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FAQ

Am I a candidate for a hair transplant?

Won't my new hairs fall out just like the old ones?

What percentage of the transplanted hairs should I expect to grow?

Do you offer a guarantee?

Is it painful?

How much time will I need off work?

Will my hair at the donor area grow back after the procedure or will I be left with a bald patch at the back of my head?

I have heard that some clinics offer a non-surgical hair restoration procedure which is guaranteed to give patients a full head of hair. Why should I consider a surgical hair transplant through National Hair Institute?

Can I use somebody else's hair that has a more abundant supply of it?

10.

Is this the best alternative?

11.

I've been told that large sessions (in excess of 2000 grafts) produce poor growth or inadequate results. Is this true?

12.

Can the blood supply support a large number of grafts?

13.

Is a megasession expensive?

14.

Is this type of surgery dangerous?

15.

Have you ever had a patient that did not experience any regrowth?

16.

How thick is the scar at the back of the head?

17.

How long has the National Hair Institute been performing this hair transplantation method?

18.

What is the maximum number of grafts that National Hair Institute can transplant in one FUG procedure?

Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) Specific questions

19;

What is the main difference between follicular unit extraction (FUE) and follicular unit grafting (FUG)?

20.

After the FUE procedure, will I be able to wear my hair really short at the back?

21.

I have had a few hair transplant procedures during the last 20 years and have been told that my scalp is too tight to consider another transplant. Could the FUE method allow me to obtain more hair?

22.

Does the FUE end result look just as full and natural as that of FUG patients?

23;

Is FUE more expensive than FUG?

24.

If I have had a large FUE procedure, how soon can I have a second one to produce more coverage?

25.

Which is better, FUG or FUE?

26.

What is the maximum number of grafts that NHI can transplant via FUE in a single day?

1. Am I a candidate for a hair transplant?

With a few exceptions, this procedure is suitable for any male or female who is experiencing balding or thinning of the scalp hair. Your individual results will be dependent upon a number of factors that will be determined by the doctor during your personal consultation. At this time, he will advise of what you can expect to achieve.

2. Won't my new hairs fall out just like the old ones?

No. When we perform a procedure, we take the hair bearing skin from the back of the scalp where it is abundant and resistant to the damaging effects of DHT and transfer it to the areas where thinning or balding has occurred. In its new location it will last as long as it would have in its original location. It will still go through the various phases of growth (Anagen, Catagen & Telogen) and shedding, but the hair will continue to grow in its new position as long as it would have in the old, which in most cases is a lifetime.

3. What percentage of the transplanted hairs should I expect to grow?

Growth rates of between 90 - 100% are achieved in 98.6% of our follicular unit grafting patients.

4. Do you offer a guarantee?

Our follicular unit grafting patients are all provided with a written guarantee promising that if at least 90% growth has not been achieved, we will transplant more hair to bring their growth rate up to a 90-100% range at no additional cost. The written guarantee is provided to the client before they are asked to pay or sign anything.

5. Is it painful?

The procedure is performed under local anaesthetic administered by our doctor during the operation. As part of an ongoing pain management study, we ask all our patients if they would be more, just as, or less apprehensive if they were to have another procedure. In excess of 97% have said that they would be less apprehensive if they were to have another procedure. The anticipation of pain for this procedure is far worse than the actual event. People who undergo this procedure are just like you, none of them look forward to the operative part of the procedure, but nearly all concede that their fears were unwarranted. If this is a big concern for you, you are welcome to speak to some of our past patients who have been through it before and they will be happy to share their experiences. Gas is available at the start of the procedure if required.

6. How much time will I need off work?

This really depends upon the individual. It would be possible to return to work within one or two days after the procedure if required. However if you are sensitive about your appearance it is recommended to take one to two weeks off to allow the visible signs of the transplant to heal. It is possible to wear a cap after the procedure to conceal the top of your head if this is feasible in your work environment.

7. Will my hair at the donor area grow back after the procedure or will I be left with a bald patch at the back of my head?

The answer to both questions is no. At the start of the Follicular Unit Grafting procedure we remove a strip of hair bearing skin from the back of the scalp and then utilizing the elasticity of the skin we are able to suture that area closed. After the procedure you are left with a fine linear scar at the back of the head that is covered by your existing hair and providing your hair is approximately a centimetre in length will not even be noticed directly after the procedure.

