FUE Vs. FUT Hair Transplant
Compared to the traditional FUT Strip method, FUE is a newer, less invasive technology in permanent hair restoration. The difference between the two methods lies in the harvesting method. The FUT method sometimes allows for a slightly quicker process of removing a strip of tissue and then dissecting to the individual grafts, but leaves a linear scar. The FUE method harvests each individual graft over a large area and therefore does not leave the long scar. Below you can see several pictures of the FUE donor area and the FUT donor area during the healing process.
FUE Donor Healing
FUE - Day After
FUE - 1 Week
FUE - 8 Month
FUT Donor Healing
FUT - Day After
FUT - 2 Week
FUT - 8 Month
The traditional “strip” method requires a section of the scalp to be removed from the back of the head. The wound created by strip is then stitched or stapled together. The more invasive “strip” method is also considered to have some higher risk of complications than the FUE method, due to potential nerve damage and an elevated chance of infection. Additionally, the long ear-to-ear permanent linear scar is also visible when hair is cut short.
With the FUE method, hair follicles are removed one by one from the donor area and placed in the recipient area. There is no scalpel, sutures, or staples with the FUE technology. This new method allows for a virtually pain-free experience and a permanent hair transplant without a linear scar.
FUE vs. FUT Results
FUE procedures have been performed for many decades, and it has been shown that when performed by an experienced physician, there is no difference in the results achieved through FUE vs. FUT. This makes sense since both operations result in the same output: which is individual grafts containing 1 to 4 hairs with a small amount of surrounding tissue. The implantation process is performed in the same manner in both the FUE and FUT process.
Haircut
The type of haircut you need will depend on whether you are having an FUE or an FUT procedure and on the number of grafts you transplant. For an FUE, we harvest grafts across a larger donor area, which means the hair needs to be clipped down very close to the skin. Only the donor area is affected, but some patients prefer to have a "full buzz" cut to have a uniform look and let all of the hair grow in together. Others opt for a very contemporary "high and tight" fade cut.
For smaller cases and for patients with longer hair, it is possible to buzz down sections of the donor area that are separated by sections of hair. Hair from above these sections will then fall down over these areas and conceal the haircut. For larger FUE cases, it is generally necessary to buzz down the entire donor area (fade cut) to get the maximum yield.
For FUT cases, only a small strip of hair needs to be buzzed, where the tissue that will be removed and then sutured together. If the surrounding hair is not too short, it will generally cover that area while the sutures are in the scalp.
Body Hair Transplant
FUE also allows us to harvest hair from areas of the body that were unfit for the traditional method resulting in the possibility of increased density. Most patients are candidates for an FUE hair transplant.
The donor area of the scalp has the highest, most natural caliber of hair, so we recommend that body hair be reserved for cases of adding density once the donor availability has been depleted.
