Hair loss is nothing to be ashamed of and is natural for a large amount of men. Even so, people should have the option to feel more confident with a full head of hair if they so desire. Fortunately, in recent years, procedures have been developed that can actually return hair to the scalp.
Baldness is a continuously growing condition, especially in men. In the United States alone, approximately 35 million men are enduring some form of hair loss. Some may begin balding later in life while some can even begin showing signs in younger years.
One of the earlier procedures used for hair transplant surgery was Follicular Unit Strip Surgery (FUSS). However, as compared to newer methods, FUSS has its downfalls. This operation is invasive and has a higher complication rate than other techniques. The end result leaves a large scar on the back of the head which can seriously limit future graft harvesting due to the pulling of the scalp. FUSS also usually has a long recovery time.
Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE), on the other hand, is a more recently developed and minimally invasive hair restoration procedure. It does not leave any large scars and has a lower rate of complications. The recovery time with FUE is also far less than with FUSS. The patients can shave or keep their hair short in the future if they so desire.
The process of FUE involves individual follicular unit grafts — hair groupings of one to four hairs as they occur naturally in the scalp — being harvested one at a time using an extremely tiny punch that typically ranges from 0.7 to 1mm in size. All of this can even be completed in a single procedure.
Hair loss is a natural part of many men’s lives but doesn’t have to affect their confidence. A few hours could have them walking down the street, fearless.