FUE vs FUT. Before explaining the difference between FUE and FUT, is important to understand what these terms are about. FUE and FUT are both methods of hair transplantation. According to the type of hair loss, the patient suffers and the appearance that is aimed for, one of these methods is chosen. Even though they are different methods, both of them can provide healthy and natural-looking results. It is important that hair transplantation is carried out by a professional medical team experienced in the field.
If hair transplantation is done wrongly, unsatisfying and damaging results can appear. Thus, patients should always do their research about their surgeon and medical team. Being comfortable with the surgeon is an important step in the whole process. Once the surgeon has been chosen, the method will be determined. The hair type and quality will be examined and the method will be choosen.
Follicular Unit Extraction
The follicular unit extraction is a very complicated process for the surgeon and the medical team. Since it includes the extraction of every single hair follicle, it can take a long time to complete the whole area. The area from which the hair follicles are extracted is called the ‘donor site’. The balding area with the hair loss problem in which the follicles will be transplanted is called the ‘recipient site’. After the hair follicles are extracted from the donor site, the recipient will be prepared and the follicles will be implanted.
Every single follicle will be implanted according to the direction the hair is facing, the density, etc. During this process, the medical team has to be very careful since hair follicles are very fragile. The patient will be numbed with local anesthesia, however general anesthesia can be preferred if too much discomfort is present.
This method of hair transplantation is ideal for patients who have hair loss on the scalp or in spottings. Spotting occurs when hair loss does not affect a big area, but smaller areas throughout the whole head. Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) provides very natural-looking results as long as it is carried out by a professional medical team. The best results will be seen when the recovery is also carried out the way it should be. Aftercare should be completed just the way it is recommended. Since every patient is different, instructions may vary from person to person. In general, it is important to do whatever the doctor recommends.
Follicular Unit Transplantation
In contrast to the FUE method, during FUT, the hair follicles are not individually extracted. Instead, a complete piece of skin that contains many healthy hair follicles are cut out from the donor site. The area will be covered by healthy hair around the area. This piece of skin is usually 1cm x 15cm in size. Then, this piece of skin is cut into many smaller sections. One of these sections usually contains around two to four hair follicles. Follicular Unit transplantation is also called Follicular unit strip surgery since the follicles are stripped as a unit. This method is usually used on patients that suffer from balding in bigger areas or want a hairline reconstruction. Hairline reconstruction can be used on patients who have a degrading hairline.
One of the downsides of this method is the fact that a scar may be left on the donor site. Even though it will be covered by the hair temporarily, it can be visible once the hair on the donor site falls out as well. If the healing process is not healthily completed, infections in the area can occur. Again, the importance of a healthy recovery is highlighted. The recovery time of FUT is longer in contrast to FUE since the scar is bigger. In FUE, the scars are small red dots that take less to heal. Both of the methods have advantages and disadvantages, and which one to use will be choosen on the type of hair loss.
Preparing and Aftercare
Before undergoing a hair transplant surgery and being exposed to the anesthesia, there are a few things patients must do. Blood-thinning medications should be cut off before the surgery. Similarly, patients should quit smoking and drinking alcohol before surgery. Smoking can slow down the recovery process. Any kind of habits that weaken the immune system should also be avoided before and after the surgery. Patients are not allowed to go into direct sunlight after the surgery.
Direct sunlight can damage the newly implanted hair follicles. Some patients are recommended to use shampoo the same day as the hair transplant surgery. Others are advised to wait a few more days. It depends on the circumstances of the patient. Swelling and minimal bleeding may occur on the recipient site. Necessary medication will be prescribed.
There is a possibility of shock loss after every hair transplantation surgery. Shock loss occurs when the hair follicles cannot adapt themselves to the new area. Most of the time the loss of follicles will not be noticeable once the hair starts growing out. However, in some cases, the loss may be severe. In cases like these following sessions can be recommended to implant new follicles in the area. It is normal for newly implanted hair follicles to fall out, but if there is too much loss, the doctor should be contacted. It is important to stay in touch with the doctor and do follow-ups to make sure that everything is going well. This way, if something is going wrong the doctor can handle it just in time.
More Information
In short, hair transplantation surgeries are safe surgeries that carry very minimal to no risk at all. Complications can occur after every type of surgery. It is important to take an allergy test before the surgery to make sure that there is no allergy to anesthesia. The patients should be in good general health condition. It depends on the type of hair loss if wether FUT or FUE will be used. Every instruction set by the doctor should be followed to complete a healthy recovery. If something goes wrong, the doctor should be contacted immediately. For more information, patients should consult a doctor. FUE vs FUT