New Hair Transplant Technology: NeoGraft Reviewed

As long as people are affected by male pattern baldness, we can expect a rise in new hair transplant technology. For some guys, hair grafts can be an effective solution to regain the thickness, fullness and hair density they once had — and the tech keeps getting better (and less invasive).

So, what’s the latest hair transplant technology? That honor goes to a new technique for hair transplantation called NeoGraft® — a minimally invasive procedure that promises to improve your hairline without many of the downsides of traditional hair transplants. 

But what is NeoGraft, and how does it work?

Below, we’ll cover all the details on NeoGraft, including how it differs from older techniques, plus some alternatives to hair surgery you might want to consider before signing up.

Before getting into NeoGraft, we’ll give you some background on how hair transplants work and the different types.

Hair transplantation is a surgical procedure that involves removing hair follicles from areas of your scalp with dense, thick hair and relocating them to areas with hair thinning. 

A hair transplant can be used to fill in large areas or “regrow” a receding hairline — we use quotes here because the hair isn’t technically regrowing but instead being relocated. Nonetheless, it looks like you have new hair.

Hair Transplant Techniques

Multiple techniques are used in hair transplant surgery:

• Follicular unit transplantation (FUT). This is an older technique. FUT involves removing a strip of skin from the scalp (typically at the back of the head) and relocating hair follicles from the strip to balding areas.

• Follicular unit extraction (FUE). This is a more recent hair transplant method. FUE involves harvesting individual hairs or small groups of hair from the back of the scalp and moving them to areas with visible hair loss.

• Platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) treatment. A third option, PRF hair restoration, involves injecting platelet-rich plasma (sourced from your own blood) into the scalp to stimulate hair growth.

Our guide to hair transplant surgery explains each approach in more detail, including how it works and the types of results you can expect. 

NeoGraft is a modern hair transplant technique that lets you add thickness and density back to your hairline without some of the downsides of a traditional hair transplant.

NeoGraft is a semi-automated version of the FUE hair transplant technique. It uses a special device to harvest small groups of hair follicles (often one to three hairs at a time) and implant them in other areas of the scalp. This means you don’t need a surgical incision.

Originally, hair transplants used an FUT-based, “strip-harvesting” method to extract hair follicles. This technique is effective but leaves a long, visible scar on the back of the scalp, often referred to as a strip scar or linear scar. One perk of NeoGraft is that the new hair transplant technology results in minimal scarring.

A strip scar may not be the biggest deal if you have long, dark hair. However, if you have a light hair color, cut your hair short or shave your head, the scar from an FUT hair transplant can be visible—signaling to other people that you’ve had a hair transplant, which you may not want. (But if you’re shouting about it from the rooftops, more power to you).

Instead of creating a long strip scar, NeoGraft leaves hundreds of teeny-tiny pinpoint scars. These scars are still slightly visible up close, but they’re easier to hide under your hair. 

There are many reasons men are considering new hair transplant technologies like NeoGraft over traditional FUT hair transplants.

• NeoGraft is minimally invasive. Since the transplanted hairs are removed in such small clusters using a handheld harvesting device, the procedure doesn’t call for stitches or surgical staples.

• Recovery is relatively quick. The less-invasive approach means the recovery time for NeoGraft hair transplant surgery is shorter than FUT. Most people who get the procedure can resume normal activity within two weeks.

• The results look natural. By implanting individual hair follicles or small groups of follicles, NeoGraft usually produces natural-looking results without the “pluggy” look of old hair transplants. The most skilled plastic surgeons can make it look identical to a natural hairline.

• There’s minimal scarring. As noted, there’s significantly less scarring with a NeoGraft procedure than with a traditional FUT hair transplant.

• It keeps hair follicles intact. NeoGraft technology minimizes damage to the hair follicles during the extraction process. This may help increase the survival rate of transplanted hair, resulting in better density and coverage.

• It’s getting more affordable. Although FUE procedures are generally more expensive than older FUT hair transplant approaches, they’re becoming more affordable as the technology grows in popularity. 

