Hair Transplant Unit

The FUE technique consists of extracting the follicular units individually from the donor area, to later implant them in the recipient area. It is necessary to shave the patient’s hair and a very high number of transplanted follicular units can be achieved per surgery. This technique is usually used especially in men who normally wear their hair short or shaved. In this technique, there is no linear scar in the donor area.

In essence, it is the same technique as the previous one, but without shaving the entire head. Only small areas of the donor area are shaved in such a way that this area is then concealed with the patient’s hair. Ideal for a faster return to socio-laboral activities. Currently, our hair transplant specialists carry out a large number of transplants with this procedure to reduce the aesthetic impact on the patient in the initial postoperative phases.

Also called the strip technique, this type of hair transplant is carried out by surgically removing a segment of scalp that measures approximately one centimeter wide by 15-20 centimeters long. This portion of scalp, which contains the hair follicles to be transplanted into the recipient area, is sutured using a technique called trichophytic suture that leaves a practically imperceptible scar as it is hidden under the patient’s hair.

The follicles of that strip of skin are separated one by one using microscopes that allow maximum precision. Subsequently, these individual follicles are implanted in the recipient area that is to be repopulated, usually in the upper area of the head and in the hairline.

This technique allows obtaining a large number of follicles to transplant, which allows treating extensive alopecias. It is generally used in women and in men who do not want to shave their hair, given that the great advantage of this technique is, precisely, that it does not require shaving it.

About 10 days before the intervention, the patient must refrain from taking anti-inflammatory drugs and aspirin. Likewise, in the 24 hours prior to surgery, you should avoid alcohol, coffee and tobacco.

If you are being treated with vasodilators for alopecia, you should suspend it one week before the hair transplant; however, it is not necessary to suspend therapy with antiandrogens.

The patient must go to the operating room fasting for at least six hours and with clean hair, having washed it the night before or the same morning of the hair transplant. With regard to the need to go to the medical center with a companion, it must be taken into account that this figure is not necessary when going to the medical center, but it is when leaving it, since it is not recommended to drive home, due to the administration of medication that may compromise your state of alertness and slow down your reflexes.

In our Trichology and Hair Transplant Unit, we perform the intervention in the operating room with superficial sedation and local anesthesia. Likewise, the patient remains controlled at all times by an anesthesiologist, a factor that increases the safety of the intervention and the patient’s comfort during the procedure, which is quite prolonged. This fact constitutes a differential factor of our unit and an incentive for many patients who decide to have surgery in our center.

Regarding the steps of the hair transplant intervention, we differentiate three mainly.

1. Extraction of follicles from the donor area

The necessary hair is extracted from the nape of the neck, either by means of a strip (FUSS technique) or by means of the FUE technique.

2. Separation one by one and preparation of the follicles

In the FUSS technique, the follicles are meticulously separated using microscopes, while in the FUE technique the follicles are already separated and only need to be prepared for implantation.

3. Implantation of the follicles in the area of alopecia

The hairs extracted from the nape of the neck are implanted one by one in the area of baldness, through small micro-holes less than one millimeter made with a design adapted to each patient to give a totally natural appearance.

Hair transplantation is a minimally invasive surgery, so the patient is not hospitalized and can return home after the operation. In the following days, it is necessary to take anti-inflammatory and antibiotic medication and to have relative rest, being able to return to their social and work life about a week after undergoing the hair transplant.

After the hair transplant, the patient must observe some simple care with respect to the transplanted follicles. In this way, they must avoid excessive friction on the transplanted area and wash the hair meticulously, trying not to tear off the scabs that form on the transplanted follicles.

The Trichology and Hair Transplant Unit of Grupo Pedro Jaén places special emphasis on carrying out close monitoring of the first days after the transplant. The specialists teach the patient how to perform the cures, the most appropriate hair washing, etc. The objective is to reduce postoperative discomfort and optimize the result of the hair transplant, favoring the rooting of the transplanted follicles.

Patients who have undergone a hair transplant with the strip technique (FUSS) should go to the medical center after 12-14 days, as indicated by the specialist, for the removal of the stitches. The scar from the strip is covered by the surrounding hair, making it unrecognizable from the day after surgery. A few weeks later it will be practically imperceptible even with short hair, making it very difficult for someone to recognize that the patient has been operated on.

How long does a hair transplant operation last?

Hair transplantation is a laborious procedure involving around nine or ten professionals, including surgeons, nurses, anesthetists and technicians.

