ARTAS Frequently Asked Questions

The biggest factor for candidacy is the condition of donor hair. The donor area is a ring of hair from ear to ear in the back of the head. These follicles are commonly resistant to a hormone called DHT, which causes hair loss. Normally, hair harvested from this area will continue to be resistant to DHT even when transplanted. If healthy hair growth is present in the donor area then the patient is a good candidate for a transplant. If the patient’s hair is thinning everywhere including the donor area, this is called ‘diffuse hair loss’ and the patient is not a good candidate. Poor donor hair will not be resistant to DHT therefore the hair follicles will not last when transplanted. The best way to find out if you have diffuse hair loss is through a consultation. Hormonal imbalances or other medical conditions must also be ruled out.

For the ARTAS^® procedure, hair color, texture, and degree of curliness must also be considered. This is not a factor with the Max Growth procedure.

Most men exhibit male pattern baldness, which is loss in the temporal peeks, the frontal hairline, the vertex and crown while the donor area (the ring of hair around the back of the head) remains healthy. Those with male pattern baldness are great candidates for the ARTAS^® Robotic Hair Transplant.

Women with female pattern hair loss also make excellent candidates. This type of loss is localized thinning on the front and top part of the scalp with healthier hair in the back and sides. This represents about a quarter to half the women we see. Also, women who have suffered hair loss due to mechanical or traction alopecia, which is caused by pulling and scarring due to braids or tight pony tails are also candidates.

It depends on the individual. Every person is completely different therefore the number of grafts needed is different for each person. The biggest factor is the size of the balding area. The more hair loss you have, the more transplanted hair you will need. There are other factors as well such as:

• Hair Color
• Hair Coarseness
• Texture
• Scalp Elasticity
• Quality of Donor Hair

We are often asked about ‘mega-sessions’, where very large cases (4000+ grafts) are performed in one session. In our view, this is not practical with single follicular extraction as the donor sites can become over-harvested. Furthermore, as implantation density increases there is an increased risk of vascular compromise (decreased blood flow to the area caused by injury to the scalp) and graft ‘popping’, all of which can lead to sub-optimum outcomes. This is precisely why Sante also offers the Max Growth procedure, which is optimal for ‘mega-sessions’ where over-harvesting and vascular compromise are not a factor.

Donor Area Must Be Trimmed: Hair in the donor site area must be trimmed to allow the ARTAS^® Robotic System to accurately visualize, track and harvest each grouping of hairs.

If your case is small (under 1000 follicular units), you can opt for a ‘stealthy trim’, which is a haircut only in the donor area, which can be concealed by the surrounding hair. It will be virtually impossible to notice that a procedure has been done.

Cut your hair a week before treatment. This can be discussed as part of your consultation and you will receive instructions in your pre-operative briefing on how to cut your hair for the procedure. Generally, Sante recommends between an 1/8 of an inch ( #1 blade) or 1/4 inch ( #2blade).

The big advantage of the ARTAS^® Robotic Hair Transplant is the soft and natural results. You will be able to style your hair any way you like and your transplant will be virtually undetectable.

Hair Plugs is a term used when referring to old style hair transplants done prior to the late 1990s. Surgeons harvested hair with a very large hair punch that is even larger than the type used by FUE surgeons today. The result was an unnatural hair transplant that resembled the head of a child’s toy doll. Because the ARTAS^® harvests small hair grafts in their natural groupings one follicle at a time, the transplant looks soft and natural.

Yes. Donor hair is taken from the back of the head where follicles are genetically resistant to DHT, a hormone that causes hair loss. When transplanted they retain their genetic attributes and will not be affected by DHT in the recipient area. This results in a transplant that will last a lifetime.

Recovery time with the ARTAS^® Robotic Hair Transplant is shorter than other surgical cosmetic procedures. Healing time is brief because there is no surgical incision or stitches and you can go back to your daily activities after a few days.

After three to four months, you will start to see hair growth. By six months you will enjoy a noticeable improvement and after a full year, you will see the final results.

