FUT Hair Restoration

When choosing a hair restoration procedure, it is important to understand the available options and to select the one that is right for you and your type of hair loss. When choosing between the major forms of hair replacement, cutting-edge robotic-assisted FUE procedures may seem attractive but sometimes a classic FUT hair transplant may produce superior results for some clients.

What is FUT?

Follicular Unit Transplantation (FUT), also referred to as Linear Strip Excision (LSE), is the surgical removal of small strips of follicles that are then micro-dissected into grafts (1-3 follicles per graft). These are carefully transplanted from a hair-producing donor area of the scalp to a recipient location of thin or lost hair. FUT relocates micrografts in groups of 1-3 follicles, as does an FUE procedure.

What Are the Advantages of FUT?

FUT allows for the transplantation of a large number of follicles and can replace significant areas of hair loss with maximum coverage. FUT does not require shaving the donor zone hair short, only the strip that is being removed is shaved. FUT procedures typically take less time than FUE, often making them less expensive.

What Can I Expect During FUT?

At your initial consultation, your surgeon will work with you to set hair replacement goals. On the day of the procedure, they will mark the areas of your scalp to be harvested and trace the area into which the follicles will be transplanted. Hair in the donor area may be trimmed to around two millimeters to prepare for transplantation. A local anesthetic is applied to your scalp to numb it, allowing you to be awake and comfortable during the procedure.

As LSE surgery begins, the surgeon harvests a small strip of skin and hair from the donor zone, usually located at the rear or sides of the head. The size of the strip depends on the number of follicles required, typically measuring around 1-1.5 centimeters wide and 5-20 centimeters long. Once the strip has been removed, the donor area is closed with sutures. Hair in the strip to be harvested will be trimmed short. The hair around it, in the back and the sides of the scalp, remains your typical length to help camouflage the donor zone in the recovery of the procedure.

After the hair follicles have been micro-dissected into the grafts, they are inserted into the scalp at the recipient site. They will be arranged in the empty part of the scalp to look natural, taking into account growth patterns and scalp topography.

FUT surgery takes an average of four to eight hours. When the procedure is done, antibiotics and bandages are applied to the scalp, and you will be given aftercare and follow up instructions.

What Can I Expect After My FUT Procedure?

Recovery from FUT surgery typically takes 10-14 days, and you should be able to return to work at that time. During the first week, you may experience some discomfort like swelling, itching, and tightness around areas of scabbing. You may be asked to avoid exertion, sleeping on your stomach, smoking, combing your hair, or wearing a head covering for a specific amount of time post-procedure. After the initial recovery period, the stitches will be removed, and you can resume most activities.

Post-surgical complications from FUT and other hair replacement procedures are rare. Because the scalp is a blood-rich environment, it tends to heal quickly and repel infections. Other potential (but rare) complications may include pain, inflammation of the hair follicles, swelling, bleeding, numbness, or excessive raised bumps and scarring.

You also may experience shock hair loss where the newly transplanted hair grafts shed the hair fiber. This is completely normal and usually occurs within two weeks to two months after surgery. The hair will indeed grow back over the subsequent months as the follicle is still in place under the skin, and you will see full results between six months to a year.

Over time, scars from the procedure will fade and be covered by fresh hair growth. Both the donor and recipient areas should look natural, thicker, and healthy within the year.

Am I a Good Candidate for FUT?

FUT can be ideal for those with advanced hair loss. Individuals with patchy hair loss, female pattern hair loss, male pattern baldness, or a receding hairline are excellent candidates for the procedure – provided there is adequate donor hair on other areas of the scalp.