Surgical hair replacement techniques have come a long way. In 1955, Dr. Norman Orentreich performed the first hair transplant in the U. S. At that time, he used a small round punch to remove the donor hair from the back of the scalp.
While early transplants looked “pluggy”, the process worked. In the early 90’s, we realized that scalp hair grew from groups of follicles containing 1 to 4 hairs, which were labeled “follicular units”.
When these units were transplanted, they grew hair in a way so natural that you could not see any difference between transplanted and original hairs.
The removal of follicular units from the back of the scalp (donor area) can be done by cutting out a strip of scalp and removing the follicular units under a microscope (Follicular Unit Transplant or FUT) or by removing the follicular units directly with a tiny punch (Follicular Unit Extraction or FUE). This extraction process is known as “harvesting”.
The second part of this surgical hair replacement procedure is called the “placement”. Tiny incisions are made in the bald “recipient” areas and the follicular grafts are inserted manually.
We offer many different procedures and treatments to help conquer your hair loss!
A manual handheld FUE hair transplant is a procedure that is done by a physician using a handheld device to extract the individual hair follicles. Much of the success of this form of procedure is entirely as a result of the efficiency and experience of the Physician, to ensure that harvesting happens at a natural distance apart and that the hair follicle does not get transected during harvesting.
In comparison, the ARTAS® FUE hair transplant procedure is a physician-guided robotic FUE hair transplant device. This simply states that the physician will be in control of the robot during the procedure by selecting the density amount desired for harvesting as well as mapping out the desired donor area.
Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) is a minimally invasive hair transplant method that allows the removal of individual follicles from your donor area without a scalpel incision, and then implants them where you need more hair coverage.
The ARTAS® system allows a minimally invasive procedure that is virtually undetectable. Unlike previous methods of hair restoration, there is no need for the surgical removal of a strip of scalp from the back and sides of the head. So, there is no linear scar after surgery, and no need for stitches or staples to close the wound. The benefit is a significantly shortened recovery time.
Both the ARTAS® system and the manual FUE method can be done by getting a short trim. Trimming your hair in the donor area allows the ARTAS® system to accurately visualize, track, and harvest each grouping of hairs. You will receive detailed instructions from your doctor on the required length your hair needs to be before the procedure.
As part of the ARTAS® procedure, the scalp is locally anesthetized until numb. If you still feel any pain during the procedure, a physician will decide if it’s necessary to administer additional anesthesia to reduce discomfort. The patient typically feels no pain. Some patients can experience minor discomfort and swelling post-procedure, which subsides in one to three days.
Transplanted hair grows naturally in phases. New hairs are seen about three months after the procedure and will continue to increase over the course of a full year. At approximately six months, you will enjoy a noticeable improvement and after a full year, you will see full results. However, individual results and timelines may vary for each patient.
While hair loss may not necessarily stop after transplantation, ARTAS®, FUE and FUT procedures use your own permanent growing hair, typically from the back of your head, and your physician then implants this hair to the thinning areas of your scalp. As this hair might not be susceptible to the conditions that cause male pattern baldness, transplanted hair will typically last a lifetime. Your doctor will be able to assess your treatment options and discuss what you can expect.
The ARTAS Robotic Procedure was designed with you in mind. Developed with leading hair transplant physicians and researchers, this state-of-the-art technology was created to eliminate the guesswork and fatigue associated with manual handheld methods, along with the scarring, complications and downtime of existing invasive surgical techniques.
This FDA-cleared, physician-assisted technology provides permanent, natural-looking results without the plugs, pain and stitches associated with traditional hair transplants.
