shampoo for awhile before and after the FUE procedure.
You may notice some very small, minor scarring in the donor site immediately after FUE but don’t worry—this will quickly be covered up as your hair grows. There will be some minor swelling and redness in both the donor site and target site that will subside. Full results will start to appear in two or three months after the procedure, although you’ll get a sneak peek immediately after FUE. However, the transplanted hairs are meant to fall out soon after FUE because your hair is following its normal shed and grow cycle. Don’t worry if you notice a lot of fallen hairs. This is normal, and it’s your body preparing to “adopt” the transplanted hair follicles for good. If you’re ready to learn more about FUE and find out if SmartGraft or NeoGraft is right for you, call Dr. Roy at RefinedMD at (408) 688-2082 to schedule your complimentary consultation today.