8. I have heard that some clinics offer a non-surgical hair restoration procedure which is guaranteed to give the patient a full head of hair. Why should I consider a surgical hair transplant through National Hair Institute?

This may come as a shock to you but all those "non-surgical hair replacement" procedures offered by certain hair loss clinics that promise to replace your lost hair, hair strand by hair strand with no surgery involved are simply wigs (commonly called a “unit, system, membrane or a hair graft” by the Clinic).

The sales consultant explains that a sample of your hair is taken and then sent to an overseas laboratory to be multiplied or cloned (FYI hair cloning does not exist) in order to replicate the density and texture of your existing hair at the back of your scalp. The newly grown hairs are then transplanted into a special thin membrane which is eventually moulded (or "grafted") to your scalp to give you back a full head of hair. They explain that the treatment does not involve any tablets or lotions; it is non-surgical, painless and guaranteed to work (as any wig would be)! In reality your hair sample is simply used as a guide to make a wig out of hair (which is not your own) that has a similar colour and texture to your own hair in order to make the hair piece look as natural as possible.

It is not until you come back a few weeks later after paying a large amount of money, you realise it is simply a hair piece which has to be glued to your balding scalp. On top of this you need to pay regular visits to the clinic every 3-5 weeks so that the wig can be removed in order to clean and reshave your scalp before they reglue the wig back on. On top of this they become your hair dresser as it takes skill to blend a wig with your natural hair.

A surgical procedure is known as a hair transplant. It uses your own hair which in most cases grows for a lifetime and is the only hair loss treatment option that does not require any ongoing costs or maintenance. For most people, one or two follicular unit grafting procedures will give them a full head of growing hair for life.

A non-surgical hair graft procedure is a wig (often known as a "unit") which does not use your own hair. It does not grow and requires ongoing maintenance. On top of this, wigs do shed hair through wear and tear which means they only last for a given number of months before you have to purchase a replacement. Many of these non-surgical hair graft patients that have come to NHI for a hair transplant (we get many of them) have advised that wearing the unit costs them $4000 - $5000 in maintenance costs every single year!

Whether you choose a hair transplant (surgical option) or a hair piece (non-surgical hair graft option) is your decision.

9. Can I use somebody else's hair that has a more abundant supply of it?

No. It is possible to transplant vital organs for people with life threatening cases. However they are then required to take immune system suppressants for the rest of their life leaving them more susceptible to illness and disease. These suppressants are required to stop the body killing what it recognises as being foreign to it. The use of immune system suppressants would be the same for someone that had hair donated by someone else. So whilst this is theoretically possible the disadvantages do not justify it.

10. Is a hair transplant the best alternative?

Hair transplantation is the only permanent medical solution to hair loss. There are many other quick fixes and "cover ups" but all are short-term solutions.

11. I've been told that large sessions (in excess of 2000 grafts) produce poor growth or inadequate results. Is this true?

Definitely not! In the early years of the megasession some surgeons experienced poor results from procedures with between 1000-2000 grafts. But this was most likely due to the infancy of the procedure and a poor technique. The recognised world experts in this field are now aware that procedures with 2000-4000 grafts can consistently produce excellent growth and the most undetectable results available. Unfortunately some doctors continue to "undermine" the megasession because of the increased costs in time and money required to implement such practices. The intensive training, extra staff, long learning curve and specialized equipment is a formidable barrier to many surgeons, as is the requirement to work a 10+ hour day that a 3500-4500 graft session requires. Particularly those that perform hair transplantation in addition to other cosmetic procedures such intensive restructuring and considerable expense is just not viable. To get the best results from these procedures a number of highly skilled technicians well practiced in the use of the Stereoscopic Dissecting Microscope are required together with a great deal of attention given to graft handling and insertion. Without the adequate skills, knowledge and training, inadequate results are not only possible, but also most probably inevitable.

12. Can the blood supply support a large number of grafts?

Another misconception is that the blood supply to the scalp is insufficient to support such a large number of grafts. Past results prove this to be inaccurate. Because the grafts are placed into a hole made by a very fine hypodermic needle there is minimal interruption to the blood supply and in the vast majority of cases growth rates will exceed 98%.

