What Are the Potential Side Effects of FUE Harvesting Technique? - FUE Hair Transplant Los Angeles

What are the potential side effects of FUE harvesting technique?

With the popularity of hair transplantation many questions arise as to the so called modern methods and the potential side effects of the procedure. With today's more advance harvesting techniques thousands of hairs can be transferred from one area to the other. The two harvesting techniques that are the most popular are the FUE and the FUT methods. Both of these techniques if done correctly on the right candidate can be very successful. Here are some side effects that may happen with FUE technique.

FUE Technique

With the FUE technique, round punches in different sizes are used to extract hair from the donor area in the back of the head. This can be done manually or using different types of machines such as ARTAS and Neograft machines. This technique is being advertised as the most advanced technique for hair transplantation, however it has to be done on the right candidate with smaller sessions or else potential side effects may happen after the hair transplant.

The Consultation

During the consultation, the hair transplant specialist should examine the donor hair and texture carefully to make sure that the client is a good candidate for FUE technique. If the client has curly hair or if they have a more advanced Male Patten Hair Loss, then FUE should not be recommended.

With FUE, since the punches are taken from the surface of the scalp , it is a blind extraction. Since the follicles are not visible during the blind extraction, one needs to estimate the direction of the hair and where the follicles are located. With curly hair this is almost impossible to do and thereby the chances of getting collateral damage to the surrounding hair is increased. This will effect both the integrity of the extracted hair and also damage to the hairs in the donor area.

If larger number of session is performed using FUE technique, many potential side effect could happen. One of the side effects that is becoming more evident is FUE donor Area Neuralgia. This side effect is only seen in FUE technique as you almost never see it in FUT or strip surgery. This is a condition that occurs after the donor area is harvested with a great number of FUE grafts. It’s symptoms are a persistent and deep burning sensation in parts or throughout the donor scalp that is not relieved with pain tablets. This pain sensation can last for months or even years after the procedure. The other most common side effects of FUE are lower and inconsistent hair growth yields compared to FUT or the strip method, more damage to the donor area resulting in fewer harvestable grafts in the future if needed, and the donor area shock loss which appears as a moth eaten look or patches of thinning hair.

Deciding on a Harvesting Method

Before deciding on a harvesting method, it is a good idea to discuss all the pros and cons with your doctor. A hair restoration surgeon with experience should do an evaluation and give recommendation customized to each individual's needs and concerns. In the case of FUE technique, it can be successful and is a good procedure for smaller cases and in individuals with straight hair. If you need greater than 1000 grafts or you have curly hair then it is to your advantage to consider the strip method.

For more information on best hair transplant techniques, you can visit www.meshkinmedical.com or call us at (949) 219 0027 to schedule for a free consultation at one of our Los Angeles or Orange County hair transplant clinics.