The biggest advantage of the ARTAS^® procedure is the fact that it is virtually unnoticeable. You will experience little or no down time and you won’t have a linear scar.   The minimal scarring in the donor area is unnoticeable and hair growth is so gradual that friends and family will notice that you look ‘better’ but won’t realize you had a hair transplant.

On the day of your procedure, you will have a seat in a comfortable chair while the doctor performs your hair transplant.  You will be awake the entire time, able to watch TV, surf on the web or listen to your ipod. A local anesthetic will be administered during this simple outpatient procedure. You may feel a few pinches at first but you will be pleasantly surprised to discover that there is virtually no pain. After the procedure, some patients will experience some swelling and minor discomfort from one to three days and this can be treated with over the counter pain medications such as Tylenol.

Hair transplants prior to the turn of the century were notorious for leaving bad scars. In the 2000’s, many types of strip surgeries and earlier versions of FUE left unsightly scars. The advantage of the ARTAS^® Robotic System is that it harvests hair one follicle at a time using the precision of robotics. This means that scarring is virtually undetectable. You will no longer be limited to a certain hairstyle due to baldness and you certainly won’t be limited due to scarring. Wear it long or short. The sky is the limit with the ARTAS^® procedure.

When compared to other hair transplant surgeries, an ARTAS^® procedure is relatively short lasting only 3 – 6 hours. During that time you will be seated in a comfortable chair designed for this type of procedure. You will be allowed to move around and have bathroom breaks because this is a non-invasive outpatient procedure. The length of the procedure will depend on your specific hair loss and hair restoration plan. You will enjoy quality patient care from our hair technicians who will make sure you are comfortable during the entire process.

Every patient is completely different. Even two patients with the same exact hair loss pattern might need a different number of grafts because there are so many factors that affect a hair restoration:

• Is the circumference of your head large or small?
• Is your donor area large or small?
• Is the area of balding large or small?
• Is your hair fine or course?
• Is your hair blonde or black?
• Is your hair curly or straight?
• Are your goals aggressive or moderate?

Did you know that each patient has a different distribution of one, two, three or four hair grafts? For example, some patients might have a higher occurrence of four hair grafts, which results in a fuller look. And some patients might have a larger number of one hair grafts. These are all things you will discuss with your doctor during the consultation.

Sante feels that it is misleading to simply charge by the graft because of all these many factors, . Although it might seem tangible, it is really unfair to the patient. After all, those who have a high distribution of one hair grafts won’t get as much hair as a person who has a high distribution of four hair grafts. Other clinics sometimes divide four hair grafts into one-hair grafts in order to charge you more money per graft.

Another factor to consider is that traditional FUE procedures have a high rate of transection, which damages the follicle at the base of the root causing the graft that you have paid for to die. Robotic harvesting eliminates transection rates up to 75%.

It is our practice to reduce the surgical fee if you proceed with a larger procedure and payment options are available.

When looking for a facility, don’t make your sole decision based on price only. This is a cosmetic procedure that will affect your appearance forever. Consider many factors before deciding on a hair transplant clinic, such as the surgeon’s experience and qualifications, the patient results, the hair technician’s skill level, the accreditation of the facility and the presence of the ARTAS^®.

Financing is available for surgical hair restoration procedures through our partner MediCard. MediCard is an independent credit provider, and approval is based on MediCard’s qualifying factors. A credit application is required.

MediCard offers a variety of ways you can pay for your elective medical services. You can choose to finance the full amount or just a portion. Monthly payments can be customized to suit your budget, with payment options ranging from six months to five years.

As with any type of surgical procedure, there are certain possible risks and side effects associated with hair transplantation. These may include:

• Bleeding
• Post-surgical infection
• Scarring
• Unnatural new hair growth
• Folliculitis, an inflammation of the hair follicles
• Shock loss of transplanted hair
• Sudden loss of transplanted hair
• Swelling of the scalp
• Bruising around the eyes
• Crusting and itching on the areas of the scalp where hair was removed or implanted
• Numbness or lack of sensation on the treated areas of the scalp

These risks and side effects are rare. Careful choice of physician and careful adherence to medical recommendations, minimize these risks.