For individuals with severely depleted or nonexistent hair follicles due to thinning on the crown or a receding hairline, the only way to regrow hair that will last well into the future is with a hair transplant. Unfortunately, hair loss often makes the individual appear as less healthy, not as vital and older. The problem is these types of issues can have a negative impact on the professional and social life of these individuals. This is why hair loss treatments can make a dramatic impact on their level of self-confidence as well as their self-image. Once the person looks good on the outside, they tend to feel a lot better on the inside. One of the best possible options for a hair transplant is called a SmartGraft. This hair restoration device is minimally invasive and appropriate for both women and men.
The device was developed by engineers, medical scientists and doctors. This device enables the doctors to perform the procedure necessary for hair restoration safely, quickly and efficiently. The results are both permanent and natural. The general consensus of opinion is this device provides a better way to perform an effective hair transplant. The device is a breakthrough providing invaluable assistance to the specialized teams and surgeons performing follicular unit extraction (FUE) hair transplant procedure. FUE hair transplant is not as invasive as the typical harvesting requiring a linear strip. The procedure does not require a scalpel or any staples or stitches in the donor area. This means any discomfort has been substantially reduced and the healing process is much faster.
The SmartGraft device is handheld, minimally invasive, extremely advanced, fast and the basis for an excellent FUE hair transplant procedure. The device enables the harvesting of the individual follicular units necessary for the grafts right from the donor area. There is no zippered appearance or linear scar left behind on the scalp. The device is essentially an extension of the surgeon’s hand. The design of the storage system and ergonomic handpiece helps extract, separate, and store the grafts during the process of the hair transplantation. The procedure can be performed much faster because there are less steps, not as much handling is required and the grafts are transferred at a quicker speed. The shorter length of the procedure decreases the risk of poor growth quality and graft failure while enhancing comfort for the individual.
The system also includes a graft extraction controlled by a complete microprocessor and storage. This decreases the possibility of damaging the fragile grafts. The device is used by the physician for a gentle extraction of each micro hair graft harvested from the back of the head. Once the grafts have been implanted into the balding sections, the result is the growth of natural, healthy and thick hair. The growth of the hair grafts occur in the thinning or balding areas for the creation of a natural and fuller head of hair. The hair looks completely natural because the grafts are harvested from the individual. This helps restore the confidence level as well as a more youthful appearance for the individual.
The SmartGraft system is simply a means of redistributing living hair able to continue growing on a permanent basis. The hair follicles are harvested from a donor area into the balding or thinning areas. FUE is the technique used to harvest the hair. This method is less invasive than linear or strip harvesting because there are no stitches placed in the donor area and a scalpel is not used during the procedure. The recovery period is more comfortable with less restrictions. Most individuals having this treatment only need a few days before resuming non-impact physical and athletic activities. The key benefits of this system as opposed to the other devices is the reduction of manual handling and any damage to the FUE grafts. The chosen hair follicles are separated by the device from the surrounding tissue.
The grafts are removed from the scalp using a gentle suction. This means there is no additional manual manipulation necessary before implantation as opposed to many of the other FUE devices. Every harvested follicle graft is gently transferred by the system into a highly specialized system for storage, The ideal environment is maintained for preserving the graft once outside of the body. Prior to the year 2002, there were very few surgeons in the world developing instruments for the FUE technique, conducting research or training and teaching physicians about the minimally-invasive technique. The development of the FUE technique represented an extremely important option for the procedures available for hair transplants. There is no linear scar left behind, any severe discomfort has been effectively eliminated and the downtime has decreased.
There are a lot of benefits to SmartGraft hair loss treatments as opposed to the more traditional strip-harvest and linear procedures. The procedure is ideal for both women and men. The most critical hair restoration components have been incorporated, such as the ability of the surgeon to frame the face of the individual properly by choosing the right areas for the implantation of the hair grafts. Better results can be achieved by harvesting the grafts from alternate locations on the body such as the face, back and chest. The best possible way of determining if the individual is a good candidate for the hair transplantation process is to have a consultation with an experienced transplant surgeon. It is important to note both the skill and experience of the surgeon are important for the success of the procedure.
That said, most of the individuals impacted by hair loss are good candidates for this procedure. This is especially true if the individual intends to wear their hair very short, needs to hide a scar resulting from a strip procedure during the past or does not want a lot of restrictions on their activities after they have the procedure. Once the hair has been transplanted, there are several natural phases to the growth cycle. The new hairs generally become apparent in approximately three months. After six months, the improvement becomes much more noticeable. The recovery period is fairly short. Most individuals are able to go back to work within a couple of days. There are not a lot of restrictions on activity after the treatment.
