FUE hair transplant on African hair.

Question

Can every doctor in hair transplation field performe hair transplation on any type of hair? Is african trated as special case?

Sanusi Umar, MD · Answer

Not every doctor is experienced with the nuances of extracting African American’s tightly curled hair. In the past, basic methods of hair transplant surgery had severe limitations, especially in FUE hair restoration for black African men. Transplanting tightly curled hairs with these basic follicular unit extraction methods causes damage and breakage to the graft, making it unusable. Because of this limitation of basic FUE methods and their reliance on rotary punches, hair transplant for curly haired individuals can pose issues to surgeons. Doctors often deem the majority of patients who possess tightly curled hairs as poor candidates for FUE for this reason. Due to the limitations of rotary punches with regards to FUE in most black patients, I set about researching new devices and ways of performing FUE in Afro-textured haired individuals. My work culminated in the invention of a brand new way of performing FUE which does not involve any rotary motion, called the Dr.UPunch Curl.
I encourage you to consult with a physician for any further medical advice. I am always available for a free online consultation as well.
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Amir Yazdan, MD · Answer

If you are considering getting an FUE or FUT procedure, it is recommended that you research highly skilled and experienced Hair Transplant Surgeons. There are Hair Transplant physicians that have more experienced with African American patients, you just need to do the research and find a qualified surgeon in your area to schedule a consultation as the surgeries for these patients do require specific skills to ensure a successful surgery.

Jae Pak, MD · Answer

Curly hair "African" hair as you describe is curly under your skin.  It does take skill to perform FUE with curly hair.

David Deutsch, MD · Answer

FUE on African-American hair can be a difficult procedure.Depending on the curl of the follicle (J-shaped,C shaped,etc), the rate of transaction can be high if not done by an experienced Hair Restoration surgeon.The vast majority of cases go very well but typically the number of grafts that can safely be harvested are less than in other ethnicities due to a lower inherent density in African-Americans.

Parsa Mohebi, MD, FISHRS · Answer

Hair transplant is more challenging in African Americans, African Caribbean or anyone who is known as black with curly hair.  There are especial techniques that needs to be used in transplanting hair to patients of African descent.  Hair follicles being too curly makes it mandatory for the doctor to use especial tools and technique to make sure the grafts are harvested intact and grow well at the end.

William Woessner, MD · Answer

Not every physician can perform hair transplants whether FUE or FUT. Best thing to do is check theirn befores and after photo. Ask for pt recommendations. Ask to see their instruments. See for yourself if you have any doubts. Experienced clinics should have no problems doing either transplant procedure on African American hair.

Sean Behnam, MD · Answer

African American hair is a special case. It is curly and wavy and may have multiple curves at different lengths. If you are considering a strip procedure (FUT) then the answer is yes. Anyone who is experienced in performing hair restoration can do it. However, I should inform you that in my practice we have 1 technician for every 300 African American grafts versus for every 500 grafts for Caucasian. This is because the curliness of the hair requires more time and our goal is to minimize the out-of-body time. When it comes to Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE), there is a difference as well, because the hair curls. The doctor performing the procedure must curve the punch at every step. I just recently presented an article about this. I do a lot of African American FUE cases. I developed my own punches only for the FUE and have a lot of experience. The importance about FUE in African Americans is to really minimize the out-of-body time of the grafts. I typically only punch for about 2 hours and replant it. This way I get a 95% chance of graft survival. However if you do require a significant amount of grafts, like 1,500 to 2,000 grafts, I would actually do this a few day period in order to maintain a high graft survival rate.

Bobbi D. Edwards, MD · Answer

FUE is a skill in which a lot of physicians are not proficient.  In addition FUE with a patient with curl can be difficult for many proficient FUE doctors.  Due to the angle, direction of the curl, diameter of the hair and density, I recommend you work with a FUE specialist that has had a large amount of success with african american patients.

Ilker Apaydin, MD · Answer

We often need to perform a test session to insure extraction is possible prior to transplantation . You can use this as a chance to gain realistic goals and to understand whether the treatment will give you exactly what you require . Note that success of any transplant always depends on two things; the skill of the doctor performing the procedure and the follicles for extraction .By consulting and having this tests you will have a chance to check the suitability of both . On the other hand after this tests your surgeon can decide which extraction method is eligible for you. All the best

Baubac Hayatdavoudi, MD · Answer

Because African hair is curly, it takes a special skill to harvest the hairs using the FUE method. Do your research and choose your surgeon who specializes in FUE.

A great first step would be an online consultation. Often you can submit photos to top hair restoration surgeons for a complimentary evaluation. This should help lead you in the right direction. Having multiple consultations with different doctors cannot hurt.

FUE hair transplant on African hair.

Answers (12)

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