13. Is a megasession expensive?

Relatively speaking the answer is no. When you consider that in most cases we can produce the desired result for the patient in only one session as opposed to 3 or 4 procedures as may have been required using older technology. Much of the expense is taken up by the set up, preparation and clean up which is only required once with the megasession. Over time the expense of having these smaller procedures can quickly outstrip the cost of having a larger one. In addition to this, having a megasession will give you results in approximately twelve months with only one period of time off work.

14. Is this type of surgery dangerous?

No. Hair transplantation is very minor skin surgery. All procedures are performed with disposable sharps and all reusable instruments are autoclaved as per standard medical practices with staff trained in sterilisation techniques. No patient at NHI has ever been infected with any transmittable disease (AIDS, hepatitis etc.) or suffered any serious complications as a result of surgery. If our doctor feels that a patient due to ill health is an unacceptable risk, surgery will not be performed.

15. Have you ever had a patient that did not experience any regrowth?

No. Every patient will grow hair and should expect around 95% regrowth. We may have a few cases each year where the growth is less than expected (less than 90%) which is when NHI will transplant more hair at no additional cost to bring the patient's result up to the expected result.

16. How thick is the scar at the back of the head?

The average scar in our follicular unit grafting procedure patients is 1.5 - 2.0mm thick. Most patients can still get by with a number 3 clipper. In rare occasions it can be thinner or thicker than the range quoted.

17. How long has the National Hair Institute been performing this hair transplantation method?

NHI was the first clinic to bring this method to Australia in 1994 and is proud to be known as Australia's most experienced hair transplant clinic when it comes to follicular unit grafting (also known as Follicular Unit Transfer - FUT).

18. What is the maximum number of grafts that National Hair Institute can transplant in one procedure?

The maximum number of grafts that NHI can transplant in one FUG procedure is generally about 5000 grafts (equal to about 10,000 hairs). The highest number we have ever transplanted for a patient within a single day was 6013 follicular unit grafts or 12,800 hairs.

Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) Specific Questions

19. What is the main difference between follicular unit extraction (FUE) and follicular unit grafting (FUG)?

The main difference is the extraction process of the follicular units from the donor region. FUG removes a long strip of skin from the donor region which leaves a permanent, thin scar at the back. The FUE method uses a tool to extract each follicular unit from the back individually which results in no linear scar. Both methods plant hairs into the scalp the same way.

20. After the FUE procedure, will I be able to wear my hair really short at the back?

Due to the fact that no linear scar is created, FUE patients are commonly able to wear their hair very short without any scarring being visible. Most FUE patients can get away with a Number 1 or 2 clipper cut at the back.

21. I have had a few hair transplant procedures during the last 20 years and have been told that my scalp is too tight to consider another transplant. Could the FUE method allow me to obtain more hair?

Yes you could possibly obtain more hair via the FUE method. Because the amount of hair obtained via an FUE procedure is not affected by the level of flexibility in your scalp, it does mean patients who are unable to have another strip extracted due to scalp tightness can possibly have more hair transplanted via FUE.

22. Does the FUE end result look just as full and natural as that of FUG patients?

As long as the same amount of hair is transplanted in each scenario, the answer is yes.

23. Is FUE more expensive than FUG?

Because the follicular unit extraction method is more labour intensive and requires much more time to transplant the same amount of hair when compared to an FUG procedure, FUE is more expensive.

24. If I have had one large FUE procedure, how soon can I have a second one to produce more coverage?

You can have a second FUE procedure the following day.

25. Which is better, FUG or FUE?

Officially there is no correct answer to this question as a lot relates to the goals and expectations of the patient. We would commonly advise clients that if they are requiring an abundant amount of hair (such as over 3000 grafts) then FUG would be the better choice. This is because much more hair can be taken out in the one day and FUG is cheaper than FUE (based on cost per graft).

If the client requires only a small procedure to thicken the frontal hairline or to fill in a small thinning patch for example, then FUE becomes a more appealing option.

The FUE method is a viable option for patients with extensive hair loss if they are satisfied with the higher number of procedures required and cost to achieve the final result.

If you are unsure of which method would better suit you, we recommend that you contact us to arrange a free one on one consultation.

26. What is the maximum number of grafts that NHI can transplant via FUE in a single day?

The maximum number of grafts that NHI can extract and transplant via the FUE (non-strip) method in a single day is 600-800 grafts.

Hair Restoration Products, Natural Hair Loss, Hair Transplant Repair, Hair Transplants

FAQ

FAQ

Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) Specific questions

Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) Specific Questions