FUT vs FUE Hair Transplants
Overall, there are two main types of hair transplant or hair restoration procedures.
FUT – Follicular Unit Transplant
FUT stands for Follicular unit transplant which is also known as strip surgery. It refers to the method of hair transplantation where a strip of the scalp is surgically removed from the donor area.
FUE – Follicular Unit Extraction
The FUE (follicular unit extraction) method involves very small incisions (imagine a micro but decidedly more complex hole punch) made around healthy hair follicles, usually at the back of the head where the follicles are strongest. The grafts of follicles are then transplanted to the balding or thinning areas under local anaesthetic – with minimal fuss and no pain.
Male Pattern Baldness
Both procedures are able to help with male pattern hair loss which you can diagnose from the Norwood scale pictured below. The Norwood scale is your surgeon’s way of assessing the severity of your hair loss.
FUT vs FUE
The main difference between FUT and FUE is the extraction method. Whereas FUE extracts the hair follicles separately, the FUT method involves a strip of scalp being removed before the follicles are then cut individually. Other differences include;
Scarring
The FUT procedure leaves you with a linear scar at the back of your head. Although it can be covered with hair, it can leave some patients feeling unable to wear their hair short and in some cases it can cause hair to be unable to grow in the area of scarring.
An FUE procedure does still leave scars in the donor area however the scars are instead a series of small dots that may appear as white dots and are virtually undetectable. These are usually not prominently noticeable if you decide to wear your hair short but this is down to your own healing rate.
Pain/Discomfort
Pain is usually minimal after a FUE procedure, you may experience some swelling, soreness or even itchiness in the donor area as the puncture holes heal but overall the healing tends to happen quicker compared to recovery after a FUT procedure.
The FUT procedure involves the incision line being closed with stitches which can cause a degree of discomfort, soreness and sometimes numbing around the incision line. These are usually gone or have been removed by the third week but it can take up to 10 months before laxity to your donor area is restored and your scalp feels like it used to before the procedure took place.
What one should I choose?
Ultimately the final decision is up to you as the patient. You should do your research into both procedures and visit a range of surgeons who can talk you through the finer details and may even be able to suggest what procedure may suit you in terms of rate of balding, final hairstyles and recovery time allowed.
Why choose The Private Clinic?
Here at The Private Clinic we specialise in the follicular unit extraction (FUE) method of hair transplantation and pride ourselves on the results, service and aftercare that we are able to provide. Having been treating patient for over 30 years our surgeons have the most extensive experience in treating Male Pattern Baldness with the minimally invasive technique of FUE with virtually undetectable scarring.
The Private Clinic sees over 15,000 new patients each year and performs over 10,000 procedures. We have a 5 star rating on TrustPilot and over 98% of our patients would recommend us to their friends and family.
We are also able to offer;
- Extensive videos of past patients click here.
- Extensive Hair Transplant FAQs click here.
- A gallery of previous FUE Hair Transplant before and after photos click here.
- A 24-hour patient helpline to ensure you are always in the best of hands.
- As many post-operative care and appointments with your Hair Transplant surgeon and nursing team as required.
- Consultations and procedures with our highly experienced Hair Transplant Surgeons who have many years of experience.
- Comprehensive patient information, every step of the way.
- Outstanding clinic facilities where your procedure will be performed.
- Our excellent reputation for patient safety and satisfaction, honest advice and outstanding care means your journey with The Private Clinic will be an exciting experience to a newfound head of hair.
Book your consultation today by calling 03339209135 or click here.
