Getting hair restoration surgery may seem like a daunting task. With the multitude of surgical options available, one can easily feel confused about what treatment will best suit their needs. It’s a good thing that hair transplant procedures are constantly evolving through the adoption of new technologies and techniques.
But they might not always offer the best results. Time-tested hair transplant procedures, such as FUE hair transplant, promise good results in almost all scenarios. However, NeoGraft hair transplant has also been getting some popularity in recent times. But is it any good?
Whenever you’re going to go for a hair transplant surgery, you need to make sure that you choose the right clinic with surgeons that have the necessary skills and expertise. They are the ones who can make or break the results of a hair transplant. Many people break their bank thinking that only high costs can ensure greater expertise and excellent results.
That’s certainly not the case as long as medical tourism is well and thriving. With a NeoGraft, you need a surgeon with steady hands who knows exactly what they’re doing. Its absence sometimes ends up being the biggest drawback of this procedure. Before we discuss its pros and cons, let’s take a look at the procedure itself.
What Is The Procedure For NeoGraft Hair Transplant?
NeoGraft hair transplant is an automated Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) surgery technique. Both involve the extraction of hair from the donor site, one graft at a time. However, a traditional FUE hair transplant involves manual extractions and implantation, which is not the case in NeoGraft transplants. It promises safer, more effective, and faster hair transplant surgeries.
Using a hand-held device, the surgeons are assisted in their hair transplant procedure with NeoGraft. It uses pneumatic pressure (pressure exerted through the use of pressurized gas) to extract and insert hair follicles into the scalp. On paper, this sounds far cleaner and minimally invasive than any other method as there is no need for incisions (that can cause scarring).
Thus, in contrast to the “strip harvesting” method, you’ll be far better off. That is why many people believe that a NeoGraft transplant is a good choice. But it’s not better than a traditional FUE hair transplant.
This is because NeoGraft makes larger size punches in the scalp for extraction than does a manual FUE. Circular wounds, moreover, take a longer time to heal, prolonging the recovery period of this procedure. This comes with its own set of problems, one of which is the increased risk of infection. That’s not all, though. It also has some other flaws that you’ll learn as you read on.
Disadvantages of A NeoGraft Hair Transplant
There are quite a few disadvantages of the NeoGraft procedure. These are as follows:
Lack of Medical Knowledge, Skill and Expertise of the Operator
The biggest drawback of a NeoGraft hair transplant is that it eliminates the requirement of a licensed surgeon to perform the surgery. Many clinics can and have taken advantage of this. They leave technicians in charge of the extraction and insertion process. This is all done without the supervision of a leading physician. This practice is irresponsible, unsafe, and simply unethical.
The machination of the hair transplant has led to a host of people believing that they don’t need any proper training or certification when it comes to performing a hair transplant surgery. After all, a simple, “easy-to-use” gadget would do the work. That’s just the marketing jargon.
The results of a good hair transplant, especially with a NeoGraft, depends entirely on the skill level of the surgeon. This device is prone to human error and inconsistent graft dissection. The surgery can yield unsatisfactory results if performed in the absence of a surgeon.
You should be wary of clinics that solely offer NeoGraft hair transplants. They are usually the ones that do not have any idea of specialization when it comes to a hair transplant. They are riding on the automation concept of the hair transplant procedure without any idea of what’s actually needed.
Potential for Damaging Hair Grafts
Those who know hair transplant surgery understand that the lesser the time for which the hair grafts stay outside the body, the greater their chances of survival. With the claims of NeoGraft hair transplant being “fast”, this certainly seems like a possibility. However, the suction process, which is how the Neograft performs the surgery, can traumatize the hair grafts.
It can damage the hair grafts as they go in and out of the tube. This can lead to worse outcomes for the patient because low graft survival will affect the hair density. It is especially more problematic for those who do not have a strong donor area.
More Room for Human Error
NeoGraft hair transplants require manual alignment, which if done incorrectly, can produce unnatural and unsatisfactory results. The grafts can be extracted without any consistency or pattern by someone who isn’t skilled enough.
In NeoGraft, the potential for human error is greater for those who aren’t medical professionals. As this is the practice with most clinics offering this procedure, this does make it risky.
In manual FUE, surgeons are required to be extremely precise while observing the highest level of care. In the absence of a trusted medical surgeon, your hair transplant results are likely not good enough.
Should You Choose a Manual FUE Hair Transplant?
We certainly believe so. In the case of Follicular Unit Extraction, all the procedure is under the control of the surgeon. This is essential. However, with a NeoGraft machine, there is far less control. And if something goes wrong, it would be hard to undo it. A successful hair restoration surgery needs a qualified and experienced team that understands the needs and goals of the patient.
With a NeoGraft hair transplant, you cannot always expect natural-looking results. In contrast, the focus, dexterity, and skill of the surgeon in an FUE hair transplant will provide you with a good hair density. The greater control will allow the surgeon to extract, angle, and insert in the grafts the right way.
NeoGraft transplant is better in one way: it doesn’t require swelling up the skin of the scalp before the surgery. A traditional FUE requires the scalp to swell before hair follicles can be collected. But with NeoGraft, there’s no need for that. That’s because the machine can easily locate the roots of the hair. Consequently, it becomes easier to deal with post-op swelling.
How Much Does A NeoGraft Hair Transplant Cost?
In general, Neograft hair transplant is more expensive than manual FUE. The cost of this surgery can vary depending on the:
- Number of hair grafts you need,
- Size of the balding area
- Expertise of the medical practitioner
- Location of the clinic
- Country in which you’re living
- Number of treatments needed
It is more expensive than a manual FUE surgery because of the equipment used (and the expertise required to operate it). It can cost around £7,500, while the hair transplant cost in Turkey for a manual FUE is around £1,700.
Can a NeoGraft Hair Transplant Work Anyway?
Yes, it can, provided you find yourself a good and reliable clinic. As with a manual FUE hair transplant, your hair will be restored. The best part about a hair transplant procedure is that you don’t need any fake or temporary hair systems. Using the hair on your head, you can achieve great results for your scalp.
Just like with any procedure, your clinic should inform you of what to expect. Depending on the quality of your donor area, the results can vary. Moreover, for a successful recovery and full results, you’ll need to wait for at least a year while also taking care of your health.
The NeoGraft hair transplant can work, but there are many risks associated with its performance and even the final results. Therefore, rather than spending more and achieving a sub-par head of hair, we believe you should go for the time tested manual FUE technique.
NeoGraft is, in part, popular because of its lower potential for scarring when compared to FUT hair transplant, which was notorious for it. Unless you had long hair to cover the scars, they could be seen.
This isn’t the case with manual FUE or NeoGraft hair transplant (which also uses FUE). The world of hair transplant surgery is continuously evolving. However, since the early 2000s, when the FUE was introduced, we are yet to see another more reliable and better transplant surgery option.
Concluding Remarks
If you’re thinking of getting a hair transplant, it’s quite likely that you’ll come across a bunch of different techniques and technologies. NeoGraft is just one of them. Although it does seem promising, there are some very big disadvantages to it. It doesn’t require the supervision of a surgeon, which has led many “clinics” to offer cheap, botched surgeries.
In addition, it can traumatize the hair grafts, permanently damaging them and lowering the hair density. It is also more expensive. That’s why, for now, a manual FUE may be the better choice. If you do want to get a NeoGraft transplant, make sure to do thorough research.
Reviewed and Approved by Dr. Hassan Soueid.
