Hair Transplant Surgery Centers in Belgium

Hair loss that occurs younger than expected, is sudden, linked to ill health or affects women can damage confidence and leave people feeling self-conscious. Hair transplant surgery offers people the opportunity to replace hair loss permanently using their own hair. Hair transplant surgery in Belgium is increasingly popular as hair transplant surgeons have developed new hair transplant methods which produce invisible results. Hair transplant surgery does not provide a cure to hair loss but it can provide the solution. 

Hair transplant surgery is a procedure which offers patients a solution to hair loss. Patients who experience premature balding, suffer from alopecia or have experienced health problems which have caused hair loss may be a suitable candidate for hair transplant surgery.  

Hair transplants involve taking healthy hair follicles from a donor area of the scalp and relocating the donor hair into the areas of the scalp where hair loss has occurred (recipient area).

Because hair transplant surgery uses the patients own hair, the hair regrowth is natural. Hair transplant surgeons in Belgium are world renowned for excellence and are experts at inserting the donor hair so that hair regrowth is invisible.

There are two method options for hair transplant surgery : Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) and  Follicular Unit Transplantation (FUT) (FUT). The type of hair transplant most suitable for each candidate will depend on the cause of and the extent of the hair loss and the desired hair style post-surgery.

Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) is a method of hair transplantation. Using donor hair follicles taken from a healthy area of the scalp, hair transplant surgeons implant new hair into balding areas to stimulate hair regrowth.

Using advanced the FUE method the hair transplant surgeon is able remove a single hair follicle from the donor area. Hair transplant donor areas are commonly at either the back or side of the head depending on the healthiest site with the most hair follicles. The individual follicles that are taken from the donor area are transplanted into a puncture hole in the patient's balding or thinning area.

Using the FUE method allows hair transplant surgeons to provide a natural hair growth pattern to the appearance of the hair transplant. 

Candidates for FUE hair transplantation

Candidates for hair transplant surgery are people who have suffered from visible hair loss on one or more areas of the head. 

Follicular unit extraction does not leave a linear scar. For this reason FUE hair transplants are often used to conceal linear scars from previous strip hair transplants. FUE is also recommended for patients who want to wear their short hair as the natural pattern of hair is mimiced with this procedure method. FUE is also recommended for patients whose skin is  unusually tight on the scalp.

To determine if patients are suitable candidates for FUE hair transplants, surgeons must determine how easily the individual hair follicles can be extracted. The FOX test is used to determine this. Hair transplant surgeons take a small biopsy of air follicles from the intended donor area and measure the density and strength of the hair.

Procedure for FUE hair transplant 

Hair follicle grafts are removed from the donor area one at a time. These individually grafted hair follicles are then inserted into the bald area.

To remove the individual hair follicles the hair transplant surgeon will use a small punch which extracts the follicle at the root of the hair without damaging the surrounding tissue. Removing the hairs leaves patients with minute white scars. These scars will be concealed as the hair regrows.

The procedure for FUE hair transplantation is more complex and time consuming than FUT 'strip' transplants. Generally between 500-600 grafts are transplanted in one day. If patients have a large area of hair loss the procedure may take two days.

FUE is also a suitable hair transplantation method to restore hair loss on the body or to restore facial hair. As hair follicles are removed individually, finer hair at the nape of the neck can be removed and used to help patients who have suffered hair loss on the eyebrows or only along the hairline.

Benefits of Follicular Unit Extraction Hair Transplantation

If patients are a suitable candidate for FUE, this method of hair restoration has many advantages compared to the FUT method. 

Unlike with FUT there is no linear scar and no skin is removed from the scalp. This means a shorter recovery from hair transplant surgery and minimised scarring. Scarring from FUE is usually minimal in the donor area and concealed by new hair growth. FUE hair transplants offer a very natural hair regrowth pattern.

FUE transplants can be repeated weekly until the patient is happy with the hair transplant results. 

Disadvantages of FUE Method

FUE’s main limitation is that it is less efficient in harvesting hair when compared to follicular unit transplantation (FUT) since in follicular unit extraction the hair graft follicles are implanted individually. This can lead to small gaps in the hair restoration. Additionally, as the follicles are removed individually a certain amount of hair must be left in the donor area. This often means surgeons will remove follicles from the outer edges of the donor area and this hair may not be as good quality as central scalp areas. 

The other disadvantage of FUE is the additional cost for hair transplant surgery. A longer, more complex procedure FUE is more expensive than FUT. 

FUT, Follicular Unit Transplantation is a method of hair transplant surgery. Hair transplant surgeons remove a donor strip of skin containing hair follicles from another area of the scalp and implant this strip of healthy hair follicles into the balding area. FUT hair transplant is an effective method of hair restoration after hair loss. 

Procedure for FUT hair transplantation

The hair transplant procedure using the follicular unit transplantation method is less complex than a FUE hair transplant. Hair transplant surgeons first identify a donor area of the scalp that has plenty of healthy hair follicles. An H+ genetic test may be performed to identify areas of scalp where the hair follicles are less likely to fall out leading to hair loss in the transplant site. 

Once a healthy donor area has been identified, a strip of skin is removed with the hair follicles intact. The donor area is stitched closed and the surrounding hair is pulled down to cover the scar.

Hair grafts are then extracted from the strip of skin removed. The hair follicle containing grafts are implanted into the recipient area in numerous small grafts. Each graft contains a number of hair follicles to ensure that if some of the follicles do not implant correctly, the hair loss will be concealed by the others.

The length of time the procedure takes will depend on the amount of hair loss present and the size of the area needing the transplant. The procedure for hair transplantation using the FUT method is shorter than using follicular unit extraction as the grafts that are implanted are larger.

Benefits of Follicular Unit Hair Transplantation

The main benefit of FUT hair transplants is that the results appear natural even upon close examination. The grafts are slightly larger than for FUE hair transplants allowing the surgeon to mimic natural hair density and growth. 

FUT is also a more advantageous method for patients whose hair is difficult to extract from the scalp as graft areas are needed not individual follicles.

Disadvantages of FUT method

The 'strip' method of hair transplantation leaves patients with a linear scar in the donor area of the scalp. This is a problem for patients who wish to wear their hair short after the transplant. Patients who wish to conceal this scar can undergo a second hair transplant surgery using the FUE method of hair transplantation.

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A hair transplant surgeon will be able to advise on the hair transplant method that is most suitable for individual candidates. 

The cost of hair transplant surgery depends on the type of hair transplant needed. FUE and FUT transplant costs vary due to the differing techniques used and the difference in time taken to perform the procedures.

Hair transplant clinics calculate the cost of hair transplant based on the number of grafts a patient needs to cover the hair loss area. Hair transplant surgeons will be able to provide exact quotes for the cost of the hair transplant surgery on an individual basis following a consultation with the patient.

The cost of hair transplant surgery may be cheaper in Belgium than in the UK and United States. Traveling abroad for hair transplant surgery is becoming increasingly popular as patients can save up to 50% on the cost of treatment.

Belgium is a popular destination for hair transplant surgery as frequent affordable transport links between London and Bruges makes it an ideal location for British patients. Hair transplant clinics in Belgium are recognised worldwide for excellence and offer patients the latest hair transplant techniques. Hair transplant surgeons in Belgium perform FUE and FUT methods of hair restoration and provide genetic testing to determine the cause of the hair loss. Hair loss patients who travel to Belgium are guaranteed high standard treatment in a relaxing environment and can save money on the cost of hair transplant surgery.