FUE Hair Transplant London | Hair Transplant by Dr Mark Tam

FUE Hair Transplant - All You Need to Know. Insight by Dr Mark Tam (ABHRS)

Hair loss, in its myriad forms, can be a significant source of distress for both men and women. It can impact self-image, confidence, and overall quality of life. Fortunately, the field of hair restoration has advanced considerably, offering effective and natural-looking solutions. Among these, Follicular Unit Excision (FUE) hair transplantation has emerged as a leading technique, renowned for its minimally invasive nature and impressive results. This comprehensive guide will walk you through every aspect of FUE, empowering you with the knowledge to make informed decisions about your hair restoration journey.

What is an FUE Transplant?
FUE stands for Follicular Unit Excision. Unlike older, more invasive methods, FUE is a modern hair transplant technique that involves the individual extraction of hair follicles (or follicular units) directly from the donor area – typically the back and sides of the scalp, where hair is genetically resistant to balding. These individual follicular units, each containing one to four hairs, are then carefully implanted into the recipient area, the balding or thinning regions where hair growth is desired. The key difference from older methods is the absence of a large incision or strip removal, making FUE a less invasive and more patient-friendly option..

Why Have a FUE Transplant?

The decision to undergo an FUE transplant is often driven by a desire for a permanent and natural-looking solution to hair loss. Individuals choose FUE for a variety of compelling reasons:

• Permanent Solution: Unlike temporary fixes like medications or concealers, FUE provides a lasting solution to hair loss by transplanting hair follicles that are genetically resistant to balding.

• Minimally Invasive: The absence of a large incision means reduced pain, minimal scarring, and a significantly faster recovery time compared to traditional strip harvesting methods (FUT).

• Natural-Looking Results: The precise and individual placement of follicular units allows the surgeon to create a natural-looking hairline and overall hair density, mimicking the way hair grows in nature. (FUT).

• Minimal Downtime: Most patients can return to their normal daily activities, including work, within a few days after the procedure. (FUT).

• Versatile Donor Area: FUE allows for the extraction of grafts from various areas of the body, such as the beard or chest, if the scalp donor area is limited or insufficient.

What can a FUE Hair Transplant Treat?

FUE is a versatile technique capable of addressing a wide range of hair loss conditions, including:

• Male Pattern Baldness (Androgenetic Alopecia): The most common cause of hair loss in men, characterised by a receding hairline and thinning at the crown.

• Female Pattern Hair Loss: Similar to male pattern baldness but typically presents as a more diffuse thinning across the scalp.

• Receding Hairline: Effectively restores a youthful and defined hairline, framing the face and improving overall appearance.

• Thinning Crown: Adds density and coverage to the top of the head, addressing the common issue of a thinning crown.

• Scarring Alopecia: Can successfully camouflage scars from previous surgeries, injuries, or burns, restoring hair growth in scarred areas.

• Eyebrow and Beard Restoration: FUE can also be used to restore or enhance eyebrow and beard density.

How Does the FUE Procedure Work?

The FUE procedure involves several key steps:

1. Donor Area Preparation: The donor area is carefully shaved to allow for easy access to the hair follicles.

2. Local Anaesthesia: The donor and recipient areas are numbed with local anaesthetic to ensure a pain-free procedure.

3. Follicular Unit Extraction: Using a specialised micro-punch tool, the surgeon carefully extracts individual follicular units from the donor area. These punches are typically very small (0.7mm to 1.0mm) to minimise scarring.

4. Graft Preparation and Storage: The extracted grafts are carefully inspected, sorted, and prepared under a microscope by trained technicians. They are then stored in a chilled solution to maintain their viability.

5. Recipient Site Creation: Small incisions are made in the recipient area, carefully mimicking the natural angle and direction of hair growth.

6. Graft Implantation: The prepared grafts are then meticulously implanted into the recipient sites, ensuring proper depth and orientation.

