Automated Hair Transplant Surgery is the Wave of the Future

As hair transplant technology becomes more advanced with natural looking results, so does the popularity of treating hair loss in both men and women. Automated hair transplant surgery is one of the newest techniques in hair restoration that both patients and surgeons are welcoming.

The most common approach to hair restoration is follicular unit grafting (FUG).

This method, also known as the "strip method", involves the excision of a strip of scalp from the back of the head where the hair is genetically more resistant to hair loss. It is then dissected into tiny grafts and transplanted into other areas of the head where there is no hair.

FUG is a quick, painless surgery performed under local anesthesia. The technique's popularity is a testimony to its effectiveness, but unfortunately the patient can be left with a linear scar, making it inconvenient for those that wear their hair short.

In order to eliminate the presence of a strip scar, the follicular unit extraction (FUE) method may be preferred. Instead of a strip being extracted, individual follicular units are able to be extracted with the use of a circular punch device.

Thousands of FUE grafts can be transplanted into small slits with this technique. The results are more natural appearing with no scarring. The downside to FUE is that it is highly time consuming, monotonous, and more expensive for the patient.

Automated follicular unit extraction (AFUE) is an advanced form of FUE. It uses a hand guided punch tool to assist the surgeon in removing individual hair follicles from the back and sides of the scalp.

An automated high-pressure pneumatic system suctions the hair follicles and collects them, reducing the physical handling of the hair follicles by the surgeon. It is minimally invasive and virtually painless.

As with FUE, there is no scar or sutures. Recovery is faster than with FUG, with most patients returning to work in as little as 2 to 3 days. The greatest benefit of AFUE is that more hair follicles can be harvested and transplanted at a given time, with a higher survival rate due to the limited handling of the follicles.

Less time spent by the surgeon working with each follicle means a reduced cost for patients compared to traditional follicular unit extraction.

Automated follicular unit extraction is fast becoming the new standard for hair transplantation. With faster, higher developed technology, more physicians are willing to learn the FUE approach which was once too tedious. Patients reap the benefits of no scarring, higher success rates and an easier recovery.

Patients interested in automated hair transplant surgery can visit www.virginiahairtransplantsurgery.com

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