In a previous article we said why FUE extraction patterning is so important, for those who missed it, here it is, and trust me we were not kidding! And here we continue with the demonstration, albeit more visibly, to drive home the message.
Well if a picture is worth a thousand words, then what weight is there to a video? Here we see very vividly and graphically what happens when the basic fundamentals of FUE are ignored. As we know from other posts, the recipient area, the hair line, the growth, the naturalness can be way off and resulting in a very manufactured, unpleasing and devastating result that has the opposite impact on your life for the very reason the hair transplant was undertaken. Rather than being more confident and comfortable in your appearance, you become more of a target of wondering eyes due to the low quality, lack of expertise that now becomes your identity.
This however, is not only true for the recipient, but also for the donor area. Whereas Strip[FUT], got bad press for the resulting scars, change of hair angles in the donor, possible miniaturisation and the need to wear the hair longer to cover it, FUE, also in the wrong hands can actually be far worse. Both are good techniques, we perform them, and done properly are life changing, but when FUE is done badly and to the extend in this video, then the resulting scarring, decimation and damage to the donor is significantly worse. Not only is the recipient able to look unnatural, the donor is not immune to it! Now you are worried about who is behind you as well as in front of you.
Here, the richest area of the donor, the area that has the coarser grafts, higher density and better hair to follicular unit make up, that should be used wisely and with thought, has been as said, “robbed”. The goal, rather than to give longevity to the patient, keeping in mind future loss, using the correct calibre grafts for the right area, spreading the extractions to ensure good healing and less visible impact of anything taken, it really has been a get in, grab, get out, as quickly as possible and move onto the next victim.
Fast forward a few years, the doctors and clinic move on but the problem stays. Now the patient has lost more hair and the richer areas that now should be able to come into play, are gone. The patient has been forced to keep his hair longer to cover the damage in the donor, so this limits his ability to shave closer as the loss progressed, but also the much needed grafts from the best area, are barren. The scarring is there to see, and the majority of the donor area has already been consumed. The goal for the performing clinic was money oriented as you pay per graft and no thought for tomorrow.
If I were to end the story here, it would be a devastating end. So, what can be done? Well, for the donor, now you need an elite surgeon who understands FUE donor management and can really cherry pick to get what he can, and this video shows the clear quality difference between the work of Dr.Bisanga and the previous clinic, who incidentally, market as FUE specialists. The scarring can be to some degree camouflaged with SMP, a good practitioner is needed because working into scar tissue has also its own challenges, but for harvesting it is pretty much exhausted. So, the approach now is to extend beyond the ruined area and to tap into the virgin zones, yes they are less dense, harder to harvest from with more acute angles, but for an accomplished FUE surgeon, this will not be a problem. Furthermore, we also added body hair into the mix, so beard and chest will for this patient, (and thankfully with the colour and coarseness etc,) is compatible to use, and will bring some hope to a man who at 31 has already suffered from his first hair transplant experience to now.
Hindsight is great, foresight is better! Due to not being able to travel in time and undo poor decisions, we can only work in the now to better his future. Yes, as Dr.Bisanga said, research to get it right first time, and you can see the sincerity in his voice and visage, this is a heartfelt cry, because as a clinic we see now more and more bad work coming to our doorstep and the impact on the patient also, physically, emotionally and financially also.
Take home message, learn from others’ mistakes, research well, ask questions, meet previous patients and be comfortable with the doctor and clinic you choose to entrust your head with. FUE extraction is not a hashtag, it is a reality that you need to be aware of and why we will keep teaching on these important topics.
Take care and thanks for reading!
Stephen
