Question:
I just read here on your website: “What is not known, in my opinion, is the damage the FUE harvesting process does on the adjacent donor hairs and how viable they may be for future FUE sessions.” Based on this, it sounds like this option wouldn’t be good for me yet. Do you consult on other options as well?
Answer:
My point is that FUE (which includes Neograft and robotic machines) is only a method for obtaining follicular unit grafts and cannot possibly give better results than grafts harvested by the efficient and time proven strip harvesting approach. At best it could give an equal result in very skilled hands at twice the operating time and expense. By the time 4000-6000 grafts have been taken in a lifetime, the potential negative effects on the donor area have to be considered.
Much of the artistry and acquired skill in hair transplantation has to do with planning and executing the recipient phase of the hair transplant procedure. I go back to the 1970’s when grafts were produced by drilling out hairs in the back and sides of the head causing scarring and damage to the remaining hairs . Even as the drilled out grafts got smaller similar to FUE harvesting, I still saw this when called on to do repair work. Many of the FUE promoters were recently introduced to the field of hair restoration surgery and may have relatively little experience and judgment in planning the entire procedure and counseling the prospective patient as to planning a procedure with the future in mind.
Whether or not a young man should consider starting hair transplants depends on many factors that can only be resolved with an extensive personal discussion with an experienced surgeon.