I have had a consultation with you two years ago in Toronto, and if I ever do have a transplant, you’re the first on my list. I have two questions.
1) With FUE, are you able to transplant the 4000 FUE in one day or is it limited to a lower amount?
2) Can I get FUE without shaving my head? Or can I simply shave the back of the head?
Dear Paul,
Here is a before and after example of “Rahal FUE™” — the least invasive and fastest-healing hair transplant available. At Rahal we can safely harvest between 2000 to 3000 grafts a day (4000 FUE over two days).
Over the years we have become very proficient with Follicular unit extraction (FUE) extractions… and can safely harvest 4000 FUE over two days (between 2000 to 3000 grafts a day).
As with any hair restoration procedure though, harvesting 4000 FUE is dependent on a few factors, as every patient will present varying hair characteristics that can (and do) influence the rate of the extractions and time needed to perform the procedure correctly.
If hair shafts are wavy or curly, for example, this can slow the process, since extra care must be taken to avoid damaging the grafts during extraction. Scalp tissue alone can vary by patient… from firm and consistent that’s easy to work with… to more pliable tissue that’s soft and more difficult to work with.
We find that for a larger FUE hair transplant (4000 grafts plus) it’s best to perform smaller sessions over two days to get the desired number of grafts and results. This allows everyone involved to be more comfortable… both technicians and patients alike.
Allowing more time to do the job right offers a level of confidence that everyone can benefit from.
FUE without shaving head?
Shaving the donor area is a requirement so we can determine where the grafts should be extracted and avoid creating areas that look thin because over harvesting. You want to avoid removing too many grafts in any given area, which can lead to visual clues and an overall inconsistency that is cosmetically undesirable.
We shave the recipient area for two reasons…
First, we want to avoid damaging the native hair. By shaving the recipient area the native hair stands at it’s true angle and direction. When hair is longer it’s more difficult to see the spaces that need to be filled… and at such a short length there is nothing obscuring my field of view when I am making incisions.
This is very important because when one cannot clearly see what they are doing, the risk of transection (cutting and destruction of native hair during recipient site creation) increases significantly.
This is the number one cause of permanent shock loss after a procedure and shaving the recipient zone is the most effective way to eliminate this problem. There are exceptions, however, in that we might not shave if the hair in the recipient zone is of very low density… but this can only be determined on a case by case basis.
I’m happy to review your photos again to determine what areas need to be shaved… and suggest that you schedule your 100% Free consultation today – since it’s been two years and hair loss is progressive. You may (or may not) require additional grafts to achieve your goal of a thicker, fuller head of hair.
Hopefully you considered Rogaine or Propecia to “keep the hair you hair”. Hair Loss prevention really is the key to success.
Sincerely,
Dr. Rahal