In general, NeoGraft is the best procedure for harvesting and implanting hairs for men affected by hair loss. However, this new hair transplant technology does have a few potential downsides.

• It’s expensive. For most people, the biggest drawback of NeoGraft is the steep price. It’s getting more affordable, but as noted, FUE hair transplant procedures still cost more than FUT hair transplants.

• The procedure itself can be relatively long. Another minor downside of NeoGraft is that it’s a more intricate procedure than a conventional FUT hair transplant. This means that it may take slightly longer to extract hair follicles. You don’t have to be asleep during FUE, so it could feel like you’re in there for a while.

Yes, NeoGraft works. When performed by an experienced hair transplant surgeon, FUE techniques like NeoGraft can help restore your hairline or add density to your entire head of hair.

With that said, it’s important to have realistic expectations about what’s possible.

Though hair transplant surgery can restore hair around your hairline, mid-scalp and crown, it doesn’t have any impact on your natural hair growth cycle — meaning it won’t stimulate any new hair growth.

Since you’re simply moving hairs from one part of your head to another, you’ll have the same total amount of hair follicles after the procedure, albeit in different locations.

If you already have very severe hair loss, even an extensive NeoGraft hair transplant might not be able to restore enough hair to your hairline, mid-scalp and crown.

This is something you’ll want to talk about with your surgeon before undergoing any type of hair transplant procedure. 

If done well, hair restoration from NeoGraft is permanent. But — and this may seem counterintuitive — it’s still possible to continue losing hair after getting a hair transplant.

Hair transplantation surgery isn’t a miracle procedure. While the hairs transplanted during the procedure are unlikely to shed, it’s normal for men to continue losing non-transplanted hairs after this type of procedure, especially those genetically predisposed to hair loss.

To prevent further hair loss, your surgeon may recommend using a hair loss medication, such as finasteride, minoxidil or both together, after your procedure.

Since male pattern baldness (androgenetic alopecia) isn’t the only cause of hair loss, it’s also vital to maintain good lifestyle and grooming habits. Simple things like sleeping well, managing stress and eating a balanced diet rich in vitamins and minerals for hair growth can help limit shedding and keep your hair thick, dense and healthy. 

NeoGraft and types of hair transplant surgery can produce incredible results, but they aren’t for everyone.

A good candidate for NeoGraft will generally have significant amounts of donor hair (hair follicles you can spare) at the back and sides of the scalp. In general, the less hair you’ve lost from your hairline, mid-scalp or crown, the more effective the results of a hair transplant can be.

If you have moderate to severe hair loss, you may need more than one procedure to achieve the desired results.

NeoGraft and other types of hair transplant surgery can be performed on all hair types, textures and colors. However, your hair type may affect the final appearance.

A hair transplant with NeoGraft typically takes four to 10 hours. But it can vary based on how many hairs are transplanted, your hair type and other factors.

First, the donor area of your scalp will be shaved. Your surgeon might suggest cutting your hair short before the procedure to make any post-surgery changes in your hair less visible.

During the procedure, your surgeon will numb the donor and recipient areas of your scalp using a local anesthetic. You may be offered a mild sedative to reduce pain and help you relax.

You might feel a mild level of discomfort as the hair follicles are being harvested and implanted. It’s normal for your scalp to feel tender after the procedure. 

Follow your hair transplant surgeon’s post-op instructions. You may need to use topical antiseptics, a special shampoo or other products to keep the area clean and help it heal.

Hair transplant surgery is a safe and effective procedure with very few known side effects or complications.

After a hair transplant with NeoGraft, some scabbing is normal. It’ll usually flake off in about a week. But since NeoGraft doesn’t require any incisions, there are no sutures that need to be removed at your post-op appointment.

Most potential side effects of NeoGraft are cosmetic. After surgery, you might have:

• Temporary hair shedding. Short-lived shedding, referred to as “postoperative effluvium,” can happen after hair transplant surgery. It typically improves on its own within three or four months.

• Pinpoint scarring. Although FUE techniques such as NeoGraft don’t leave behind any large scars, they can cause pinpoint scarring. These scars are usually easy to conceal under your natural hair.

