FUE Hair Transplant in Singapore with Dr Tyng Tan

✓ Restore Good Hair Coverage With Our No-Shave FUE.
✓ It Is Less Invasive, Minimal Downtime, & Nobody Has To Know You Had it Done.

Cost is always a major determining factor as to whether a patient will undergo a hair transplant or not. However, one can quickly get frustrated while scouring the web because this won’t lead you to a definitive answer – an actual quotation.

The only way to get one is through an in-person consultation. A hair transplant surgeon must first assess the extent of your hair loss and your desired outcome. Your age, sex, and amount of viable donor grafts are essential considerations. These factors can help doctors arrive at an accurate quotation based on the approach that you prefer.

Patients should also steer clear from packages that offer a fixed amount of grafts at a lower price. These arrangements provide no guarantee for the aesthetic quality you seek.

The Problem

Hair has a natural cycle that includes shedding and there is nothing to panic about when this happens.

Alopecia, or what is commonly known as hair loss, is the unwanted loss of hair from the head and the other parts of the body. It also refers to male or female pattern baldness. There are numerous factors that could cause the condition, which makes it important to get a proper diagnosis to effectively cure the disorder.

Such causes include genetics, fungal infection, trauma, chemotherapy, and nutritional deficiencies. Other causes are certain illnesses that can lead to temporary baldness and these include thyroid disease and alopecia areata. Diseases that cause scarring like lichen planus and specific types of lupus can become permanent along with the scars they produce.

With male pattern baldness, hair loss starts to be very noticeable on the crown and then the hairline, and temples, until it finally hits the mid-anterior scalp. Though this is the common pattern, there are variations to this that are considered on a case-to-case basis.

Difference Between a Female Pattern Baldness and Male Pattern Baldness

Lifestyle also has a lot to do with hair loss. With the current way people live their modern lives, most overlook important health issues that ultimately create this condition. Bad, fatty diets are easily the culprits because of the lack of necessary nutrients to keep hair shiny and healthy. Lack of sleep and other sources of stress also trigger the condition among other modern-day illnesses. Smoking is also considered as a reason for irrational hair loss.

The Treatment

For those who seek surgical treatment for hair loss, the Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) hair transplant method is a viable method for both men and women seeking to treat hair loss. It is essentially the transfer of healthy hair follicles from a donor area on the scalp and grafting them to a bald or thinning area.

FUE PROCEDURE

Microincisions have a diameter that ranges from 0.8 – 1.0 mm, depending on follicular unit sizes in each patient. This minimizes scarring and conserves future areas available for harvesting. The procedure is done under a very high-powered microscope to allow the surgeon to work with precision, which is the key to natural-looking transplants.

So, how long does an FUE hair transplant procedure take? Generally, this type of procedure takes longer than the traditional FUT (Follicular Unit Transplantation). Since it requires donor grafts to be harvested carefully to avoid transection and improve graft yield, the entire procedure can take around 4-8 hours. The surgical time will also depend on the number of grafts you will need.

The procedure is minimally invasive and is carried out under local anesthetic. This helps minimize the risks and downtime that are commonly associated with the procedure.²

Why FUE Over FUT?

Minimal scarring will develop from the procedure, which makes it a good option for those with a history of keloids and thickened or stretched scars.

Recovery time is shorter because the minute holes that are created for the hair grafts heals within a shorter period of time compared to the strip method, or FUT.

The patient will not be forbidden to do strenuous activities, which is the case for FUT patients because their scars are prone to widening when the patient does strenuous exercises.

The Results

Patients who undergo the procedure want the results to look as natural as possible and the outcome makes it appear that way.

The hair that grows as a result of the procedure will look exactly like the hair that grew locally, hiding the fact that the patient actually had the procedure. This comes with an assured natural hairline that makes the hair look fuller but untouched. As far as the donor area is concerned, it will appear unaffected or unchanged. Minimal pain should be experienced after the procedure because of the local anesthesia that will be used during the extraction of the follicles.

If hair is worn short, as little as 0.5cm long, scarring will not be visible. If it is clean-shaven, some tiny dotted hypopigmented scars may be noticeable to varying degrees depending on the healing abilities of the patient.

