Hair transplantation in African American hair requires a more careful, slow, and meticulous extraction process than non-curly straight hair. In this article, we will share the reasons behind it. There are two traditional processes for extracting hair follicles: FUT and FUE. FUE is the latest method and the most efficient technique for extracting maximum hair grafts. FUE is the most commonly used technique for African American curly hair, but DHI can also be performed by a qualified hair transplant specialist.
However, there is a fine detail between Afro and straight hair types. Curly hair grafts have a curly shape both on the skin's surface and under the skin, making it more challenging to extract the hair grafts healthily. It requires more professionalism and experience. To extract standard (straight) hair grafts, we use a device called a punch that works with a diameter of 0.9 mm and 4 mm long straight rotating flexion. But since Afro-curly grafts have a curly shape even under the skin, we need to change this punch to extract healthier hair follicles with a higher number of hair grafts. With the extraction of Afro curly hair grafts, we can extract an average of 3000-3500 hair roots with a punch with a shorter length and conventional diameter.
Afro hair roots also have an advantage over other straight ones as they provide more density when they grow after implantation. In a recent study, it was observed that 3500 hair grafts in Afro-type hair transplantation can have the same successful effect as 5000 hair grafts in straight-type hair transplantation. However, the doctor who extracts Afro hair grafts must be experienced in this field, as the number of extracted grafts directly affects the density of the hair. The grafts must be extracted one by one with care to avoid breaking or damaging them, as this affects the quality of the hair roots, which is a vital factor.