Do You Always Have To Shave Before A FUE Hair Transplant?

September 16, 2023
September 16, 2023 rishu

FUE Hair Transplant

Follicular unit extraction also known as the FUE method is a hair restoration technique that is often used to treat male and female pattern baldness, as well as hair loss associated with a variety of other disorders. When it comes to this form of hair loss treatment, there are a plethora of questions that need to be addressed. Because it is believed to be relatively new, many people are interested in learning more about this kind of therapy in order to have a better understanding of it. Here, we’ve answered a few of the most frequently asked questions we get concerning the FUE treatment, which we’ve included in this article. Some of these questions include what the FUE technique entails, how the procedure is carried out, how long the recuperation period is, and whether or not you are required to shave your head for this type of treatment.

Do You Shave Your Head For This Type Of Procedure?

One reason for delaying the FUE treatment to address hair loss is that the patient, who is often a man, does not want to have the process performed on the back and sides of his head, which is the traditional technique. Although it is technically feasible to keep the majority of the hairs on one’s back and sides at their natural length, it is only necessary to trim the hairs that are being removed short utilizing the No-Shave method. When the patient wakes up the following morning, there is no evidence that he or she has had any treatment done since the existing hairs just produce a typical full head of hair appearance.

Unlike other hair transplant techniques, the No-Shave approach does not need shaving before the procedure since it requires a specially trained staff to work around the existing longer hairs and it takes somewhat longer to complete. In addition, FUE procedures conducted by the robot cannot be completed using the No-Shave approach since the robot needs all of the hairs to be removed before the procedure can be completed successfully.

Getting Ready For Your Procedure

For those considering a FUE transplant to replace lost hair, thin eyebrows, or a beard, consult with your transplant surgeon prior to the procedure to determine whether you need to stop taking certain medications in order to avoid complications, as well as any other recommendations to ensure the best possible healing. Also be prepared to seek adjuvant medicinal treatment in instances of male pattern hair loss, especially in patients younger than 40 years of age, in order to assist with slowing down the progressive balding process in these patients.

A successful FUE transplant requires a skilled and experienced surgeon who has the ability to obtain the best possible grafts with or without shaving the head, the ability to obtain body hairs as needed, and, most importantly, the knowledge and experience to design an appropriate hairline/restoration. When looking for a surgeon to do the treatment, use caution and always get before and after photographs to evaluate patient results before making your final decision.

What Are The Advantages Of Shaving Your Head Prior To Undergoing FUE Hair Transplant?

Although it is possible to undergo a FUE hair transplant without shaving your head, there are certain benefits to shaving both the donor and recipient regions before moving forward with the procedure.

Visibility

The surgical team has a considerably better view of the donor and recipient regions once the patient’s head has been shaved, which is a significant benefit.

Simpler and Quicker

With an unobstructed perspective, the surgeon will have an easier, simpler, and faster time extracting and implanting the grafts, resulting in less time spent in surgery overall.

Reduced Risk

It eliminates any possibility of the transplanted hairs getting tangled and being handled excessively since shaving the donor and/or recipient regions prevents the transplanted hairs from being entangled in the existing hair.

Faster Healing

Keeping a shaved head clean after surgery and throughout rehabilitation is far simpler than keeping a full head.

The application of the aftercare aerosol spray is also made simpler by shaving the head. This is especially important during the first few days after recovery.

When it comes to FUE hair transplants, shaving your head before the procedure has clear advantages, which is why many surgeons prefer to operate this way and will recommend it to their patients. This is not solely for their benefit but for yours as well. Not only will it make the procedure easier on you and the surgeon but you can ensure that any risks in the recovery stage are avoided to promote the best results possible from your surgery.

What Is The Process Of FUE Hair Transplant?

In order to better understand the hair transplant method, we need to start with the basics: what is the process of a FUE hair transplant?

A “donor” site is created on the back and sides of your own scalp, from which grafts comprising one, two, three, or even four healthy hair follicles are taken one at a time, from the recipient site. They are removed using a little punch instrument, which leaves tiny holes at the extraction sites, which normally heal up as scarcely detectable tiny dot scars if they are removed altogether.

While hairs for transplantation are often acquired from parts of the scalp where the hairs are permanent, hairs for transplantation may also be obtained from the beard, chest, and back using a procedure known as BHT (or Body Hair Transplantation). These grafts are then implanted into small recipient sites that have been created in the regions where hair is to be restored.