The Four Stages of a FUE Hair Transplant

The FUE hair transplant process can be broadly divided into four stages:

1. Consultation: A comprehensive assessment of your hair loss, a detailed discussion of your goals and expectations, and a thorough evaluation to determine your suitability for FUE.

2. Extraction: The meticulous harvesting of individual follicular units from the donor area using a specialised micro-punch.

3. Preparation: The careful inspection, sorting, and preparation of the extracted grafts under a microscope, ensuring their optimal condition for implantation.

4. Implantation: The strategic and precise placement of the prepared grafts into the recipient area, meticulously mimicking the natural growth pattern of hair.

What is the difference between FUE and FUT?

FUT (Follicular Unit Transplantation), also known as the "strip method," involves surgically removing a strip of scalp from the donor area. The strip is then dissected into individual follicular units under a microscope. FUE, as detailed above, involves the individual extraction of follicular units directly from the scalp.

For further information on the pros and cons of FUE vs FUT hair transplantation, visit our FUE vs FUT blog article here

Why choose FUE over FUT?
FUE offers several distinct advantages over FUT, making it a more appealing choice for many patients:

• Significantly Less Scarring: FUE leaves tiny, virtually undetectable dot scars in the donor area, whereas FUT leaves a linear scar that can be visible, especially with short hairstyles.

• Faster Healing and Recovery: FUE patients typically experience a quicker and more comfortable recovery, with less pain and swelling.

• Greater Flexibility in Donor Area: FUE allows for harvesting grafts from various body areas, providing more flexibility for patients with limited scalp donor hair.

• Reduced Risk of Nerve Damage: The risk of nerve damage and numbness in the donor area is lower with FUE compared to FUT.

• No Stitches or Staples: FUE doesn't require stitches or staples, further simplifying the recovery process.

Does FUE Hair Transplants hurt?

The FUE procedure is typically performed under local anaesthetic, completely numbing the donor and recipient areas. As a result, you should not feel any pain during the extraction and implantation process. Some mild discomfort, such as soreness or tenderness, may be experienced after the procedure, which can be easily managed with over-the-counter pain relief.

Results and Aftercare

While the initial results of an FUE hair transplant can be seen within a few months, the full and final results typically become evident within 12-18 months. Following the procedure, meticulous aftercare is essential to ensure optimal graft survival and promote healthy hair growth. This typically involves:

• Gentle Washing of the Hair: Following specific instructions on how to wash your hair gently in the days following the procedure.

• Avoiding Strenuous Activity: Refraining from strenuous exercise and heavy lifting for a specified period.

• Using Prescribed Medications: Taking any prescribed medications, such as antibiotics or anti-inflammatory drugs, as directed by your surgeon.

• Protecting the Scalp from Sun Exposure: Shielding your scalp from direct sunlight to prevent damage to the newly implanted grafts.

• Attending Follow-Up Appointments: Regularly attending follow-up appointments with your surgeon to monitor your progress and address any concerns.

Hair Transplant Surgery vs Alternatives

While FUE is a highly effective solution for hair loss, it's important to be aware of alternative treatments:

• Medications: Anti-hairloss medications can help slow down hair loss and stimulate some hair regrowth, but they are not a permanent solution. Find out more about how medications can work in conjunction with a hair transplant here

• Non-Surgical Treatments: Low-level laser therapy (LLLT) and platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections may help stimulate hair growth and improve hair thickness.

• Hairpieces and Wigs: Offer a temporary and non-invasive way to conceal hair loss.

• Scalp Micropigmentation (SMP): Creates the illusion of a fuller head of hair by tattooing tiny dots onto the scalp.

To Summarise FUE Hair Transplantion

The best course of action is to consult with a qualified and experienced hair transplant surgeon who can assess your individual needs, discuss the pros and cons of various treatment options, and help you determine the most suitable approach for achieving your desired outcome. Hair restoration is a journey, and choosing the right surgeon and treatment plan is crucial for a successful and satisfying experience.

