FUE vs FUT Hair Transplant

For years, hair transplant surgery has changed the lives of countless men and women worldwide. The most important feature of a successful hair transplant involves a natural-appearing cosmetic outcome without any signs of the treatment being detectable. Plano, Texas, hair transplant surgeon Dr. Joseph Yaker has the experience, acumen, and artistry to produce excellent results by naturally framing the face and improving hair density using living and growing hair.

MAIN DIFFERENCE

Follicular Unit Transplantation (FUT) and Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) are safe and effective hair transplant procedures performed to restore one’s hair loss. FUE has gained popularity in the past few years due to its minimally invasive nature. However, FUT is still the most common procedure performed worldwide.

The primary difference between FUT and FUE hair transplants is how the donor hair is removed from the back of the scalp. FUT, the “strip method,” uses a scalpel to remove a thin strip of donor hair from the back of the head. The edges are then sutured together.

With FUE, individual follicular units are isolated and extracted from the same donor area using a circular micro-punch device and transplanted to the recipient area. The hair follicles are removed randomly, allowing the surgeon to harvest hair from the donor site with less noticeable thinning of the area. No stitches are required.

Both approaches separate refined, healthy hair grafts that contain natural groupings of 1 to 4 hairs each, and thousands may be used during the transplant process. In FUE and FUT hair transplants, the donor sites are areas of the scalp where the hair is genetically determined to grow for a lifetime, such as the sides and back of the head.
Since the SmartGraft™ FUE is a minimally invasive procedure, it does not require a scalpel or stitches, and it leads to virtually zero discomfort for the patient. As a result, this superior method allows for shorter procedure time, enhanced patient experience, and faster recovery.

DONOR AREA SCARRING

There are differences between the scarring that forms on the donor area following surgery. With Follicular Unit Transplants (FUT), each patient will develop a narrow, linear scar that measures less than 1-2 millimeters in width. The scar is undetectable, as the hair above it will conceal it. To minimize the chances of showing a thin scar, it’s necessary to typically keep your hair no shorter than ¼ to ½ an inch. It is less likely to see visible scars on the donor area with FUT in many instances except on careful examination.

Patients who prefer to wear their hair relatively short will appreciate the FUE procedure. Instead of having one thin scar across the back of the scalp, patients who undergo FUE will have multiple tiny micro-scars. Since the hair grafts are extracted in a randomized pattern, the surrounding hair camouflages the flat circular scars so that they are virtually undetectable. For most cases, extensive shaving of the back of the scalp is required for larger cases.

TOTAL GRAFTS TRANSPLANTED

The main advantage of FUT hair transplant is that more hair can be transplanted in one session. Patients who want more density over a larger area of hair loss would benefit from this procedure. For FUT, Dr. Yaker generally does not transplant more than 2,500 to 3,000 grafts in a day due to the long duration of the case. For hand-held motorized FUE, Dr. Yaker limits his procedure to 2,000 to 2,500 grafts due to the tedious nature of graft extraction. The ability to create dense results is no different with either technique.

RECIPIENT SITE IMPLANTATION

For both FUT and FUE procedures, recipient site creation and hair graft implantation are performed with the same aesthetic principles, thereby achieving a hair density result that looks completely full and natural.

PAIN AND HEALING

Pain is a subjective feeling, so patients will have different experiences with each procedure. Hair transplantation is always done under local anesthesia and with an oral sedative, so pain during the procedure is minimal and mostly related to receiving the local anesthesia on the scalp.

Postoperative pain is mild to moderate and may last up to 7 days following an FUT procedure. Pain is usually on and around the incision line. The pain from an FUE procedure is minimal, typically lasting at most 3-4 days, as the tiny micro-dot incisions heal relatively fast.

EXPECTED COST

It’s important to remember that there is no fixed cost for hair transplants. The cost of most hair transplant surgeries is calculated by a range of grafts needed for coverage of the area of thinning hair. At Yaker, both FUT and FUE range from $8 to $9 per graft, depending on the size of each case.

WHICH IS RIGHT FOR YOU

FUT and FUE techniques will provide each patient with incredibly youthful results. You should consider FUT if your main goal is to achieve maximum fullness from hair restoration. However, if you want a faster healing time and avoid the linear donor scar from FUT, Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) might be a better option.

But there is really no best method, as each procedure has its advantages and disadvantages. Choosing which procedure is right for you is a personal decision. However, Dr. Yaker will go over both techniques in great detail during the consultation and help you determine which surgery is best suited for you.

COMPARING FUE AND FUT

	FUE	FUT
Use of Scalpel or Sutures	No	Yes
Invasiveness	Less	More
Hair Length Preference	Short	Medium
Donor Area Required For Large Sessions	Shave entire donor area	Long, thin strip
Scarring	Multiple, virtually undetectable micro-dots	One linear strip
Maximum Follicies Harvested per Session	2,000 – 2,500 Grafts	3,000 Grafts
Pain Level	Minimal	Mild to Moderate
Healing Time of Donor Site	3-4 Days	10-14 Days
Return to Moderate Activities	3-5 Days	7 Days
Subsequent Session	4-6 Months	12 Months
Cost	$6-$8 per graft	$6-$8 per graft