Last year, a hair loss discussion site called Hair Transplant Network raised the question of why Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) has become so popular in recent years. The demand has grown. And as a result, it generates quite a bit of discussion each year at the ISHRS (International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery) scientific meeting. They also posed the inquiry of whether it could eventually replace the conventional “gold standard” strip surgery (FUT) procedure.

The Growing Demand For Follicular Unit Extraction Procedures in Los Angeles: UGraft As One of Two Main Types of Hair Transplant Procedures

It seems that many people simply assume that a hair transplant is a standard, one size fits all procedure. But in actuality, this can be done using one of two main techniques:

(1) strip surgery

(2) Follicular Unit Extraction: This is comes in two forms, the basic general FUE and the Advanced UGraft FUE.

Strip surgery is also referred to as Follicular Unit Transfer (FUT). In this procedure, a linear strip of outer scalp tissue is harvested through excision. Individual grafts are dissected by “trimming” around each natural grouping of hairs using a microscope. These are usually about 1-4 hairs. Each graft is then reinserted through slits placed in the bald regions of the head.

In Follicular Unit Extraction, small diameter punch tools (0.8-1.2mm) are used to extract natural hair clusters directly from the scalp. This produces small round wounds instead of a linear scar. These wounds tend to heal within a month or two. Many patients prefer this because they can wear their hair short since they have no linear scar to conceal.

Furthermore, the technique of extracting follicular units grafts directly from the skin has wide implications. Advanced method of FUE as exemplified by the UGrafts enable hair to be harvested from any region of the head, including the nape (where strip surgery cannot be safely done). They can also be derived from body regions through a more specialized practice called UGraft Advanced Follicular Unit Extraction. This application is particularly beneficial for those who need large numbers of hair grafts such as:

severely bald men
individuals who want to repair the results from past procedures.

Awareness of FUE Hair Restoration Through Celebrity Media Coverage

Faster healing times and the freedom from having a tell tale scar are most likely the primary reasons for the increasing popularity of even basic Follicular Unit Extraction when compared to older strip methods. Other factors may include the fact that celebrities have also spoken openly about undergoing this procedure. This includes:

Wayne Rooney
Marc Jacobs

It is also reported that chef Gordon Ramsey also had an FUE hair transplant as well. The results of these procedures were quite positive and perhaps served as a source of inspiration for other men to fight the signs of baldness through surgery.

Growing Demand For Follicular Unit Extraction Procedures in Los Angeles: Patient Example

This patient at Derm Hair Clinic experienced an excellent transformation in the way he looked as a result of his UGraft FUE surgery to address hairline recession.

The Growing Demand For UGraft Follicular Unit Extraction Procedures — Patient’s hairline before and after his Follicular Unit Extraction procedure*

In his video, he talks about telling his friend that he had a UGraft hair transplant. His friend had undergone strip surgery and was not aware of UGraft FUE procedures. He was quite surprised that there was no linear scar.

Read more about the background of FUE surgery here:http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2956961/