Personalised Approach?
Dr. Mark Tam offers a personalised, end-to-end hair transplant experience, ensuring you receive dedicated care from start to finish. His services begin with a review of your free online pre-assessment submission, allowing him to review your uploaded photos. This detailed review helps tailor the procedure to your individual needs.

Should you be suitable for a FUE hair transplant, Dr Mark Tam, will advise you on the next steps. For your piece of mind and continuity, Dr. Tam personally oversees each step, providing expert guidance and support to ensure comfort and optimal results.

Following the procedure, he offers attentive post-surgery care and follow-up, monitoring your healing process and addressing any questions or concerns. This holistic approach underscores his commitment to delivering a seamless, personalized journey toward restoring your hair and confidence.

What’s Next?

To start your journey, Dr Mark Tam offers a complimentary online pre-assessment. Dr Mark Tam will personally review your case and the uploaded photos and inform you if you are suitable for a hair transplant.

Dr Mark Tam from his dedicated FUE Hair Transplant clinic on Harley Street in London specialises in the following FUE Hair Transplants: Early Receding Hairlines, Crown Hair Transplants, Hairline Transplants.

START YOUR JOURNEY

FUE hair transplant process

1. Assessment

Once you have submitted your details below along with the 6 required photos, Dr Mark Tam will personally review and provide you with treatment recommendations.

2. Consultation

Dr Mark Tam uses a unique method to map and measure the treatment area 'TAM+M' clinically proven to determine the exact amount of hair follicles required at a specific density, essential to better planning and excellent results. A consultation can last up to 2 hours where Dr Tam discusses expectations and will work with the patient to design the hairline they desire, while providing expert advice.

3. Arrival & Discussion

On the day of your procedure, you would typically arrive at the clinic at around 8:30am. Dr Tam will talk you through the day and the steps your procedure will take. He will discuss the treatment plan in detail and the site area to be operated on with you. We will photograph the operation area and will mark out your new hairline on your scalp. Once you are happy with the outline and have consented to proceed, you will be ready for your hair transplant procedure!

4. Haircut & Anaesthesia

Both the donor and recipient areas are shaved short and anaesthesia is administered to the scalp in both areas.

You may initially feel slight a slight discomfort, but once the anaesthesia starts working, the whole procedure will be pain free.

5. Extraction

You will lie face down during the extraction phase of the procedure. You will however be fully awake so we encourage you to bring headphones to listen to music or watch a movie on your mobile! The key part to remember here is that we will be working on your scalp so it is essential to stay still! This phase will usually last anywhere between 1-2 hours depending on the extent of the transplant and the number of grafts to be extracted.

6. Recipient Sites

Once the extraction of the hair follicles from the donor area is complete we would ask you to change position and now lie on your back. It is at this point that we will administer anaesthesia to the agreed areas and start creating what we call the “recipient sites”. This can take anything from 45 min -1.5 hours.

7. Placing

After giving you an opportunity to stretch your legs and catch your breath we start populating the recipient sites with the donor hair follicles.

This phase is performed by the technician team under the watchful eye of Dr Tam. You will most likely be seated or lying at an angle and the placing usually takes between 1-2 hours. Once completed and Dr Tam does his final checks and is happy then your procedure will be officially concluded. The team will go through the post-operative instructions thoroughly with you before you are discharged.

8. Post Operative

A bandage is placed around the donor area and you will be free to go home directly after being discharged. You can expect some redness and slight swelling in the 5-7 days following treatment, after which there should be no more discomfort.

You will be able to go about your normal daily life, although we do recommend that you wait 1-2 weeks before going to the gym, and about 4 weeks before lifting heavy weights.

Testimonials

Andrew

I recently had a hair transplant with Dr Mark Tam and I couldn't be happier with the results (December 2022). From the moment I walked into his office, I knew I was in good hands. His staff was friendly and welcoming, and Dr Tam was very professional and knowledgeable.

