If you’ve been looking into hair transplants and doing your research, you already know that there several different methods used for extracting and transplanting hair follicles. While each person’s needs can differ, it’s good to get a full understanding of the most commonly used methods, what exactly they do – and then make the decision with your hair restoration surgeon.
The 2 most commonly used techniques, Follicular Unit Extraction – also known as “FUE” and Follicular Unit Transplantation or, “FUT” – also known as the “Strip Method”, are most likely the two you will see on many websites and eventually discuss with your doctor.
FUT is a method where a strip of donor follicles are surgically removed at once from the back and sides of the scalp. The hair transplant team then removes grafts from that strip for transplanting into the scalp.
Many tout this method as being the best and offering optimal results because it uses high resolution microscopes to do an accurate and precise job of extracting, handling and transplanting each follicle. Because the follicles are so magnified it is easy for the doctor to identify the entire follicle and guarantee that it is protected through the transplantation process.
With FUE instead, the doctor removes those individual hair follicles from the donor area using a motorized micro punch, piece by piece and then places them into the problem areas.
FUE is a method that has been available for years only recently becoming more utilized due to modern technology allowing small hand held motorized punches. It provides grafts similar to the FUT method but rather than a linear incision it produces numerous dot like incisions. It is especially good for smaller touch up type work.
Both methods provide a natural appearing hair transplant and do not leave a visible scar. FUE generally costs more as it is a more labor intensive and time consuming method.
Of course, knowing which method you’d like performed is still a decision that needs to be made with your doctor. Knowing the differences and arming yourself with knowledge can make your initial consultation a more productive and successful one.