Best Ways To Conceal Your Hair Transplant

We realize that you may be concerned about shaving your head before getting a FUE hair transplant, especially if you want to maintain your hair long in the natural state. If this is the case, you may want to consider progressively shortening your hairdo in the months preceding up to your surgical procedure. This will allow you, your family, and friends to get used to a shorter haircut, resulting in your shaved head being less of a talking point after your FUE hair transplant procedure.

In addition, you may want to consider wearing a light hood or a cap that is extremely loose-fitting in the days after your treatment. While it is crucial to avoid touch with the delicate grafts during the first five days, it is as critical to avoid contact with any other head covering.

The Procedure – Step by Step

Preparation

The following is an outline of what to expect on the day of your procedure: First and foremost, we will completely evaluate and discuss your restoration plan with you, and we will sketch on you the areas that will be treated for your permission before proceeding. Once a plan has been decided upon, we will photograph it in order to record it. Following that, the donor region on the back and sides of your head will be shaved.

“Will I have to shave my whole head?” is a question that is often posed. The answer is ultimately based on what kind of results that you’re looking for.

A successful hair transplant may be accomplished without shaving your complete head. Shaving your entire head makes the operation a little simpler, but it is not required. You may choose to fade the shaved sides up to an inch of length on top so that you may still maintain your hairstyle. If you prefer that all of your hair fits in seamlessly when it grows back in, you may choose to completely shave your head. However, once again, it is not essential.

That being said, you need to keep in mind that depending how many grafts you need for your hair transplant you may require to shave your entire head for the treatment. This will be discussed with you during your initial consultation.

Preparing for Extraction

If you have a driver, you will be given medication, which will help you relax, and then will be given injections with a local anesthetic to numb the area to reduce pain. If you do not have a driver, you will only be given medication based on whether you need to drive after the surgery.

You will begin by laying on your stomach, face down, similar to how you would on a massage bed, or you will be seated on a medical chair while one of our surgeons meticulously removes each of your grafts under the supervision of high illumination and magnification equipment.

This procedure will take a few hours, depending on the number of grafts that are being removed in one session. The majority of patients are so comfortable that they are able to sleep intermittently, which allows the morning hours to pass quickly.

Grafts are Implanted In The Desired Areas

During the treatment, the surgeon will be relocating the grafts into the parts of the scalp that you wanted targeted.

Once the treatment is complete, we will apply a gauze bandage to the rear region of your neck where the extraction was performed, as well as a loose-fitting mesh hat to assist protect and conceal the look while you are driving home.

After-Treatment Care

We’ll take a few more photographs and go over your after-care instructions one more time before you’re ready to go out the door and head home for the recovery phase of the process.

We’ll contact you the following day to see how you’re doing and to see if you have any questions. Maintaining complete transparency on all instructions and suggestions throughout the journey is crucial to us.

The Recovery Period

After the first week of carefully following our post-op instructions to ensure that you do not accidently harm the newly implanted follicles, there is essentially nothing else for you to do except wait and see the result slowly progress. This may be the most difficult step yet since it demands patience!

Our experience has shown that being prepared for what is ahead makes it much simpler to maintain patience. When you have a timeframe, you are less likely to get concerned if nothing occurs right away. This is true for the first 3 months or so. In general, you should anticipate hair growth to become apparent in the first 12-14 months, with many people seeing outstanding results as early as 6 months. This is all depending on how fast your hair normally grows and the severity of your hair transplant procedure.

If you did shave your whole head in preparation for the surgery, you may anticipate the hair that was not transplanted to regrow as if you had just had a standard haircut. The majority of patients take advantage of this chance to experiment with different haircuts and looks.

Inquire About Your FUE Hair Transplant Procedure In Miami

If you’ve been considering getting a hair transplant but have been put off by the possibility of having to shave your head, our staff can help in making the decision whether to proceed with the procedure.

Make no mistake about it: a hair transplant may completely alter the appearance of your hair if you don’t allow one tiny element to stand in the way. If you are in need to shave your head in order to undergo the procedure, keep in mind that your hair will grow back much sooner than you think.

To get the ideal outcomes that you seek, please contact our clinic directly to schedule your one-on-one consultation appointment.

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