What to Expect
With so many promising hair loss treatments available today, it can be challenging to find the best one. Dr. Orseck understands this and it is his goal during the consultation to provide as much information as possible so that each patient feels confident they are making the best personal choice. The majority of SmartGraft™ FUE procedures start in the morning at Dr. Orseck’s office, and end in the afternoon—the length of time varies depending on the volume of hair being transplanted. Our team will use a local anesthetic and an oral sedative during treatment. Patients are encouraged to wear comfortable clothing and are able to watch TV or listen to music during the procedure.
The Donor Area
During the consultation, Dr. Orseck will go over the aesthetic goals of the patient, and be able to provide an approximate number of grafts that will need to be extracted to obtain the desired results. The donor area where the hair will be extracted is located in the back of the head, as this is an area where hair growth is constant and permanent. For medium-to-large SmartGraft™ FUE cases, the entire back and sides of the scalp may need to be shaved. For smaller cases (less than 1,000-1,200 grafts) patients may only need to have a small, strip of hair shaved, which will be camouflaged by the hair above it. As a result, the shaved donor areas will not be noticeable at the conclusion of the procedure. The donor hair, removed in follicular units, typically includes a group of about 1 to 4 hairs. The hair removal process is performed in a meticulously randomized pattern, so that the hair around the extracted grafts will grow back and camouflage the virtually undetectable, flat “micro-dots” left from the SmartGraft™ FUE procedure. Once transplanted, each hair follicle will grow permanently in its new location.
The Transplanted Area
The transplanted area, or recipient sites where the donor hair will be relocated to, are artistically created by Dr. Orseck, according to the correct angle, depth, orientation, and density required to achieve natural results. The number of grafts and/or number of procedures required to achieve the patient’s desired look depends on individual patient characteristics, such as degree of hair loss, donor hair quality and texture, and follicular density.