To separate all the follicles individually and prepare them for implantation, coordinated teamwork is necessary for many hours; usually between five and eight depending on the number of follicular units that are transplanted.

Do I need hospital admission?

Despite its long duration, hair transplantation is an intervention that is performed on an outpatient basis. Thus, hospital admission is not required and the patient goes home at the end of the operation.

Why do we operate with an anesthesiologist?

Hair transplantation is not a particularly painful intervention. However, it must be taken into account that it is a very long operation and that the extraction of the follicles and their subsequent implantation is annoying, given the large number of microperforations that must be made in the scalp. At the Trichology and Hair Transplant Unit of Grupo Pedro Jaén, we are in favor of carrying out this intervention, in addition to local anesthesia, with superficial sedation (thanks to the participation of an anesthesiologist in the surgery), to provide greater comfort to our patients during surgery.

Can both men and women have surgery?

Hair transplantation can be performed on both men and women. More than gender, what is important is to see if the person who wants to have it is a good candidate for surgery, taking into account the quality of the hair in the donor area, the type of alopecia they have, the extent of the recipient area… the expert in trichology is the best person to assess whether the patient is a good candidate for transplantation, regardless of whether they are male or female.

Can I have more than one hair transplant?

In most cases, excellent results are obtained with a single hair transplant, but there will be patients with advanced alopecia who require more than one intervention of this type. However, it must be taken into account that the donor area does not generate new follicles once they have been extracted, so hair transplantation cannot be done an infinite number of times.

For this reason, it is essential to correctly select patients who are candidates for transplantation and carry it out when there are real probabilities of success.

Is there a better time of year to have surgery?

From a strictly medical point of view, hair transplantation can be performed at any time of the year. Usually, the date is usually decided based on the patient’s availability to dedicate approximately one week to the care after the intervention.

How long will I be off work after a hair transplant?

The patient will be physically well from the second or third day of surgery. However, if we take into account the cosmetic point of view, we recommend delaying the return to work between seven and eight days after surgery, since in the following days the forehead usually swells somewhat and scabs appear in the areas of the micrografts.

When is the final result of the transplant seen?

The improvement is not usually seen until six months. After that period, the patient improves progressively until 12-14 months, at which time the final result can almost always be seen. In women, the definitive result may take up to a year and a half to arrive.

Is it necessary to continue with the medical treatment of alopecia after a hair transplant?

Yes. Hair transplantation is not a substitute for pharmacological treatment for alopecia. It is true that the transplanted hair will no longer be lost, but the rest of the hair has to be maintained with the medical treatment recommended by your trichology specialist.

The content of this page has been prepared by the Communication Department and the Medical Team of Grupo Pedro Jaén following our editorial commitment, through which we guarantee the truthfulness and updating of the information provided.

References on hair transplantation:

1. Manual de Tricología #TricoHRC. Directors: Sergio Vañó and Pedro Jaén. Editorial committee: Dr. David Saceda and Dr. Óscar Muñoz. ISBN: 978-84-09-05743-6.

2. Innovations hair restoration surgeons have made to adapt to the challenges of follicular unit excision. Gupta AK, Bruce A, Trivellini R, Dua K, Mohebi P, True RH, Harris JA. J Cosmet Dermatol. 2020 Aug;19(8):1883-1891.

3. Robotic Hair Transplantation. Avram MR, Watkins S. Facial Plast Surg Clin North Am. 2020 May;28(2):189-196. doi: 10.1016/j.fsc.2020.01.011.

4. Follicular Unit Excision: Current Practice and Future Developments. Epstein GK, Epstein J, Nikolic J. Facial Plast Surg Clin North Am. 2020 May;28(2):169-176. doi: 10.1016/j.fsc.2020.01.006.

5. Hair Transplant: Added Value When Performed by a Dermatologist. Vañó Galván S. Actas Dermosifiliogr. 2017 Jul-Aug;108(6):495-497. doi: 10.1016/j.ad.2017.06.001.

6. Hair transplant in frontal fibrosing alopecia: A multicenter review of 51 patients. Vañó-Galván S, Villodres E, Pigem R, Navarro-Belmonte MR, Asín-Llorca M, Meyer-González T, Rodrigues-Barata R, Moreno-Arrones ÓM, Saceda-Corralo D, Bouhanna P, Camps A. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2019 Sep;81(3):865-866. doi: 10.1016/j.jaad.2019.05.031.