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FUE vs FUT: Breaking Down Hair Transplant Terminology
by Marisa Amorasak
Today’s hair transplant surgery is a far cry from the obvious, cringe-worthy hair plugs and pieces of yesteryear. Modern advancements have made hair restoration a viable option for people who suffer from receding hairlines, bald spots, thinning hair, and other signs of hair loss. Two of the top terms associated with today’s hair transplants are FUE and FUT. These acronyms represent major transplantation techniques that you’ve probably seen advertised by various companies. In order to make the best decision regarding hair restoration, it’s important to weigh your options. Here’s the lowdown on FUE and FUT:
Hair Transplants and Follicular Unit Transplantation
Follicular Unit Transplantation, or FUT, is the most common technique used for hair transplant surgery. Using surgical tools, doctors take strips of skin containing many hair follicles and implant them onto areas of the scalp that suffer from hair loss. The result is your own hair growing naturally from your scalp again! FUT can trace its roots—pun intended—as far back as the 19th century, when surgeons used scalp flaps to push skin into areas that had experienced hair loss. Hair transplants using actual skin grafts were discovered in the 1930s, when Japanese doctors used small sections of skin to replace lost hair from the eyebrows and mustache. By the 1950s, American doctors were using FUT to treat baldness. It’s the tried-and-true hair transplant technique preferred by many hair transplant experts.
That’s not to say that Follicular Unit Transplantation is outdated. Since it was first introduced, FUT has undergone numerous tweaks to make it a viable option for people with hair loss. Advanced training regarding strip placement, anti-scarring techniques, and extraction makes FUT the go-to method for many of the world’s best hair transplant doctors. The best FUT doctors perform hair transplants that are indistinguishable from natural hair growth. While FUT is the most affordable option for hair transplants, it is also requires the most recovery time. Expect to spend some downtime waiting for the delicate skin grafts to heal into place.
What is Follicular Unit Extraction?
Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) is quite similar to FUT, as both techniques use the same concept of extraction and implantation. Instead of skin grafts, FUE takes small groups of individual hair follicles and attaches them to the scalp. The result is a hair transplant that is considerably less invasive than traditional hair transplants, or FUT. Specialists who perform FUE also have more freedom to artfully position hair follicles into natural-looking growth patterns, which is a priority for many men and women seeking hair restoration.
Follicular Unit Extraction is generally performed by a highly trained specialist. Due to the man hours associated with FUE, its costs are higher than FUT. Automated hair transplant systems like NeoGraft use robotic devices to complete the procedure, which may cut down on the cost.
What’s Right for Me?
Hair Loss Specialists is dedicated to bringing you the best resources on all things hair restoration. The best way to find out whether Follicular Unit Extraction or Follicular Unit Transplantation is right for you is to speak with a qualified hair restoration specialist. He or she will examine your scalp, taking into account your type of hair loss before making an expert recommendation. Contact our representatives now to schedule a personal consultation with a hair restoration doctor in your area.
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