If the individual has long hair, the hair grafts can be harvested by the physician by shaving smaller areas. This enables the individual to cover the areas with the length of their hair. There will not be a linear scar. This is because individual micrografts are removed as opposed to a large strip. Unlike the traditional methods used for hair transplants, there is no visible scarring. The individual can even wear the hairstyle of their choice. The minimally invasive procedure is just as appropriate for women as for men.
The Specifics of the SmartGraft System
The system was designed to be an improvement for the original FUE technique used for hair restoration. The system is based on suction, incorporating a hand-piece, a storage chamber for the follicular unit grafts and a touchscreen monitor. The handpiece features a built-in light to improve the visibility and illumination of the surgeon when looking at the follicular units during the course of the procedure. The surgeon has the option of adding a high resolution miniature video camera. This enables the surgeon to see the extraction process using a high definition monitor or television. The touchscreen monitor and storage chamber including a temperature control are the key components of the system.
Suction is provided by the unit for the handpiece. This is connected through a tube. The touchscreen provides the surgeon with control by monitoring the graft storage canisters, the suction strength, the punch rotation speed and illuminating the scalp. During the extraction portion of the process, the follicular unit grafts are counted and separated by the system. The grafts are then stored within the temperature controlled chamber in a sterile solution. Once the extraction is complete, the follicular units are placed manually into the balding and thinning areas on the scalp of the recipient.
The Extraction Techniques for the SmartGraft
The two main types of extraction are FUE and FUT. The FUE technique removes the follicles of hair individually prior to placement in the balding area. This procedure requires two separate devices. The first extracts the follicles of hair in natural groups consisting of one to four hairs each time. The second device enables the hair follicles to be removed individually from other areas of the body besides the scalp. The technique used for the FUT transplant is fairly similar to the FUE method. The difference is a small hair strip is removed during this technique of approximately 1.5 centimeters in length. The strip and follicles are separated prior to being transplanted into the scalp. There are several different factors that must be taken into consideration prior to deciding between the two techniques.
The FUE technique is generally not the most effective option when a lot of hair is required from the donor site. This is because a lot of micro-holes can result in the areas from which the follicles were harvested. These holes can be extremely difficult to hide. In this instance, the FUT technique enables the necessary follicles to be harvested from the donor site with just very small linear scars. The FUT method also enables the use of the highest number of grafts. This tends to make this technique more efficient. The graft quality is often better because the follicles are dissected microscopically once they have been removed as opposed to an individual removal directly from the scalp. This allows for a more complete preservation of the follicle integrity.
The FUT technique does not require a shaving of the donor area. This means it is much easier to hide the recently performed hair transplantation. One of the biggest issues with the FUT technique is the longer length of time necessary for recovery because the openings are longer than those used for the FUE technique. This also means greater care must be taken with the incisions with the FUT technique to prevent any visible scarring. If the individual plans to wear a short hairstyle after the treatment, the FUT technique is probably not the best option. It is important to understand the skill of the surgeon is much more important than the technique. If the surgeon has experience in hair restoration, both of the extraction techniques will most likely be successful.
The surgeon will determine which technique is best suited to the unique needs and situation of each individual. The best option for hair restoration is the SmartGraft system. The system is extremely advanced as opposed to the older methods used for hair restoration. The numerous benefits of this system include:
• The look is completely natural. This is because the balding spots are filled in using the hair of the individual. This provides the healthiest and most natural appearance possible.
• Only one office visit is needed to complete the procedure.
• The scarring is minimal. Most of the traditional procedures use a large strip of hair resulting in a large scar. The linear scar is eliminated with this procedure because individual micro grafts are harvested instead.
• There is practically no downtime. The majority of individuals are able to wash their hair within just a few days.
The reason this system is such a good choice is because of the results. The changes happen quickly with hair growth often becoming noticeable in just three months after completion of the procedure. The growth phases of the hair are generally completed within a year. This means full growth may only require twelve months.
Get In Touch with Us for More Information
If you are interested in a SmartGraft hair transplant or other hair loss treatments, please feel free to make an appointment with Georgia Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. At our convenient location in Marietta, GA, our caring and dedicated team of professionals will be pleased to answer any questions you may have. Contact us today to set up your consultation – we look forward to speaking with you!