There should also hardly be any obvious scarring since the procedure is not invasive, making it perfect for patients who are suffering from incipient and advanced hair loss.

Hair Transplant Downtime

A lot of our busy professional clients opt to do surgery on a Friday and return to work on Monday with little or no detection. Consult a hair transplant doctor to know if you are a suitable candidate for this.

Complementary Treatments

FUE hair transplant results can be optimised using supplemental treatments. Two reliable therapies that our clinic uses to augment surgical outcome are Regenera Activa and Low-Level Laser Therapy (LLLT).

Regenera Activa is a treatment that uses your own cellular factors to stimulate a regenerative process in growing hair. It involves tissue specimen collection, the separation of cellular components to obtain the necessary cellular factors and administering it in affected areas of the scalp. This is an FDA-approved treatment that supports the growth of implanted hair grafts.

LLLT is another FDA-cleared solution that boosts hair growth. It irradiates photons into the scalp tissue which is absorbed by weak cells stimulating hair growth. It requires months of consistent use to trigger the desired regenerative action.

Regenera Activa and LLLT offer good restorative action by stimulating biological responses to boost hair growth. Any prescribed hair loss medications that were regularly taken prior to surgery must be continued, these complementary treatments strengthen post-surgical supportive care.

Before and After Photos

In compliance with MOH guidelines in Singapore, we are not allowed to post before-and-after images on our website and social media platforms. However, we are more than willing to share such images for your perusal during your in-clinic consultation with us.

1. WHY A HAIR TRANSPLANT DOESN’T COME CHEAP?

Although it is minimally invasive compared to other elective procedures, a hair transplant also demands a certain level of expertise.

In Singapore, hair transplant doctors must fulfill specific criteria issued by the Singapore Aesthetic Practice Oversight Committee (APOC). These serve to safeguard the quality of hair transplant services in the country. So, when you go for a consultation, make it a point to ask if your hair doctor is APOC-approved.

Since the process is not just merely transplanting hairs and arranging them on a whim, it means that the level of expertise to achieve natural-looking results will come at a price. However, when you make an effort to prepare for it thoroughly, you can make it worth every penny!

2. WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN A HAIR TRANSPLANT SURGEON?

Donor hair is limited. Everyone has a variable number of available donor hair. It does not increase over time with frugality once hair transplant is carried out. Choose a doctor with the experience you are comfortable with as donor depletion and scarring can potentially have severe, detrimental effects on a young patient. When in doubt, wait, rather than rush in for cheap surgery.

Doctor Tan is a Graduate Fellow in Hair Restoration Surgery, as certified by the ISHRS, having trained in hair transplant for nearly a year and fulfilling strict training requirements set out by the ISHRS at one of their 5 training centres worldwide. She has also contributed chapters to hair transplant textbook and Hair Loss International forums, and was an invited speaker (1 of 2 speakers) for AAAM (American Academy of Aesthetic Medicine) talks for doctors on hair transplantation.

We pride ourselves on 100% dedication to hair transplant patient. Doctor Tan does not take on any concurrent patient to concentrate on the hair transplant patient on the day of the procedure. We use hair transplant equipment from the USA (Cole Instruments) designed by Dr Cole who is a proponent of the FUE approach and investor at the same time. Our team is trained overseas by veteran hair transplant doctors in the industry, an effort Doctor Tan has invested in for quality results for her patients.

3. IS HAIR TRANSPLANT WORTH IT?

Hair Transplant should be a last resort (i.e. tried available medical options) but in terms of results, majority of patients find more rewarding/worth it when done by a good doctor, especially if the transplanted area has receded/bald as no herbal/medical options would restore it otherwise.

4. DOES HAIR TRANSPLANT REALLY WORK?

Yes, a hair transplant is an effective surgical treatment that restores hair growth in areas where there is limited or absent growth. With good patient selection, it can provide natural-looking and long-lasting results. Donor grafts will retain their DHT-resistant characteristic even if surrounding hairs continue to shed.

