Manual FUE

WHAT IS MANUAL FUE PROCEDURE?

Manual FUE Procedure is an old technique applied in hair transplantation where the grafts are removed one by one by Dr. Kelemen.

Manual extraction devices are generally considered the “original” FUE tools, namely because these were the devices first used in follicular unit excision procedures. A manual FUE punch is a metal, handheld device that features a handle on one end and a hollow, cylinder-shaped needle (a “punch”) on the other.

During an FUE hair transplant procedure with the manual punch, a physician locates a follicular unit graft for extraction, grips the manual punch tool by the handle, places the hollow needle around the follicular unit, and pushes the tool into the scalp.

This action punctures the scalp around the follicular unit and allows for removal. In order to accomplish this task, physicians can use either “blunt” or “sharp” tipped tools, and also choose from a variety of punch sizes.

After the scalp is punctured (or “scored”) and the graft is ready for removal, hair restoration physicians can further separate the tissue surrounding the graft with a sharp-tipped tool and then pull the graft from the scalp with forceps, or switch to a blunt-tipped tool to further dissect the graft and prepare for forceps removal.

Manual FUE is considered the “old” method of FUE and is rarely performed in this day and age.  It is what most people would consider “plugs” and gives a “pluggy” or “baby doll” look to the hair which can be attributed to the larger size of the punch.  As a result of the unnatural look of the larger plugs, most people are not happy with the results.

Those that do still perform manual FUE hair transplant, believe the sensitive “feedback” and control provided by a manual punch (versus motorized devices) makes this method of extraction ideal.

On the other hand, using manual devices is often more tedious and time-consuming for the FUE surgeon and as a result, the amount of hair that can be moved in a single day or session is often less than by using motorized devices as well as increasing the chance of transacting or damaging the follicles that are obtained.

Here’s a summary of what will happen during your procedure should you decide to opt for this hair transplantation method:

1. Dr. Kelemen will design the hairline on the patient’s scalp, according to their age, ethnicity, and needs and will make sure that the patient likes it before moving forward. The donor area margins will also be marked. This is usually a one-centimeter width strip and the length will be dictated by the needs of the number of grafts.
2. Photographs will be taken for patients’ records both before the design of the hairline and after the design of the hairline.
3. The patient will be offered a mild sedative (anxiolytic medication) that will provide comfort and relaxation during the surgery.
4. In our clinic, Dr. Kelemen is the one and only one that performs the local anesthesia and this is done under the administration of ProNox™ nitrous oxide gas (laughing gas) that additionally with the sedative will make you feel even more comfortable. You will be awake throughout but will feel no pain.
5. At the donor site, the hair will be trimmed to about 2 millimeters long.
6. Dr. Kelemen will excise the individual follicular units utilizing the WAW system.
7. The strip will be prepared under the microscope into slivers and then into grafts.
8. Dr. Kelemen will make the sites where grafts will be implanted. This is never done prior to the removal of grafts so that Dr. Kelemen can adjust the size of the incision to perfectly correlate to the individual size of a patient’s grafts.
9. The grafts will be inserted into the recipient sites created by Dr. Kelemen. Unlike other clinics, at Hair 4 Life to assure the greatest patient results and satisfaction, Dr. Kelemen is inserting the grafts along with her assistants.
10. Hair 4 Life will provide the necessary medications and supplies needed at no additional cost to the patient.
11. The next day Dr. Kelemen will see the patient and will shampoo the patient’s scalp, making sure that the donor area and the recipient area are healing properly as well as all grafts are situated correctly and have not dislodged.
12. Our patients are given three sessions of hyperbaric oxygen therapy sessions to help facilitate faster healing and growth.

Contact Us or call Hair 4 Life at (480) 525-4547 to schedule an appointment and get your consultation.