Is NeoGraft the Best Hair Transplant Method?

NeoGraft was introduced about 5 years ago, and is simply a machine that a physician (or, more likely, a technician) uses to perform the follicular unit extraction (FUE) procedure.  It is more or less a motorized, hand-held circular punch, attached to suction.  I attended a physician's office in Florida in 2009 for a demonstration of the NeoGraft device.  I've been performing FUE procedures since 2003, and I was very interested to see this device.  While at this meeting, hosted by the NeoGraft corporation, it was interesting to note that I was the only dedicated hair restoration surgeon in attendance.  The others there to see and perhaps purchase the machine were spa owners, obstetricians, several family practice doctors, and a few business managers for doctors who dabbled in cosmetic surgery in general.  I was pretty surprised.  The graft placement feature of the NeoGraft device with positive pressure is a gimmick, as I asked the head trainer for the NeoGraft corporation to place a graft using this.  We were observing an live procedure, and we watched as he tried several times, but was not able to place a single graft with the machine.  NeoGraft has done a tremendous amount of marketing, and I see physicians who have never done a hair transplant around the country acquire this machine, piggyback on the marketing done by NeoGraft, and start to offer this complicated, and permanent procedure to the public.  In much of the country, the doctor will simply hire a technician (the going rate for a NeoGraft tech in Atlanta is $70/hour) to perform the procedure.  It should be noted at this point that hair restoration technicians have the same exact medical training requirements as grass cutters: absolutely none.  The physician only need sign the papers and be on the premises.  No joke.  So, whether using the NeoGraft, or the much more advanced ARTAS robotic hair restoration system, or any other device, including a 50 cent 1mm biopsy punch, it is the experience and dedication of the surgeon and his team that will determine the outcome.  Hair Restoration is it's own specialty now.  There's a global society (the International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery) and a Board.  Choosing a surgeon 100% dedicated to hair restoration is paramount.  If "NeoGraft" suddenly appears on a long list of other procedures a physician offers, I would be wary, as it is unlikely that the physician has a full-time, highly-trained team of hair restoration technicians, and is just hiring one of many "hired gun" technicians that will arrive at the office, and do the procedure for $70 an hour.  There are hundreds of subtleties and nuances in hair restoration, and assuming that because a physician now offers NeoGraft, in addition to all the other procedures offered, will be competent and excel at hair restoration surgery is simply foolish.  Look at the experience and dedication of the surgeon who will be performing the surgery, and make sure technicians are not actually the ones who will be performing the surgery.  Also make sure the physician you choose is actually a trained surgeon.  The majority of hair restoration "surgeons" are, in fact, not trained in surgery at all, and hold no board certificates in any surgical specialty whatsoever, so examine your physician's credentials carefully.  You should feel perfectly comfortable asking for a copy of the surgeon's resume to review.  Look for many years of dedication exclusively to hair restoration, not just cosmetic surgery in general.This problem is so rampant and common that the International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery, the global community of physicians practicing hair restoration, issued a consumer alert about this issue.  I see patients every month who had a hair restoration performed by a technician with the NeoGraft device presenting to our office asking for help; asking me to repair the unnatural looking hair transplant results.  This is often very difficult, and occasionally impossible.  Because as we say in this specialty, "the good thing about hair restoration is that it's permanent.  The bad thing about hair restoration is that it's permanent."  Consult with more than one surgeon, make sure he or she is actually a trained surgeon, and get a feel for who you think will be the best for you.  A machine absolutely does NOT guarantee good, or even acceptable results.

For most patients, automated FUE is the best method for hair transplantation in my experience.  NeoGraft is one such device and it is the one that I use in my practice, but there are other devices as well available.  The important thing is the automated FUE technique.   My graft survival rates are consistently above 95% and the donor site heals in 24-48 hours.  This can be done under local anesthesia and recovery is not painful unlike the strip method.  I recommend you have a consultation with someone who performs the procedure and see if you are a good candidate. 

The Neograft FUE (follicular unit extraction) method of hair transplantation involves the harvest of individual hair follicles from the scalp in their naturally occurring groupings of about 1-4 hairs (follicular units) with subsequent replacement in the areas of the scalp where balding has occurred. 
The Neograft device allows for a semi-automated harvest assisted by suction to safely and quickly extract grafts and subsequently prepare them for transfer.
The primary benefit relative to traditional strip grafting is in regards to post procedural scarring. It is a discrete, permanent solution to hair loss, allowing patients to achieve natural looking results with no linear scar, minimal downtime and a shorter recovery period (relative to strip grafting). 

There are a number of FUE technologies on the market including SmartGraft and Artas, although Neograft has the most market recognition/tenure. 
Ultimately, hardware does not create hairlines. As always, discuss your concerns with a board certified plastic surgeon (ABPS) with experience in hair restoration.

I love Neograft!I did some hair transplant early in my practice but to be honest the results were variable, strip surgery was painful with a linear scar and graft take also variable.  The reason I have jumped back in full force with Neograft is the procedure can be done with very little pain, 1 week of social downtime, almost zero complications, transfers individual hair follicles with excellent great graft take >95% and essentially no visible donor site or recipient sites on the front or top of the scalp with a natural restored hairline.BestDr B

Thank you for the question.
Any type of automated procedure such as Neograft® is basically a tool that we use to help assist with relocating follicles. Whether you have a bad outcome or a good outcome really depends on who the doctor is and the quality of his or her team. 
After extensive research, I choose SmartGraft™ over the other technology due to the fact it is the latest generation FUE, and the most advanced automated hair restoration system available. This technology was designed as a solution to overcome the shortcomings of Neograft®, and by automatically counting, sorting, storing, and moistening your grafts, SmartGraft™ is able to reduce your procedure time by one-third when compared with Neograft®.  SmartGraft™ is able to relocate hair grafts more efficiently, therefore improving your success rate, so you get the most natural results.

 
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Greetings,Neograft is a handheld FUE tool with suction extraction.  There are two current versions available since its launch.  Here are some of the factors prospective patients should consider when using Neograft:The model of Neograft is to have technicians come to your office and do the case for surgeons who don’t specialize in hair.  This can lead to poor results as hair restoration is not just up having technicians extract and throw hair follicles on your head.  It should be a carefully planned procedure with physician guidance including hairline design, use of regenerative techniques, hair angle design, and ensuring the graft quality is ideal.  The traveling team of technicians model does not seem to be ideal.