• Donor site depletion. When an excessive amount of hair is extracted from your donor site, the area may look sparse. This is sometimes referred to as a “moth-eaten” appearance.

Other potential side effects include poor hair growth in the recipient area, folliculitis (inflamed hair follicles), elevations and indentations referred to as “cobblestoning,” cysts, keloid scarring (thick, raised scars) and buried grafts (hairs implanted too deep beneath the skin).

Also, a poor hair transplant technique can give the hairline an unnatural, artificial-looking pattern.

While uncommon, hair transplant surgery can result in cutaneous necrosis (dead skin tissue), edema (fluid trapped below the skin) and certain hair loss conditions like lichen planopilaris and alopecia areata.

In general, severe side effects or complications from NeoGraft hair transplant surgery with NeoGraft. Most people have a positive outcome and report that the procedure was worth the time and money.

If you’re interested in learning about hair implants versus hair transplants, check out our guide to hair implants for men. You can explore a technique known as hair cloning.

NeoGraft is one of several options for hair transplants. If you’d like to restore hair on your scalp or hairline and want to avoid the long, often visible scar of a typical FUT transplant, NeoGraft might be the way to go.

But keep in mind that you’re ultimately moving existing hair to a different part of your scalp, not growing it back. It’s kind of like repotting a plant — you’re not actually getting a brand-new bloom, but it looks like you did, thanks to its new locale.

If you have enough hair follicles to make the procedure worthwhile, NeoGraft is a modern hair transplant procedure that can provide a thick, full, natural-looking hairline. However, if you’re almost totally bald, getting a hair transplant may not be worth it, even with the advantages offered by NeoGraft. 

When done right, NeoGraft can have a positive impact on your hair, self-confidence and appearance as a whole. Select a skilled surgeon, keep your expectations realistic, and you may be pleased with the results.

If you have mild or moderate hair loss, you might want to try medication before considering hair transplant surgery.

Currently, the FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration) has approved two medications — finasteride and minoxidil — to treat male pattern baldness. 

Finasteride Medication

Finasteride is an oral prescription medication. It works by stopping your body from converting testosterone into DHT (short for dihydrotestosterone), a hormone that binds to receptors on your scalp and damages hair follicles.

Topical Minoxidil

Minoxidil moves healthy hair follicles into the anagen (growth) phase of the hair growth cycle and stimulates local blood flow throughout the scalp.

Finasteride and minoxidil are effective on their own, but they work especially well when used together. In one study published in the journal Dermatologic Therapy, more than 94 percent of men with hair loss who used both medications saw improvements. 

We offer finasteride, minoxidil solution (a liquid), minoxidil foam and a hybrid two-in-one topical finasteride & minoxidil spray online. You can also purchase both medications as part of our Hair Power Pack.

Hair Care Products

On a (completely made-up) scale of the invasiveness of various treatments for thinning hair, hair transplants are at the tippy top — and trying out new haircare products is right around the zero mark.

Products like volumizing shampoo, volumizing conditioner or our hair thickening shampoo with saw palmetto can help hair look thicker and more voluminous at the root, which, in turn, makes hair look fuller. They’re the ultimate fake-it-til-you-make-it solution.

Hair loss can have a major impact on your well-being, especially when it happens suddenly. But hair loss is treatable, usually without the need for hair restoration surgery — which is good news for guys wary of the often eye-watering hair transplant cost.

If you’re considering a hair transplant, here are a few things to remember:

• Hair transplants can be effective at restoring the look of hair, but they don’t actually regrow hair (it’s like moving a rug to another room instead of getting a new one).

• The latest hair transplant technology includes NeoGraft, which you’re now an expert on, but there are also other types like stem-cell hair transplants and synthetic hair transplants.

• If you’re just starting to see hair loss, it’s probably too soon for a transplant. Our guide to early signs of balding explains what to look out for and the steps you can take to curb a receding hairline, diffuse thinning or other common symptoms of male pattern baldness.

We offer several FDA-approved hair loss treatments online, along with science-backed hair care products to help maximize your hair’s thickness, volume and density.