Dr. Sanjay Parashar, Consultant Plastic Surgeon and Founder of Cocoona Aesthetic and daySurgical center explains about the First Robotic Hair transplant in Dubai at his clinic in Al Wasl Road on 16th Dec 2015.
Dubai - It is the first such robot in GCC. "It costs about 70 to 80 per cent more than classic methods but the precision factor is unmatched."
Published: Wed 16 Dec 2015, 11:00 PM
Updated: Thu 17 Dec 2015, 8:21 PM
If you're running short on hair, but not on cash, then sit back, relax and let Dubai's first hair transplant robot put the crown back in your balding glory.
Unveiled for the first time in the UAE, the Artas Robotic System has far better precision than classic hair transplant methods, and takes half the procedure time.
However, the price could make your newfound hair turn white.
THIS IS HOW THE PROCEDURE WORKS> First, the robot harvests the hair, avoiding weak hairs
> Then it designs and prepares the site for insertion
> Finally, the doctor inserts the hair manually
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With 2,500 grafts setting you back about Dh45,000 to Dh50,000, it's a stark difference to the cost of a manual procedure, which costs between Dh10,000 to Dh15,000.
But the no pain, no scarring procedure "cannot be matched", according to Dr Mazen Arafeh, specialist plastic surgeon at Cocoona Aesthetic and Day Surgical Centre.
"It costs about 70 to 80 per cent more than classic methods but the precision factor is unmatched. The risk of human error is considerably reduced too," he said.
With graft damage in classic procedures measuring high at 30-40 per cent, the risk is considerably lower - just 7-8 per cent - using the robotic system.
For Pakistani Aamir Sohail though, quality may be improved, the price is just too out of reach for him. "This is only affordable for the luxury market ... Otherwise it is a good joke."
And Sharjah resident, Mohammed Malkan, said baldness has its own charm, so "why pay so much"?
But with aesthetic procedures rising in popularity in the UAE, Dubai resident Ahmed Al Blooshi said the market is big for this. "Men in this region are very conscious about thinning hair, so I think they will be more than willing to pay a higher price for a better outcome. After all, it's permanent after just one session, unlike most aesthetic procedures which are short-term."
In its first month of operation, eight procedures have been carried out using the robot at the Centre, with some 10 to 15 bookings already scheduled in for this month, Dr Arafeh said.
Get your hair in one sitting
Depending on each patient's case, the one-sitting procedure is done in three simple steps and takes between four to eight hours, compared to 12-14 hours if done manually.
First, the robot harvests the hair, avoiding weak hairs. Then it designs and prepares the site for insertion, and lastly the doctor inserts the hair manually.
But why can't the robot cover all areas of the procedure?
"The technology is still developing. Six months ago, this system was unable to make incisions, but now it does. The technology is developing fast. Soon, the robot should be able to insert the hair," Dr Arafeh told Khaleej Times.
Given the complex and precise technology, Dr Sanjay Parashar, consultant plastic surgeon and founder of Cocoona, said he is confident the robot will invite residents from GCC and beyond to Dubai.
"It is incredible, it is capable of site design, selecting the healthiest grafts, harvesting the hair, determining the optimum angle and it can even simulate the final result using its 3D patient simulator."
But like every machine, it needs a master, he said.
"We had (a) senior hair transplant technician from the United Kingdom to train us and ensure we understand and master the new robot effectively."
Currently, only 130 robots in the world are used for hair transplants, across 70 facilities.
In the region, at least 800,000 procedures are carried out annually. This is now the first and only robotic hair transplant robot in the GCC.
kelly@khaleejtimes.com
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