The procedure itself was quick and relatively painless, and I was pleasantly surprised by how little discomfort I experienced during the surgery and how fast the recovery was. Now, several months later, I am thrilled with the results so far. My hair looks natural and thick, and I have received numerous compliments on the significant improvement to my overall look thanks to Dr Tam's skilled work.

I highly recommend Dr Mark Tam for anyone considering a hair transplant. He is a true professional who truly cares about his patients and delivering the best possible results. Thank you, Dr Tam!

Daniel

I recently had a procedure at Dr Mark Tam's surgery. The level of care and professionalism shown by the team was first class. I was made to feel like a VIP from the initial consultation, through surgery on the day, and all the way to aftercare.

Having surgery can be a daunting experience but Dr Tam and the team made everything easy to understand at every stage of the process.

I would highly recommend Dr Mark Tam and his expert team for anyone considering a hairline restoration procedure.

Robert

I underwent a hair transplant with Mark and his team in May 2023. It was a significant procedure involving ~2,800 bearing ~5,500 hairs in total. I was extremely impressed by the whole process.

Mark is very thorough in his pre-procedure care, hairline planning, and expectation management. In my case, I was working with both him and a second doctor with whom I plan to have a connected procedure next year. That all went very smoothly. The procedure itself was gloriously uneventful. Mark's team is a well-oiled machine, with everything going as previously explained. The whole thing took 12 hours, and I was extremely well cared from throughout. A great experience.

As to the results, it's only ~2 weeks post-op as I type but i am already thrilled with the results. After care has also been great.

Bradley

After reviewing various clinics across the UK before deciding to go ahead with my transplant, it was clear to me that Dr Mark Tam put the customer at the forefront and the experience which they aim to deliver is unrivalled.

My personal experience - Dr Mark Tam and his team were exceptional from start to finish, the meticulous planning that went into my procedure both before and on the day was nothing short of extraordinary. They made me feel completely at ease especially throughout the surgery.

I would highly recommend if you are considering getting a hairline transplant to meet with Dr Mark Tam and you will see first-hand why he is at the forefront of his field.

Eddie

I had my procedure with Dr Tam back in June (6 months ago) but I wanted to deliberately wait until now to write my review, so I could also share the amazing results.

The consultation wasn't free but was far, far more thorough than anything else I'd come across. Dr Tam used a range of methods to calculate the number of follicles required for the specific area - his fee structure is completely transparent and is based on this.

Dr Tam is a clearly master of his trade - its clear he takes pride in his work but also provides first class service. I would recommend Dr Tam anyone.

Samuel

Just wanted to thank Dr Mark and his incredible team for the entire experience. From the initial 'photo / email' consultation, to the in person session in Dr Mark's office, to the day, I was absolutely blown away by the friendliness and professionalism.

I immediately knew that I was getting the best of the best when it comes to hair transplants and now that I am a couple of weeks down the line in recovery I can already see the talented work that he and his team put together.

Highly recommend this to anyone looking for a transplant!

George

I had my procedure last weekend and as such am now 8 days post procedure. I had 2100 grafts placed in the frontal area.

All I can say is, Dr Tam and his team provided the the absolute highest standard of service before, during and after the surgery. They are a well oiled, highly skilled machine with a genuine empathetic and human touch.

The only mistake I made was turning up tired and anxious about the procedure, which was completely unfounded. If anyone else is getting them self worked up pre- procedure, please don't, you are in the absolute safest hands.

A H

Dr Tam combines excellence with unrivalled client care to provide a service that is, simply put, outstanding.

Every conceivable detail is covered to ensure comfort, discretion, and a positive experience on the day of surgery. Dr Tam is sincerely personable and friendly; he totally puts you at ease from first contact, all the way to the conclusion of surgery and through aftercare. I went to Dr Tam as he was recommended to me by somebody who insisted he is the best hair transplant surgeon in London, and he more than lived up to this reputation.

