Published On June 25, 2018. Last Updated on February 19, 2024.
Dr. Sanusi Umar (aka Dr. U, founder of the Dr.UGraft™ Revolution), introduced the world’s first ultrasonic hair transplant procedure earlier this month, changing perception on what was previously considered impossible. The Dr.UGraft™ Sonic FUE procedure, which innovates on a previous breakthrough (the Dr.UPunch Curl™), can be seen in its entirety below.
Dr.UGraft™ Sonic FUE – How it Works
Previous Considerations in Afro-Textured Hair Transplant
As mentioned above, the ultrasonic FUE procedure above innovates on the previous invention of the manual Dr.UPunch Curl™. This manual tool, according to a comparative study published in the Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Journal – Global Open, demonstrated 100% success in the safe extraction of afro-textured hair follicles where other tools had failed.
Patient before and after afro-textured hair transplant with the manual Dr.UPunch Curl™.*
The patient case above illustrates the success of the Dr.UPunch Curl™ in African American hair transplant procedures.
Dr.UPunch Curl™ was designed to overcome the three major considerations in extracting curly, afro-textured hair, the curl of the follicle underneath the skin, as well as the strength of attachment of the follicular unit to the deeper skin layers. Finally, the thickness and toughness of the skin had to be negated. This is due to the sharp, curved punch tip of the Dr.UPunch Curl™.
Additional Improvements with Dr.UGraft™ Ultrasonic Hair Transplant
The addition of ultrasound to this procedure further advances the cause for a more effortless extraction process. By tuning the ultrasonic frequencies to vibrate the Dr.UPunch Curl™ at an appropriate rate, the issue of problematic extraction from thick skin profiles appears to be minimized. The constant drip of integrated fluid irrigation from the Dr.UGraft™ System simultaneous works to cool down the heat that may arise from this vibration, avoiding graft damage.
The ultrasonic frequencies, tuned appropriately for a patient’s skin type, help enable a more effortless extraction with Dr.UGraft™ Sonic FUE
What Ultrasonic Technology Means for the Future of FUE
The success of using ultrasound to enable an easier extraction process for Afro-textured hair follicles carries implications for other procedures seen as “challenging”. One such procedure is unshaven hair transplant procedures, in which the donor area is not shaved prior to extraction.
Tools with rotary or oscillatory mechanisms currently face the issue of entanglement with the long hair around the extraction site. The Dr.UPunch Stealth™ is uniquely designed to overcome these challenges due to its manual operation. The possibility of adding ultrasonic frequencies to the Dr.UPunch Stealth™ may prove to minimize the effort of extraction in unshaven FUE procedures as well, which could help make the procedure more widely available.
Dr.UGraft™ Sonic FUE – Coming to UGraft Soon
While the Dr.UGraft™ Sonic FUE system is not yet available to the public, the manual Dr.UPunch Curl™ is available to all hair transplant surgeons. Physicians interested in becoming Dr.UGraft™ providers can send a general interest form using the button below.
Stay tuned and subscribe to our newsletter to be among the first to find out when Dr.UGraft™ Ultrasonic tools become available.
FAQ – Dr.UGraft™ Sonic FUE
When will Dr.UGraft™ release ultrasonic hair transplant tools to other doctors?
Dr. Umar, the founder of the Dr.UGraft movement, is currently working on making his latest innovation available to other doctors. For now, ultrasonic FUE is only available in Dr. U’s clinic in Los Angeles.
How does the ultrasonic Dr.UPunch Curl™ avoid inflicting heat damage to follicular grafts during extraction?
The fluid integration from the Dr.UGraft™ System allows for a continuous drip of fluid through the punch tip, which has a cooling effect and thus counters the build up of heat for a safe extraction process.
Further Reading
Learn how Dr.UGraft™ helps achieve success in African American hair restoration.
