A pitcher who can throw a 100-mph fastball is a talented baseball player. So too is a slugger who can hit home runs that seem to go for a mile. Even though they are working towards the same goal – winning the ballgame – the skills they bring to the game are completely different. Similarly, in hair transplant surgery, different techniques requiring different skills can be used to accomplish the same goal of restoring a full, vibrant, natural-looking head of hair.
At the Hair Transplant Institute of Miami, we offer two highly refined approaches to surgical hairline restoration: Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE/FIT) and Follicular Unit Grafting (FUG). Performed by Dr. Bernard Nusbaum and Dr. Paul Rose, two ISHRS Golden Follicle Award winning surgeons, these two transplant techniques are both effective at restoring hair yet involve significant differences in how that is accomplished.
Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE/FIT) Using the ARTAS System
Follicular Unit Extraction is a minimally invasive method of transplanting individual hair follicles for natural-looking results. FUE involves harvesting using a circular needle called a “punch.” Follicular units are removed from the donor area with a 0.8-1-millimeter circular tool in a scattered pattern to eliminate the linear scar associated with traditional donor strip harvesting. Because scars are tiny and dot-like in appearance, patients who undergo an FUE hair transplant have the freedom to wear shorter hairstyles post-operation.
Precision is the key to a successful FUE procedure, and the key to precision is experience and the skillful use of the most advanced technology available. Dr. Rose was one of the originators of the FUE technique, performing the procedure on thousands of patients since 2004. Our approach utilizes the image-guided robotics of the ARTAS system, which provides unmatched precision in hair transplantation. The ARTAS procedure restores your hair by transplanting permanent hair from the back or side of the head into thinning areas, including the hairline. Dr. Nusbaum and Dr. Rose use the ARTAS system to digitally scan areas of the scalp, identifying hair in its natural groupings. High resolution digital imaging provides unparalleled visual detail of the donor area as well as exceptional control of parameters such as spacing between harvests, graft dissection depth and hair angles to yield robust and viable grafts.
The selected hair is then precisely removed while most of your hair is left in place so that the area retains its natural appearance. The hair is then transplanted into thinning areas. This transplanted hair will then grow naturally on the hairline, just as it did before.
Follicular Unit Grafting (FUG)
A meticulous attention to detail and a careful, methodical approach can accomplish excellent hair restoration results using the Follicular Unit Grafting method. In a FUG procedure, intact follicular units are transferred from the permanent donor zone in the back of the scalp to the recipient (balding) areas.
To remove follicular units from the back of the scalp with minimal damage, the donor tissue must be removed in one piece. This “Single Strip Harvesting” preserves the follicular units and prevents damage (transection) to the individual hair follicles and insures maximum growth.
After harvesting, the donor tissue is carefully subdivided into individual, naturally occurring follicular units while the non-hair bearing (bald) skin surrounding each follicle is carefully removed while avoiding damage to the hair follicles.
We use a revolutionary technique developed by our own Dr. Rose to minimize the visibility of donor strip sites used in FUG. The LEDGE closure is a virtually non-scarring technique which allows hair to grow through the donor-area scar, providing added camouflage. Finally, follicular unit grafts are inserted into tiny sites in the recipient area, which heal in just a few days, without leaving any marks.
Unmatched Experience and Unparalleled Results in Hair Restoration
No matter what hair transplant technique is ultimately used to restore your hair, the skill, talent, and experience of the surgeon performing the procedure can make all the difference between exceptional results and a disappointing outcome. At the Hair Institute of Miami. Drs. Nusbaum and Rose are internationally acclaimed hair restoration surgeons with more than 40 years combined experience. Both Drs. Nusbaum and Rose are actively engaged in hair loss research and lecture widely. To receive a personalized evaluation and treatment plan, contact us online or call or office directly at 305-925-0222.