I would wholeheartedly recommend Dr Tam to anybody considering hair restoration; this is a life changing procedure, and I honestly don't think you could find a more dedicated surgeon, with such phenomenal levels of client care. If you go ahead with Dr Tam, rest assured, you are in the safest hands out there.

What to expect from a FUE Hair Transplant

Natural Looking Results

Natural-looking results through natural direction.

Which direction does your hair naturally grow towards?

There is no point trying to fight against nature, so simply put, let us go with the flow! By following your natural and therefore biological hair direction as much as possible, Dr Tam can achieve the most naturally looking hairline.

Prior to your procedure, we will discuss your natural growth direction and the circumstances where a “cow-lick” or rapid change of direction are undesirable and/or counter productive to your hair's coverage.

Ultra High Density

When it comes to creating recipient sites for your grafts generic surgical tools are often used. However, since it is essential to match the size of the site as close as possible to both the size and even depth of your grafts – Dr Tam only uses custom made incision tools for each procedure carried out. By hand cutting each blade he uses, Dr Tam ensures a degree of precision and accuracy that is second to none.

The site created by these custom blades will fit your grafts perfectly ensuring more incisions can be made in a given area, enabling a higher density of grafts. In short, the final result is a denser, thicker hairline.

Minimal Signs of the FUE Procedure

One of the keys to minimising visible signs of the FUE procedure in the donor area is in the harvesting technique by the surgeon. Dr Tam uses a minute sized surgical punch combined with a skilled spacing technique between follicles to ensure the visible impact in the donor area is minimal.

With little impact at the donor sites this helps improve healing times and reduces scarring, which also allows you the freedom to adopt various hairstyles, be it long or short.

FUE Hair Transplant FAQs

Right, to check if you're a suitable candidate for hair transplant treatment I would suggest if you send your photos in through the pre-ass process. Now the pre-ass process is once you send in the photos I will personally assess your photo and review your suitability. If you're suitable I'll personally give you a little design and also give you a treatment estimate. Included in the pre-assessment we will send you some base information before you actually come in for your consultation.

After a hair transplant procedure what you can expect to see in the transplanted area is a good visual improvement. So you have more hair in the area. Now a lot of the time we can't achieve perfection in the treatment area so the thickness and density won't be quite as thick as how it used to be. That's not the aim of it, the aim is to give you a good visual improvement in the treatment area.

If you've experienced male pattern hair loss and you think hair transplant to restore the hairline. You should be aware that sometimes after the transplant your native hair might receive further. Medication is going to be very important and very helpful in addressing future hair loss and slowing down future hair loss. However, if you experience further hair loss it might mean that you may need further hair transplants in certain areas.

If you have a receding hairline sometimes you may also experience a degree of hair loss in your crown area. When we restore your hairline with a hair transplant we may, or we may not, be able to restore the crown at the same time. Sometimes the crown may not need or be ready for hair transplant just yet. So feel free to send in your photos and we can assess that for you.

Donor resource is limited so there is only so much hair your donor area we can harvest and transplant from. A lot of the time we can transplant somewhere between 5000 and 6000 grafts in your lifetime. That can be three to four treatments in your lifetime. Of course you may not need that much or you may need more than that. So, we have to be careful when planning your hair transplant treatment.

When I restore the hairline a lot of the time we focus on the naturalness. Now in order to achieve that we need to use a lot of single hair follicles, aka single grafts. Now this is going to give you a very natural look when you brush your hair back, and people won't be able to see the pluggyness of some of the thicker hair. So when I restore the hairline I use a lot of single grafts.

If you naturally have straight hair when we transplant the hair from donor to the recipient area it will be straight hair. If you have mildly curly hair when we transplant from donor to the recipient area it will still maintain that mild curl. Mind you, if you have very curly hair make sure you mention it to me because sometimes it might present a technical change while we are doing the treatment.

