A Hair Transplant Procedure involves taking healthy, loss-resistant hair from the donor area of your scalp and carefully transplanting it into areas where you have experienced hair loss.

The donor area is usually at the back and sides of your head, where the hair growth is naturally resistant to hair loss. The transplanted hair continues to grow naturally and is firmly and permanently implanted.

Human hair grows in little bundles called “grafts,” containing one to four hairs. There are two different ways to extract donor hair grafts: the “F.U.E.” method (Follicular Unit Extraction) and the “F.U.T.” method (“Follicular Unit Transplant“).

While the names of these methods are not particularly helpful, it is important to understand the difference between them. F.U.E. is performed with a specialized punch-like surgical device that extracts one graft at a time. FUE does not leave a linear scar, but it does leave tiny scars at each puncture point. These scars are not easy to see. Thousands of punctures are performed over a wide area to extract the required number of grafts. Our previous experience with FUE would suggest that the successful growth rate is lower than the FUT method. However, with the technology we employ today, our FUE growth rates are as good as our FUT.

F.U.T. is more aptly known as the “Strip Excision” technique and is accomplished by removing a strip that contains hundreds or thousands of hair grafts from the donor area. After the strip is removed, it is further processed. Individual grafts are then separated under a microscope in preparation for transplantation. A small scar will be left where the strip was removed. Advanced techniques (trichophytic closure) contribute to a minimal scar, and proper planning ensures it is not an issue. Most of our full-length videos feature a “donor area comb-through” section near the end of each video that clearly shows how trivial and imperceptible the scar can be.

The benefits and pitfalls of each method are hotly debated on the Hair Transplant forums, and we encourage you to find out as much as possible about both methods.

Hair transplants using the FUT strip method allow for “megasessions” of 4,500 grafts or more, which can reduce the number of surgeries required to attain the desired results.

Hair Follicle has also developed and continues to refine the “Lateral Slit Technique,” which is a highly specialized method of making incisions in preparation for planting the transplanted hair grafts. There are many advantages to this method, which are critical in creating the most impressive natural-looking result.

In addition to the skill and expertise of the doctor and team, the success of a hair transplant procedure is greatly dependent on the quality and quantity of the donor hair. Read more to find out if a hair transplant is a suitable solution for you.