5. WHEN IS A HAIR TRANSPLANT INDICATED?

When you are not actively undergoing a period of active hair shedding (telogen effluvium), chemo-induced shedding, (anagen effluvium), in the absence of certain scalp conditions like active alopecia areata, active lichen planopilaris, active frontal fibrosing alopecia or other scarring alopecias, to name a few.

6. WHO ARE SUITABLE CANDIDATES FOR FUE?

The right patients for FUE should be in good health and with adequate donor density. This means that there should be enough hair from the donor area because the backsides of the scalp can provide very little hair for FUE.

Age is also a big factor, which means the patient has to get this procedure when the hair loss pattern has been stabilized. Young people are advised to follow other treatments for the meantime.

Men and women who are dealing with pattern baldness (Androgenetic Alopecia for the men, and Female Pattern Baldness for the women).

7. WHAT ARE THE THREE WAYS OF PERFORMING FUE?

Three different ways of performing FUE hair transplant.

1. The fully shaved technique – Patient has the whole head of head shaved to 1-2mm in length. This allows the surgical team to be able to carry out the operation with ease and also allows the patient to appreciate uniform growth of hair which starts 2-3 days after the surgery.

2. The partially shaved technique – Only the donor area where hair is extracted is shaved to aid the follicular unit extraction (FUE). The area remains coverable by the hair on top and below the surgery site.

3. Non-shaved hair transplant – As the name suggests, no shaving is involved with this FUE technique so the donor area remains concealed by the hairs on top and below the surgical site. The donor grafts are painstakingly trimmed by our well-trained staff one by one such that surrounding hair remains untouched, leaving the area with a natural look once the surgery is complete.

Dr. Tyng Tan is trained in all three FUE techniques. We customise our approach in consideration of patient preference and personal characteristics to achieve good quality aesthetics overall.

[READ ALSO: The 12 Basic Questions To Ask Before Getting a Hair Transplant]

8. WILL FUE LEAVE SCARS?

The surgery will leave 1mm scabs, which are expected to shed in a week or 2. It will then look like small red dots which, depending on your body’s healing characteristics, may eventually match your skin tone, become lighter (hypopigmented), or remain a little red.

9. WILL I GET FULLER HAIR AFTER FUE?

This depends on the pre-existing density of the donor area and the amount of hair that was involved. If too much hair was removed, it might have a patchy look. Generally speaking, it still depends on the individual characteristics of the patient.

Read: Hair Transplant Timeline: The Road to Recovery

10. WHAT SHOULD BE THE POST-OPERATIVE REGIMEN?

At this point, do not apply shower pressure on the head for 2 weeks and opt for the use of cups of warm soapy water to clean the head after the procedure.

Use only peroxide, alcohol, witch hazel, or tea tree oil to clean the blood and other infected areas. Once the scabs have shed, use aloe vera gel or spray as often as needed.

Read: Do’s and Don’ts after a Hair Transplant Surgery

11. IS FUE HAIR TRANSPLANT SAFE?

FUE hair transplant is normally safe when done by a qualified, experienced, SMC-certified surgeon.
The physical response and healing abilities of each patient may vary, so the outcome may never be completely predictable. Even though this is a less invasive approach, infection and excessive bleeding may still occur.

12. IS FUE HAIR TRANSPLANT PERMANENT?

FUE hair transplant has been proven to leave behind long-lasting results.

In two to six weeks, the implanted hairs may fall off, and you may feel there’s less hair than before. This is normal and there is no need to worry because hair will grow back in the next few months, together with the transplanted hair. The hair loss medications that you were taking before will still be continued to continue to stimulate pre existing hair follicles genetically subceptible to hair loss and to control hair loss progression in other areas.

Resources:

1. Gupta AK, Lyons DC, Daigle D (2015) Progression of surgical hair restoration techniques. J Cutan Med Surg 19: 17-21.

2. Aman Dua, Kapil Dua. Follicular Unit Extraction Hair Transplant. J Cutan Aesthet Surg. 2010 May-Aug; 3(2): 76–81.

3. Zito PM, Raggio BS. Hair Transplantation. [Updated 2019 Oct 17]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2020 Jan-. Available from: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Reviewed by Dr. Tyng Tan, on May 20, 2021