When I carry out a hair transplant treatment i carry out the majority of the hair transplant treatment. I carry out the majority of the hair transplant treatment. So there are different parts of the treatment, from the design the consent, to the actual anaesthetic and extraction of the hair follicles, making the recipient site to placing the hair follicles. So I personally prefer the main important parts, which is extracting hair follicles, making the recipient sites. The placing part I have my team to assist, so they can place simultaneously. Two to three pair of hands placing is quicker than me trying to do it all on my own. I do a final check before they finish to check that everything is looking good.

My team is very experienced. Some of them who has been working for me for 10 years. When you come in you get to know them in person and you'll find they are here to help you with every step of your hair transplant treatment.

Magnification is very important in hair transplants. When I do a hair transplant treatment I wear highly powered magnification. We call it loops and it is stereoscopic. My assistant will use the microscope to examine your grafts under the micro. And when you come back for your follow up, or before your hair transplant treatment, we also use a digital microscope to check your density of the area.

Our hair transplant treatment fee is based on surface area. When you come in for a consultation we will get to measure your surface area of treatment. The bigger the area, the more work we need, the more grafts we need to transplant. Our hair transplant treatment fee starts from £5400 to £7600.

Hair transplant treat is generally very safe. It's done under local anaesthetic so you stay fully awake for your treat. When you come in for your consultation we will explore in more detail about the risks and complications. Immediately after treatment the treated area is going to look red, swollen, and the appearance is going to look a little bit drastic, and it will take a couple of days before it settles down. You can aim to go back to your normal life around 10 to 14 days from the treatment.

After your hair transplant treatment I will see you in person 10 to 14 days after the treatment to check everything is going ok. Also, I'll see you again in 10 to 12 months to assess the final result.

After your hair transplant treatment your hair doesn't start growing immediately just yet. The first two weeks is all about healing and looking after your new hair. After that your hair may experience what we call shedding and hair will temporarily fall off first before it comes back. Usually from about 3 to 6 months the hair will start growing, when I say start, it's the start of the growth. And gradually it will thicken up somewhere between 6 to 10 months’ time. Final results to be expected 10 to 12 months from the treatment.

FUE Hair Transplant

FUE Hair Transplant - All You Need to Know. Insight by Dr Mark Tam (ABHRS)

What can a FUE Hair Transplant Treat?

How Does the FUE Procedure Work?

The Four Stages of a FUE Hair Transplant

What is the difference between FUE and FUT?

Does FUE Hair Transplants hurt?

Results and Aftercare

Hair Transplant Surgery vs Alternatives

To Summarise FUE Hair Transplantion

What’s Next?

FUE hair transplant process

1. Assessment

2. Consultation

3. Arrival & Discussion

4. Haircut & Anaesthesia

5. Extraction

6. Recipient Sites

7. Placing

8. Post Operative

Testimonials

Andrew

Daniel

Robert

Bradley

Eddie

Samuel

George

A H

What to expect from a FUE Hair Transplant

Natural Looking Results

Ultra High Density

Minimal Signs of the FUE Procedure

Benefits of FUE hair transplants

Why a FUE transplant with Dr Mark Tam is different

FUE Hair Transplant FAQs

Do you think I am a suitable candidate for a FUE hair transplant?

What results can I expect to achieve?

Will my hairline get worse over time?

Should I get a FUE transplant on my crown?

Do I have enough donor hair for a FUE hair transplant?

What sort of grafts do you use?

Will my grafted hair be straight or curly?

Will you be performing the whole surgery?

How many years experience do your technicians have?

Do you use magnification throughout the hair transplant process?

How much will my FUE hair treatment cost?

Are there any risks associated with the treatment?

What happens after the treatment?

How long until I see the final results?

Start Your Journey Today

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