While many would say that being bald has some perks — saving on shampoo, perhaps — they likely wouldn’t contest that going bald is less than ideal. If you have started to lose your hair as a result of age, genetics or otherwise, you may be feeling frustrated by a receding hairline, overall thinning or visible patches of scalp at the crown. These problem areas impact the confidence of millions of men and women in America every year, and for some of them, a solution feels out of reach. Everyday remedies like over-the-counter regrowth treatments, hairpieces and laser therapy don’t always work as expected, and transplant surgery or oral medications come with risks that not everyone can take. This is where a procedure like NeoGraft fits — it’s a minimally invasive alternative to traditional hair transplantation. NeoGraft offers an exciting combination of simplicity and natural results.
Follicular Unit Extraction and Follicular Unit Transplantation
NeoGraft uses a unique new type of hair transplantation called follicular unit extraction, or FUE. By contrast, traditional hair transplant surgery uses follicular unit transplantation, or FUT. The distinction between these two approaches comes down to one significant difference: FUE extracts and repositions individual hair follicle units, while FUT removes a strip of donor tissue before isolating follicle units and placing them in their new position. Though both accomplish the same thing — moving hair follicles from one area of your head to another — the different techniques mean different risks, recovery times and results.
FUE procedures like NeoGraft are praised among hair transplant specialists for the benefits of their less invasive approach. Since NeoGraft does not require a full strip of tissue to be removed, there are no sutures, no scar and a quicker recovery time. After an FUT transplant, it can take weeks before swelling resolves, and several months for hair to grow back to the point where the scar can be fully hidden. With FUE procedures like NeoGraft, you can be back to normal activities, including exercise, sooner. The small, puncture-like scabs from FUE treatment will heal quickly on their own and can be easily hidden with just a few weeks of regrowth.
The NeoGraft Procedure
NeoGraft begins by identifying a donor site — an area of your head with thick, consistent growth that will provide healthy follicles to restore areas of hair loss. This donor area is then shaved close to the skin so that your surgeon can pinpoint follicle units for extraction. The procedure is minimally invasive, so you will only need local anesthesia to stay comfortable throughout — though general anesthesia may be an option if you prefer. Using NeoGraft’s proprietary cutting-edge tool, your surgeon can remove individual follicular units with a punch and suction action. The grafts are then sorted and prepared for transplantation.
Your surgeon then prepares the transplantation site by creating small pockets for the follicle units. Each follicle harvested in the first phase of your NeoGraft procedure is then inserted into its own new space in the area you are restoring. The precise location and even the angle of each follicle unit are carefully planned before your procedure as part of your treatment plan — your surgeon will be sure that no hair is out of place once your transplanted hairs grow back in.
NeoGraft Results
NeoGraft is a low-risk procedure that, compared to traditional hair transplant surgery, has dramatically reduced chances of infection, swelling, discomfort and blood vessel damage during treatment and healing. Your time spent in surgery is typically shorter than that of an FUT transplant, as is recovery time. You’ll also avoid the horizontal scar at the back of the head usually associated with hair transplant surgeries.
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Otherwise, the results from NeoGraft are equally as impressive as from typical hair transplant surgeries. You’ll see total hair regrowth within about nine months after your procedure with noticeably thicker hair in the areas where you had your transplants placed. As with FUT transplants, the hair in the transplanted follicles will fall out about 3 to 4 weeks after your treatment and then begin their growth cycle in their new position on your head.
Is NeoGraft Right for Me?
The ideal NeoGraft candidate has mild to moderate hair loss, a robust section of hair at the back of their head for follicle donation and is otherwise in good health. You may be particularly interested in NeoGraft if you are very active and do not want to worry about recovery time, if you prefer to wear your hair very short and do not want a visible scar or if you have undergone a traditional hair transplant before and want to supplement the results.
NeoGraft is appropriate for both men and women struggling with hair loss. It can also be used to restore hair on other parts of the body — like the legs or chest — if desired. To learn more about NeoGraft and to find out if it might be right for you, contact a provider near you today. For information about NeoGraft in Coralville and Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Dr. Kahlil Andrews at Andrews Plastic Surgery can help you with your hair restoration needs. Schedule your consultation to visit us for an in-person evaluation, during which Dr. Andrews can help you decide if hair transplantation with NeoGraft will meet your aesthetic goals. Call us today at 319-800-6877 to make your appointment.
