Robotic hair transplantation – NEWS
RIVA Clinic is offering a new method of hair transplantation. The F.U.E. system (follicular unit extraction) is an extremely quick method for the extraction and implantation of individual hair follicles (1–3 micrografts) with the help of a robotic machine. This new system is unique, and little known in the Czech Republic. Its patent originates in the USA, while the robotic instrument was developed by the French company Medicamat. This method has many advantages over the traditional “strip” technique of hair transplantation, one of the most fundamental of which is the fact that it uses no scalpel, and therefore leaves no scar and has a lower risk of infection. The operation itself takes around half as long as a traditional transplant, and is more comfortable and convenient for the patient in many regards.
Who is this technique suitable for?
The best results are achieved on men by hair transplants in the receding hair area, while women’s hair can be thickened, particularly on the top of the head. This method can also be used on eyebrow loss injuries and to correct small alopetic patches (areas on the hairy part of the head where hair is missing) resulting from injury or other causes.
What should you know?
Each client is individually assessed by a trained specialist in automated hair transplantation at a personal consultation session, and is provided with detailed information on the extent and approximate length of the proposed operation. A laboratory blood test is required before the operation, consisting of a complete blood count, basic coagulation parameters and a biochemical test. Any further tests required will be determined by the consulting doctor, who will also decide if drugs diluting the blood will need to be discontinued.
How does the operation itself take place?
The operation is performed in an operating theatre. First a strip of hair on the back of the head around 4 x 15 cm in size, depending on the density of the client’s hair, is shaved with an electric shaver. Follicular units are then extracted in sterile conditions under local anaesthetic by a plastic surgeon using a robot. A special attachment makes it possible to core hair in the skin by rotation and draw it into the instrument under pressure. The grafts are the same size and do not contain more than the essential amount of skin and hypodermis, which enables the application of greater numbers of follicular units to a particular area and reduces the risk of damage to the hair seedlings in comparison with the traditional method. Collection of follicular units is followed by local anaesthetic to the site of implantation where the follicular units are applied one at a time.
How long does the operation take?
The length of the operation varies from person to person, and depends of the number of hair seedlings to be transplanted. The transplantation of around 400 follicular units takes around two hours.
Post-operational care
The whole head need not be bandaged, as there is little bleeding from either the collection or implantation points. Generally available analgesics suffice to alleviate patient pain, and in many cases no analgesic is required. The transplant area may be showered the day after the operation. The collection point heals within a week. Everyday life may be recommenced after around a week, though the patient is recommended to avoid greater exertion for at least 14 days.