Sapphire FUE

Sapphire Technique

This is another tool that’s often marketed and sold as a transplant method. It uses a blade that’s made from sapphire stones instead of the traditional steel-cut blades, needles, or spear tips. The idea is that they’re known for durability and sharpness and may have a positive impact on the channel creation stage. However, the method, angling, and site-making work remain the same. With that said, let’s review the claims: 

1. The blade creates micro channels due to its sharpness, leading to less trauma, swelling, or bleeding. It allows for sites to be made in closer proximity to improve density.
2. Improves proper depth management.
3. Eliminates irregularities in wounds.
4. Minimizes trauma to the follicles themselves.  

The purpose here is not to discredit this tool of choice, as it really comes down to clinical preference, just like the DHI tools. However, the false marketing needs to be addressed with honesty, as clinics abroad are unethically representing the capability of these tools. 

Before we cover the falsehood of these claims, you should also know that these blades aren’t actually picked from a mystical cave of gemstones and handcrafted into beautiful sapphire blades, they’re actually synthetic sapphire that’s created in a lab, which is necessary to make a precise surgical tool from stones due to malleability of natural ones. 

Let’s get the facts straight about these claims:

1. The blade does create microchannels and is both harder and sharper than steel. However, the trauma is arguably greater, as sapphire blades are nearly twice the thickness of steel-cut blades. 
2. The tool is controlled by a human, so it will go as deep or as shallow as the clinician makes it go, regardless of if they use a steel blade, a sapphire blade, or a ball-point pen. 
3. Irregularities will begin to form as blades dull, and sharpness does play a factor, but steel is plenty sharp and used on far more invasive procedures. A good clinician understands the tool they’re using, whether the blade is sapphire or steel, and they’ll change to a new blade when necessary to ensure optimal performance. 
4. The site-making tool never interacts with the graft unless the graft is loaded into a DHI tool. Even then, unless the handler damages the graft, the damage factor is equivalent. 

• This page is for educational and informational purposes only. MAXIM does not offer the Sapphire FUE technique in the U.S. but may be available at our Turkey location.