Let’s walk through this.
A 500 graft, or approximately 1000 hair procedure takes about 30 to 60 minutes prep time, including filming and anaesthetic injection
Removing 500 grafts (approx. 1000 hair) takes between 1.5 hours up till 5 hours in the most difficult repair cases with little left over donor and depending upon the complexity of the case, and there are countless variations and you have no idea until you are in there.
I have seen cases that look easy but are incredibly difficult…and others that look hard and I get through
The anaesthetic to get through 500 incisions is about 35 mls of lignocaine 1% with adrenaline 1 in 1000
50 mils of this is the maximum. The half life is approx. 1.5 to 2 hours……but it also can vary with weight, age, kidney function, other medication interaction , gender etc etc
We need the 35mls because we are not rushing this. Each graft is precious and irreplaceable and transection rates must be minimal as well as avoiding scalp shock.
The patient then must take at least 1 hour to drink at least a liter of water, or more, and eat, in order to wash out the adrenaline and lignocaine
Then the insertion process begins …another approx 35mls must be given to control pain and bleeding…under 25 power magnification which is crucial when inserting into a hypodermic slit, even a tiny drop of blood looks like a swimming pool…But pre punching thousands of holes into the receipient area must indeed cause a massive blood bath requiring much greater dose of adrenaline and lignocaine to control the bleeding and allow insertion….what a bloody mess
Machines, drills, etc. most often operated by itinerant inexperienced techs cause immense damage.
The idea that fue is safer than strip is not always true. Strip is localized damage. FUE is GLOBAL damage. Two techs with drills buzzing away can wipe out the donor in 1 hour. It IS a choice between two evils…and I would prefer the scar rather than global donor destruction
In the right hands , FUE is always superior, much safer and gives far greater yield, unfortunately FUE has been hijacked by opportunists
Giving 70 to 80 mls over 8 to 10 hours is pushing it
When I hear of these opportunistic greedy immoral practices offering double, triple to quadruple, that makes my blood boil. They must be giving medically irresponsible amounts of drugs and anesthetic. And it all amounts to a poor result, also potentially placing the patient at risk.
I know what they are up to and how they cover their butts with disclaimers
Those crazy numbers have NEVER been verified. And apart from extremely dodgy and questionable touched up photos it must leave you in extreme doubt
So it’s a FOLLICULAR ARMS RACE…to the bottom…get your head screwed up…at cheaper and cheaper prices
I have seen countless cases of little to no growth, with totally wiped out donor… via FUE
A recent patient had 8000 grafts….with about 500 grafts growing and a wiped out donor to show for it
When we tried to repair, he watched and filmed every graft insertion.
He said “After 8000 previous grafts, this is the first time I actually saw a follicle…not just one, but every one being placed”……how many of you who have gone through the mega-sessions can say this
These mega sessions don’t just NOT provide results consistent with what they’re saying, they destroy donor, and put patients at serious risk
Patients thought I was too expensive …but I know what these other operators are up to… and to make more money I could sell out too… but I never will
That said, my son, Michael Ray Woods is helping and placing grafts, under my supervision, and doing a great job. He has watched and learnt from me since childhood. And in a tough economy less expensive prices are offered…but every clinic on earth uses techs.,.I just have the best.
For those who are aware of the dangers and risks, but cannot afford me to do the entire procedure, I am telling you, you are in safe hands.
I began FUE , BHT etc.
I tried to solve a problem, but I underestimated the greed and corruption of this industry
They have gone crazy…I am the “Dr Woodsenstein”….the monsters are let loose…they are throwing your follicles into the abyss , and if you are not careful, they will throw you into that abyss, spiritually and worst of all, physically.
I was the key note speaker at the IHRP Conference in Vancouver in 2017…and the main message was “MICRO PROPRIOCEPTION” …feeling your way around each and every follicle under high power microscopes….preserve the donor , use hypodermics for placement under high power microscopes , allow the patient to watch ,see, film and count on the monitor…and care for the patient
That’s it
Dr Ray Woods