Thinning hair can have such an impact on a person, it can cause stress, anxiety and loss of self-esteem, making you feel like you’d do anything to remedy the situation. Making a rash decision on a hair transplant can have diabolical consequences for a number of reasons. Firstly, the result can be unnatural looking, you may have a low follicle survival rate and worse still, so much damage can be done to the donor area that corrective surgery may not be a possibility.
Making the right decision on your hair transplant provider from the beginning is so important – to get a natural-looking result and to protect the donor area from trauma. In this article, we explain the difference between FUT, FUE and the Direct FUE methods and why Direct FUE stand head and shoulders above the industry in terms of process, quality and results.
Different Methods Explained
A hair transplant involves taking healthy hair follicles (from an area resistant to balding) and implanting them into the treatment area. Both the extraction phase and implantation phase are equally important. The key difference between FUT and FUE techniques are how the donor hair follicles are extracted. We explain below:
FUT (Follicular Unit Transplant)
FUT is one traditional technique where a long thin strip of scalp is removed, typically from lower down on the back of the head. The hair follicles are then divided into single units under a microscope.
The scalp from where the strip was removed is then sewn back together. It is a cheaper form of hair transplant as the extraction phase is quicker than alternative techniques, however, it leaves a significant scar that can be seen under short hair and if you are prone to keloid scarring, it can cause a very noticeable scar where the strip was removed.
FUE (Follicular Unit Extraction)
FUE is another traditional technique where a punch is used to make a small circular cut in the skin around a hair follicle or group of follicles, removing them from the scalp, and leaving a small open hole.
The process is repeated until the surgeon has enough follicles to cover the treatment area. The holes heal to tiny white scars throughout the donor area and can be undetectable depending on the skill of the surgeon. These scars heal quicker and are less visible than FUT.
Direct FUE
The extraction on Direct FUE could be referred to as a micro-FUE as it doesn’t involve cutting into patients skin and only punches with a diameter of 1mm or less are used to extract hairs one by one from the donor area. This minimally invasive extraction is always done 100% by a certified surgeon ensuring consistency and high quality.
With both the FUT and FUE options, follicles are implanted the same way, by creating reception holes in the treatment area and placing the hair follicles into the holes with forceps, allowing little control over the angle, direction and depth. Implantation is normally done by technicians, not by a surgeon. With these traditional techniques, the focus is on how many follicles are extracted and little or no emphasis on follicle survival rate after implantation, which is crucial.
With the Direct FUE Technique, each follicle is separately placed directly in the affected area with the implanter, the specially designed tool for hair transplant and hair loss treatment. With the implanter, doctors can control the depth, direction and angle in, which each graft is placed. Thus, the new hair does not fall, the grafts live longer and the final look is 100% natural. Direct FUE implantation of hair follicles with the implanter provides a natural look.
The Direct FUE hair transplant technique is a tested and standardised method, which takes the best approach in every step of the procedure to ensure maximum patient comfort and 100% natural-looking results. We, at Seneca we are so confident in our technique that we guarantee natural results.
What makes the Direct FUE Technique Superior?
1) Procedures are done by a Seneca Certified Doctor, not technicians
- on-going training and certification through Seneca Training & Research Centre ensures consistency and quality
2) Minimum handling of hair follicles results in a high survival rate
- achieving constantly over 95% survival rate vs industry rates that fluctuate between 60-75%
- fewer donor hairs needed
- this is important as only the surviving hair is worth paying for
3) Patented technique – the most delicate hair transplant method
- no scalpels
- no stitches
- painless under local anesthesia
- short recovery time (you may even return to work the next day)
4) HypothermosolTM
- While hair follicles are out of the patient’s body, they are kept in a special preservative solution (HypothermosolTM) that is commonly used in organ transplants. This is important for consistency in the hair survival rate from patient to patient.
- Seneca is the only hair restoration clinic in the UK that use HypothermosolTM in hair transplants. This sustains the survival rate of the hairs up to 100%.
5) Natural results GUARANTEED
- implantation of the hair follicles happens with a special tool, the Implanter, which allows our specialist Seneca doctor to control the angle, direction and depth of the implanted hair, unlike any other technique.
- your results are guaranteed to look natural
How much does a hair transplant cost?
When it comes to hair transplants, many people assume that they should base the cost on the number of grafts (hair follicles) to be extracted and implanted. The larger the number of grafts, the better value for money, right? Wrong. Older style hair transplant techniques require more of your precious donor hair follicles to be harvested. Using the correct technique allows for fewer follicles needed to achieve the desired result and caring for the donor area to allow for a future transplant if required is the priority. Too frequently, we have seen patients come to Seneca following a botched procedure with little to no option for a remedial procedure due to the damage inflicted or the “over harvesting” of the donor area.
Cheap hair transplants can have serious consequences for a variety of reasons. You can get a low price per graft but you will probably have a low follicle survival rate, so if you have a survival rate of 25-30%, then you will eventually make a very expensive hair transplant. Seneca is constantly achieving over 95% survival rate against other clinics ranging from 60-75%.
Hair loss – alopecia treatments at Seneca pricing start from £300 and Direct FUE from £2,500. The exact cost depends on the needs and the expectations of the patient.
