All you should know about Sapphire Hair Transplant & DHI method

There is always a great debate about which is the best hair transplant method. But both Sapphire and DHI method has its own pros and cons. They differ only in the indications and the implantation process itself density, direction, and graft survival rate. The FUE Sapphire technique is used for large areas of alopecia, on which no hair grows at all. Post extraction follicular unit grafts, minuscule channels are made with the help of precise Sapphire graphite stone pin determining the angulations of the graft implants, and then the process of implantation starts.

Let’s see some insights into both procedures:

The extraction method of the hair-bearing tissues is performed with motorized punches of size 0.7 mm to 0.9 mm of diameter which is vibration-free in both methods but can cause transections from 3% to 13% which depends on the skill of the Surgeon.

In the Sapphire method, the minuscule channels are been created in a V shape with the graphite stone pin which is more precise and accommodates the extracted hair-bearing tissue. Whereas the DHI method involves loading the extracted hair-bearing tissue in the Choi implanter pen needle and implanting it directly which sometimes can have pop-outs due to fibrosis in the scalp which is hairless over a long time.

Through the Sapphire FUE method, we can do a large number of graft implants and in fact, the entire cranial area can be covered precisely if the client has enough donor capacity and graft quality. DHI method is good to be used on gap fillings and small area coverages. In the Sapphire method, 6000+ grafts can be implanted in 2 days’ time whereas in the DHI method, 4000 to 5000 grafts can be done in 2 days’ time.

The healing process or bonding of the skin with fibroblast tissue formation happens in 7 days' time in the Sapphire method wherein due to the usage of steel needles in the implanter it takes 10 days’ time to bond the skin of the implant incisions.

In the Sapphire method, the angulation is precisely at 42 to 63 degrees of the implants with an optimum density of 70 to 80 grafts per sq cm area, whereas in the DHI method, angulation of implants is difficult and can achieve a density of 30-40 grafts in per sq cm area.

The duration of the Sapphire FUE of one session can last up to 5-6 hours as in the DHI method the procedure can last up to 8 hours due to the loading process.