The number one microsurgical procedure for men today, but also for many women, is called hair transplantation. Patient satisfaction reaches 97% in the hands of a specialist, according to an independent statistical study conducted at LP CLINIC.
Dermatologist Dr. Lefteris Papanikolaou, a specialist in hair transplantation, explains how it is done and what results we can expect.
– How is the surgery performed and how difficult is it?
It is a fairly demanding procedure that requires great dedication and concentration throughout its duration. It usually lasts 7-8 hours with local anesthesia and is completely safe. Each person has different needs, since the extent of alopecia varies depending on age and predisposition.
In each operation, an attempt is made to safely extract 1,500 to 2,200 grafts in one day, which is usually 3,500 to 6,000 hair follicles. This is a major operation, and on average, a person can have three of these in their lifetime without any significant thinning in the donor area.
– Tell us about the FUE extraction and Implanter placement technique you apply…
The procedure is performed using specialized tools called punches (for extraction) and Implanters (for implantation). Internationally, the trend is increasingly towards the FUE extraction technique combined with Implanter placement, whereas in the United States, the dominant technique is still FUT/STRIP, which leaves a scar. The reason is that the FUE + ID (Implantation – Direct) technique, which places grafts without prior incisions, is much more difficult and demanding, and only a few doctors are capable of performing it successfully.
However, when the doctor has specialized in this extremely difficult process of direct placement, the results are excellent because it achieves: more natural angle exhalation of hair, much smaller injury, minimal trauma pain, zero risk of injury on existing hair, even at good existing density and less or non at all.
We have established protocols that guarantee almost 100% hair growth after eight months, with our main goals being the naturalness and distribution of hair, always taking into account the progress and evolution of alopecia.
– What are the basic conditions for success?
The final results in terms of naturalness and density depend primarily on the doctor performing the procedure and the patient. The most basic conditions for success are:
- The area of the donor area changes based on the size of the head.
- In the density of each person’s donor.
- On the anatomical difficulties of the pouches.
- At the stage of alopecia.
- The quality of the patient’s hair.
- In the artistic/design perception of the doctor.
- The type of hair follicles that will be placed (single or double) in the first few millimeters of the front hairline and the angle of their placement, so that there is naturalness.
- The skill and speed of the doctor, since this is a precision operation aiming for 1 mm by 1.1 mm, which is the usual diameter of a graft.
– In summary, what message would you like to give to interested parties?
The results in terms of growth, natural appearance, and density are closely linked to the way the grafts are handled and prepared, as well as to the experience, aesthetic sense, and the so-called “hand” of the doctor. The procedure must only be performed by a trained and specialized physician. Under no circumstances should it be done by a nurse!