The Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) method is now one of the most modern and widely used hair transplantation techniques, offering natural results and minimal invasiveness. Origins of the FUE method in hair transplantation date back several decades and involved many experiments and gradual improvements in hair transplantation technique.
Hair transplantation before the FUE era
Before the FUE method was introduced, the predominant technique was Follicular Unit Transplantation (FUT), which involved taking a strip of skin from the scalp (usually the back) and then extracting individual hair units and implanting them in place of the hair loss.
Although the FUT method produced good results, it had several significant drawbacks, such as:
– the formation of a visible scar at the site where the skin strip was taken,
– longer recovery time,
– greater invasiveness and higher risk of complications.
The quest for a less invasive technique led to the development of FUE.
Origins of the FUE method in hair transplantation
The history of FUE began in the 1980s and 1990s, when several surgeons began experimenting with harvesting individual hair follicles instead of whole strips of skin. One of the pioneers of this technique was Dr. Masumi Inaba, a Japanese surgeon who was one of the first to use fine instruments (about 1 mm in diameter) to extract single follicular units without removing a larger piece of skin.
Although his research was groundbreaking, the method was not immediately widely adopted, because the technology of the time did not allow precise extraction of hair follicles without damaging them. At the time, doctors did not yet have the right tools, and the efficiency of extraction was low.
In the 1990s, several hair transplant surgeons began to develop the FUE technique, but it was not until the early 21st century that the method began to gain popularity.
Development of FUE at the beginning of the 21st century
The breakthrough for the FUE method came in 2002, when doctors Dr. William Rassman and Dr. Robert Bernstein published a scientific article on the technique in a prestigious medical journal. They were the ones who popularized the term Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) and described the precise procedures and tools that allowed for the effective extraction of hair follicles without damaging them.
Their research highlighted the following advantages of FUE over FUT:
– no linear scar – instead of one large incision, only microscopic dots remain, which become almost invisible over time.
– faster recovery – patients returned to normal activities faster.
– less risk of complications – thanks to the absence of a large incision, the skin healed faster and with less discomfort.
However, at the time, FUE was still considered a more time-consuming method and required more precision than FUT, so many doctors still preferred the older technique.
Improved tools and further development of FUE
With the development of medical technology between 2000 and 2010, new tools were introduced that greatly improved the hair follicle extraction process. A key moment was the introduction of micromotors for extraction, which allowed much faster and more precise harvesting of hair follicles without damaging them.
Subsequent years also saw the advent of robotic FUE systems, such as ARTAS, which automated parts of the procedure and allowed for even greater precision and shorter procedure times. This made FUE more accessible and efficient, which made this method begin to dominate hair transplantation.
Contemporary popularity of FUE
Today, the FUE method is the gold standard in hair transplantation worldwide. Due to its minimally invasive and natural results, it is preferred by most patients and hair transplant surgeons.
Modern techniques, such as DHI (Direct Hair Implantation), are based on FUE and offer even greater precision in placing hair in the scalp. Moreover, FUE is not only used in scalp hair transplantation, but also in the reconstruction of eyebrows, beards and other hair areas.
Summary
The origins of the FUE method date back to the 1980s and 1990s, when pioneers such as Masumi Inaba began experimenting with single hair follicles. The breakthrough came in the early 21st century with the publications of Dr. Rassman and Dr. Bernstein, and further development of surgical tools made the method more precise and effective.
Today, FUE is the most widely used hair transplant technique, offering patients a natural look, minimal scarring and shorter recovery time. With continued innovation and cutting-edge solutions, the future of hair transplantation seems even more promising.
Dr. William Rassman still runs his medical practice in Los Angeles today, where Kierach Medical Clinic founder Dr. Artur Kierach – an experienced hair transplantologist and trichologist, as well as President of the Polish Society of Hair Transplantation and Trichology – did his internship in 2018.
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