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What Is the Difference Between FUE and FUT Hair Restoration Procedures?

Hair loss is a widespread problem that affects a huge number of people. According to The Telegraph, many public figures such as footballer Wayne Rooney, reality star Calum Best and actor James Nesbitt have had hair transplant procedures. Are you interested in finding out what type of hair transplant procedure you should choose? There are two main types of hair restoration techniques, namely Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) and Follicular Unit Transplantation (FUT). Here is a comprehensive guide on the main differences between these 2 procedures:

  1. Donor harvesting

In both procedures, a section of donor hair follicles are harvested from the back of the scalp or the sides of the head where there is a high concentration of healthy hair. In most cases, hair loss usually occurs at the crown of the head or near the forehead. Thus, the hair loss pattern often doesn’t affect the back and sides of the head.

In FUE procedure, individual follicles are removed one by one from the donor region using a specialized tool. These single follicles are then carefully planted onto the target area (location of hair loss) and after sometime, they will grow into strong and healthy hairs.

On the other hand, in the FUT procedure, the specialist will remove a small strip of hair follicles from the donor site. This strip is carefully divided into individual follicles which are then inserted into the recipient area.

  1. Amount of time

Owing to the fact that individual hair follicles are being harvested, the FUE procedure tends to take more time for each session. An FUT procedure harvests the hair in form of a strip, thus the process can be completed faster.

  1. Cost

The FUE procedure is a labor-intensive method that requires specialized tools and equipment. It is also a more advanced treatment that is often rated as one of the best hair transplant methods. For this reason, an FUE procedure is usually more expensive than an FUT procedure. However, depending on the hair transplant clinic that you visit, the difference in cost may be quite small.

  1. Amount of pain

The FUT procedure involves the removal of a small strip of hair from the back of the head. Due to the fact that a larger surface area is removed at once, FUT procedures cause slightly more discomfort as opposed to FUE procedures whereby only a single follicle is extracted at a time. However, both procedures are usually performed under local anesthesia, thus the patient will only start to feel discomfort once the medication has worn off.

  1. Healing time

FUE procedures have a faster healing time and tend to scar less when compared to FUT procedures. So, if you are suffering from hair loss and you would like to learn more about the various hair restoration procedures available, simply book an appointment with Dr. Thomas A. Law today. He is undoubtedly one of the best hair transplant NYC experts.