Hair Transplants: Should You Opt For A Robotic Surgeon?

Around the world, millions of men and women are currently dealing with hair loss—and if you have ever experienced more hair fall during the shower or while doing your hair in the morning, you will know how even the slightest change in your hairline can lead to a decrease in confidence and self-esteem.

The most common type of hair loss by both men and women is known as androgenetic alopecia which is primarily caused by a combination of hormones and genetics. Other than genetics, hair loss can also be triggered as a result of medications, stress and lifestyle factors like a poor diet.

While there currently isn’t a complete cure for the condition, it is possible to reverse the process and ensure that you don’t lose your precious strands in the long run. By far the only long-term, permanent solution to hair loss and androgenetic alopecia is a hair transplant.

FUE hair transplant: explained

There are currently two main types of hair transplants done today: the Follicular Unit Transplantation (FUT) and Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) hair transplant.

The FUT technique involves taking a strip of skin with hair follicles from the patient and then extracting individual hair follicles for transplantation.

The key downside to the FUT procedure is that it tends to leave a horizontal scar across the back of the head and results in longer healing times—this is where the FUE hair transplant comes in to address the disadvantages while achieving the same, if not better results of the FUT hair transplant!

In the case of an FUE hair transplant, the hair follicles are harvested individually from the donor site (typically the back of the head) and are transplanted to areas experiencing hair loss to create a fuller, natural-looking hairline.

At our aesthetic clinic, we conduct the FUE hair transplant in 3 key steps:

Step 1: On the day of the surgery, your hair will be shaved short and thoroughly disinfected before the transplant. Local anaesthetic is administered to ensure the procedure is kept as comfortable as possible.

Step 2: The doctor will proceed to extract individual hair follicles from the donor site by making minuscule “punches” using a specialized punch device. The hair follicles are then separated, stored and prepared in a special solution to preserve them for implantation.

Step 3: Tiny holes are then created in the recipient site and carefully implanted where hair is needed most. Factors such as the angle, direction and distribution of hair grafts are considered to ensure optimal results.

While the highly laborious and detailed FUE technique requires more time in surgery, the downtime and healing times for the hair transplant is lowered. A typical hair transplant procedure requires anywhere from 800 to 2,000 hair grafts and the best results are usually only seen after 9-12 months of recovery.

As for the cost of an FUE hair transplant, this depends on the number of grafts you need and the experience of your doctor. In general, prices range from $4-$7 per graft.

To help the doctor with the laborious process of harvesting quality hair grafts, the FUE hair transplant can now also be done with the support of the ARTAS robot.

What is the ARTAS robotic hair transplant?

The ARTAS robot is an FDA-cleared device that leverages artificial intelligence algorithms to select prime follicular units and transplant them using advanced digital imaging to achieve more precise and consistent results.

Everything from the angle, orientation, distribution, density and direction of the hair follicles are calculated and tracked to maximize the efficiency of the procedure, all while eliminating the potential of human error and fatigue.

Because the grafts are selected randomly, this also prevents over-harvesting too much donor hair from a particular area.

While the ARTAS robotic system is beneficial in many ways, it essentially only takes over the first step of the hair transplant–the rest of the steps such as the implantation are still done manually by the doctor, which moves us to the key takeaway of this article:

Is the ARTAS robot for everyone?

In theory, the ARTAS robot is a great choice as it removes the tedious process required to extract thousands of hair grafts in a single session. However, automation can never fully compensate for the hard-earned skills, techniques and knowledge that a doctor has acquired after years of practicing and performing the procedure.

At the end of the day, the ARTAS robot is just another tool that a doctor can use to improve the results of the hair transplant—in the wrong hands, it can still yield subpar results and hair follicles that are lost forever.

This is why choosing the right aesthetic doctor to conduct your surgery is paramount–whether or not he utilizes the ARTAS robot does not matter if he does not know the basics of hair and scalp anatomy and a team of highly-trained technicians to support him or her.

The cost of an ARTAS hair transplant is undoubtedly more expensive as well, which may not be feasible for many patients.

Achieve a fuller-looking and beautiful hairline

We offer advantages to all our patients such as the use of thin micro-tips to minimize damage to the hair roots and the use of the most advanced biotechnology solution to protect each hair graft and make sure it counts.

Our doctors and team of technicians are also able to perform dense packing and mega-sessions to achieve maximum coverage while ensuring that side effects are kept to a minimum.

As one of the first doctors in Singapore to bring in the ARTAS hair transplantation robot, our doctors are highly experienced in both manual and robotic techniques and can utilize both to deliver reliable and consistent outcomes to you.

We understand that not all patients are suitable or wish to undergo a hair transplant. Not to worry, we also offer many other hair loss treatments such as Regenera Activa and laser therapy using the 1,927nm Fraxel Thulium laser.

As a one-stop aesthetic clinic in Singapore, we specialize in providing clinically proven, minimally invasive and results-driven treatments to our patients. This includes the best stretch mark removal and acne treatment that is always personalized to your needs and goals.

Ready to start your journey with us? Contact us to book your first consultation today!

FAQ

  • Am I suitable for a hair transplant?

If you are currently suffering from androgenetic alopecia, do not have any major medical condition that could potentially complicate the surgery, and have a healthy donor site with sufficient follicles, you are likely a suitable candidate for a hair transplant.

Patients whose hair loss pattern is widespread, tend to form keloid scars, or are dealing with hair loss as a result of medication side effects should not perform a hair transplant and seek alternative treatments.

  • How long will my hair transplant last?

A hair transplant can last a lifetime as the hair grafts that are transplanted are genetically programmed to grow and not fall out. However, androgenetic alopecia is still a progressive disease and existing hairs that are most susceptible to the DHT (Dihydrotestosterone) will continue to fall.

This is why we highly recommend patients complement their hair transplants with other treatments such as Regenera Activa and oral and topical medications to strengthen their existing hairs.

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

error: Content is protected !!