For those of you new to hair transplants and if you’re new to researching hair restoration procedures, welcome! Whether you have put in some research already or you’re brand new and simply starting your journey, you should know about FUE procedures, or Follicular Unit Extraction transplants. The beauty of FUE transplants is the lack of visible scarring from the donor area. This is a big positive and one of the reasons Regen LA gets so many requests for the procedure from patients in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Las Vegas, and beyond.
The alternative, of course, is FUT, or the Follicular Unit Transplant procedure. Both procedures have positives and negatives. Decide which procedure will be best for you. Of course, it is always important to consult with a knowledgeable hair transplant surgeon to discuss your hair’s current state, growth patterns, and rate of loss. These details will help you both make an informed and practical decision.
FUT OR FUE – WHAT SHOULD I DO?
In FUE hair transplants, hair grafts are extracted as individual follicular units. This means singular or small sections of hair follicles are extracted from the donor area of the scalp. This leaves small, indistinguishable holes where the follicle was extracted.
However, a FUT procedure calls to actually pull a section of the scalp from the donor area. Next, we stitched the two ends of the scalp together. In the industry, we call this strip harvesting. At this point, small pieces of the donor portion of the scalp are sectioned off. Finally, in either your FUT or FUE procedure, we place the follicles into the portion of your scalp where you’re looking to regrow lost hair.
Essentially, donor harvesting for FUT is done with a single elliptical excision followed by suturing. Of course, the significant disadvantage of single strip harvesting is the resulting linear donor scar. Additionally, the scalp will be slightly tighter as you have removed a strip of skin for the transplant.
A skilled physician knows that when it comes to FUT, there is an art to the removal and stitching of the area to allow. His skilled hands provide natural healing to hide the scar with the remaining hair and suture it to grow in the same directions as your hair would have in the first place.
FOLLICULAR UNIT EXTRACTION
In FUE transplants, the extraction of the follicular unit is dependent on the principle that the muscle attachment to the follicular unit is the tightest zone. Once loosened and separated from the surrounding tissue layer, the segment can be extracted easily. Because the follicular unit is the narrowest at the surface, one needs to use small micro punches.
The limitation of the FUE technique is that it is not possible to identify the bulge of the hair from outside. Consequently, the procedure can be slower and more difficult, especially for an inexperienced surgeon. The procedure takes longer than FUT. However, an experienced hair transplant surgeon has the hand-eye coordination and skillset to deliver the results you’re looking to achieve.
On the day of the procedure, the entire donor area from the back of the head is trimmed to 1–2 mm in length. The anesthetic numbs the area. Punched-out grafts may consist of 1 to 4 or even 5 or 6 hairs. This is the most time-consuming and tedious part of the whole procedure. Finally, the grafts are transplanted into designated bald or patchy areas. Healing time is less than a FUT hair transplant operation and pain is minimal.
Will Follicular Unit Extraction Be the Right Choice for Me?
Deciding which patients will benefit most from FUE hair transplant procedures takes a number of factors into consideration. Patients with limited hair loss and those who require small sessions often benefit from FUE procedures. This group includes some patients with androgenic alopecia. Additionally, patients with minimal balding or patchy balding areas may opt for a follicular unit extraction hair transplant.
FUE transplants work for patients who enjoy wearing their hair in short styles. Naturally, this is due to the fact that scars from FUT hair transplants would be more visible with more of the scalp exposed. Additionally, FUE procedures are a great option for individuals who have issues with dermatological conditions, have a fear of or aversion to scars, and those who have issues healing from surgical incisions. Finally, FUE procedures may be an option for individuals who have already had a FUT procedure.
A PERMANENT HAIR LOSS SOLUTION
If you suffer from male pattern baldness, thinning hair, patchy baldness, alopecia, or a receding hairline, the team at Regen LA in Redondo Beach is ready to take your call. At Regen LA, you will learn about the options that we offer and the various methods we use to get your hair back. Additionally, you’ll discover that Regen LA offers the best prices on hair transplants in the Los Angeles area.
WE TAKE PRIDE IN OUR WORK
If you’re one of the 80 million Americans suffering from hair loss, the regenerative medical team at Regen LA suggests learning as much as possible about hair restoration prior to making a decision on how to address your hair loss. Not every procedure is right for everyone.
That’s why at Regen LA in Redondo Beach, we pride ourselves in helping our patients choose the best procedure for them. Not all hair transplant doctors are equal. For your benefit, ask to see “Before & After” photos.
At Regen LA, we’re proud of our results and happy to provide them. View our customer results HERE. Additionally, it’s always a good idea to look into the patient experience. View testimonials from Regen LA’s vast assortment of satisfied clients HERE.
YOUR HAIR LOSS SOLUTION
Regen LA
1970 S. Prospect Ave., Suite 2
Redondo Beach, CA 90277
(310) 281-6160