Deciding Between Follicular Unit Transplantation (FUT) and Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE)

For many balding men, there are several barriers to seeking surgical hair restoration. Among these are naturalness, successful growth, density, cost, and scarring.   The idea that a standard strip procedure – follicular unit transplantation (FUT) will leave you with a linear scar typically stretching from ear to ear across the back of your head can be a tough pill to swallow. However, in the skilled and experienced hands of a quality hair restoration physician, the scar should result in nothing more than a pencil thin line that is easily concealed. In fact, some FUT patients report that they can clip their hair as short as ¼” without revealing their scar. However, while reasons for this vary, on rare occasions, patients may be left with wider scars that are difficult to hide at all. Every man that decides to proceed with a strip procedure does so with the understanding that shaving his head bald in the future will no longer be a viable option for him.

But, what if you could have a hair transplant with no or minimally visible scarring? The myth of the no scar hair transplant has reached almost epic proportions.   However, despite the fact that follicular unit extraction (FUE) provides a different kind of scarring that is typically minimal, every surgical procedure leaves some kind of scarring. Rather than a linear scar, the extraction of follicular units via FUE produces small white dots in the donor area.   If too many follicles are taken in any given area of the scalp, the donor may result in a “moth-eaten” look. However, under the right conditions, patients can cut their hair to very short lengths without revealing any signs of scarring.

Not everyone is a candidate for FUE. In the Hair Loss Q&A Blog article, “The Evolution, Advantages and Disadvantages of Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) Hair Transplant Surgery” by Coalition member Dr. Ron Shapiro, the ideal follicular unit extraction patient is described as being young, requiring minimal work and having a need or strong desire for a very short haircut. Someone in the military may fit this profile for example. In contrast, another type of patient that may benefit from FUE is one who has already depleted his donor supply through multiple strip procedures yet still requires further follicular unit transplantation.

For most other patients, doctors typically recommend a standard strip procedure. The act of harvesting a strip and then microscopically dividing it into follicular units typically allows for greater yield and a higher growth success rate due to reduced risk of graft transection. FUT is also much more affordable because it requires less time.

For an in-depth discussion regarding the benefits and limitations of FUE read the article, “What are the Benefits, Limitations, and Potential Problems of FUE/FIT?” by Coalition member Dr. Alan Feller.

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David – aka TakingThePlunge
Assistant Publisher and Forum Co-Moderator for the Hair Transplant Network, the Hair Loss Learning Center, the Hair Loss Q&A Blog, and the Hair Restoration Forum
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