Follicular Unit Extraction (Restore And Enhance Natural Hair Growth) [Istanbul]

· Those interested in restoring hair growth in Istanbul, Turkey.
· Those with thinning hair.
· Those with hair loss or balding.
· Those who wish to improve alopecia.
· Those who wish to cover the balding area of hair.

Entering middle age leaves you with quite a number of worries. The affairs of your children, career and that includes irreversible hair loss as well. Follicular Unit Extraction, also known in short as FUE, is a minimally invasive procedure in which hair follicles are individually removed from follicular unit grafts (taken from your genetically stronger area of the scalp (donor), and then restored at your thinning area (recipient).

FUE is one of the methods available to combat baldness by transferring healthy hair follicles to the balding area, hence your hair growth will be restored naturally without any scarring. This method is considered an advanced hair transplant treatment with a massive success rate. In this treatment, a micro-needle will be used to extract the hair follicles individually, making this a delicate and time-consuming procedure. As anesthesia will be administered, it is also regarded as a painless procedure.

Counting the amount of grafts needed is usually done by dividing the hair into parts/areas. 1 graft contains 2 to 4 strands of hair on average. Normally, 500 to 2000 grafts are recommended, depending on the areas of hair loss. 500 grafts can be used to touch up specific bald parts such as the upper forehead part, whereas 2000 grafts can be used to treat almost 3/4 of the hair. For a person with full baldness, up between 3,000 to 5,000 grafts are recommended.

FUE works with no incisions needed, in which hairs are extracted individually by a punching machine. Each alternate hair unit is removed with no suturing needed. The procedure takes around 7 to 8 hrs depending on the number of grafts you need and how many times you would request for a break in between. The process is divided into 3 to 4 hrs of planting face down and another 3 to 4 planting lying flat on your back. Healing takes 5 to 7 days and you can feel normal within 2 weeks.

1. Pre-Surgery:
· Your scalp will first be cleaned
· Local anesthesia will be performed at the back of your head.

2. During Surgery:
· Hair follicles are removed one by one
· Holes or slits are formed to place the grafts

<Advantages>
· Restores natural hair
· Fulfills the gap of baldness
· Encourages continuous hair growth
· Effective in restoring severe hair loss
· Enhances fuller hair volume
· No stitches needed
· No scar
· Less recovery period than FUT

<Limitations>
· Bandage around the head is required for up to 2 days after the treatment
· Potential risk of minor bleeding, adverse reaction to anesthesia, and graft rejection and infection
· Recovery time may vary, depending on your condition

FUE (Follicular Unit Excision)
· No scalpels, no staples or sutures
· No visible scars
· Minimal pain on recovery
· Fast recovery within 5 to 7 days
· Up to 3,000 grafts per session
· 1 to 4 hrs of extraction
· Donor site options: scalp and body hair

FUT/STRIP (Follicular Unit Transplantation)
· Wound edges closed with sutures or staples
· Permanent linear scar, up to 30 cm long
· Slightly more painful on recovery
· Slower recovery; sutures to be removed on day 8 to 10
· Up to 4,000 grafts per session
· 1 to 2 hrs of extraction
· Donor site: scalp

· Inform your doctor if you have any health problems and drug allergies
· No taking hormonal pills, herbal supplements, and medicines at least 1 week before your schedule
· No alcohol and smoking at least 48 hrs before the procedure
· At least 6 hrs of sleep is needed before the procedure
· Shower the night before the procedure
· Wear front button shirt to avoid a hard time taking off after the surgery
· No coffee, and light meal only the morning prior to surgery
· Those with any diseases need surgical clearance from their medical specialist

· Refrain from strenuous exercise for at least 2 weeks after the treatment
· No smoking and alcohol consumption for at least 3 weeks after the treatment
· Care should be taken to prevent the loss of transplanted hair for the first 2 weeks

Q1: Should I choose FUT or FUE?
A1: In general, FUT yields the most donor hair. Therefore, the procedure is best suited for more extensive hair loss and in patients where the main concern is the maximum use of one’s donor supply. The hair is maximized because of the precise nature of stereo-microscopic dissection and the fact that all the hair is harvested from the mid-portion of the permanent zone where the hair is most dense and stable. A limitation of FUT is that it leaves a line scar in the donor area. With normal styling, this is easily covered with hair, but it precludes someone from wearing their hair very short. FUE is more appropriate for patients who would like to keep their hair very short or who can’t limit strenuous activities in the post-op period. In general, younger patients who need to keep their styling options flexible choose FUE, whereas those who desire the most coverage opt for FUT.

Q2: Are hairs removed from the donor area re-growable?
A2: No, they are not re-growable as the hairs were removed along with hair bulbs.

Q3: Is the recovery time long?
A3: Although it will take up to 1 year for your transplanted beard to grow to its fullest, you can return to work the day after your hair transplant procedure.

Q4: Will it be painful?
A4: It is painless as anesthesia will be given. Discomfort and soreness may occur but it will be bearable. Our affiliated clinic will also provide painkillers and any other medication needed for you to deal with the discomfort and heal.

Q5: Any precautions I should take before the procedure?
A5: You should let the doctors know about your medical history and current condition. In addition, it is discouraged for you to take any blood flow stimulants or blood thinners prior to the procedure such as coffee, chocolate, vitamin complexes, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, aspirin, etc.

[Clinic Name] Maxim Hair Restoration
[Location] Istanbul, Turkey
[Nearest Station/ Nearest Tourist Destination] Located in the trendy Nisantasi neighborhood on the European side of Istanbul, nearby Dora Hospital Hastanesi Fulya and 30 mins drive from various tourist attractions such as Madame Tussauds Istanbul and Galata Tower
[Clinic Opening Time] Monday to Friday