Hair Transplant Surgery
What is Hair Transplant Surgery?
Hair transplant surgery is a procedure where small, naturally-occurring groups of hairs are taken from the back of the scalp and implanted in the areas of thinning or balding.
Hair transplant surgery is a procedure performed on both men and women under local anaesthetic with minor sedation, where small, naturally-occurring groups of hairs (follicular units grafts) are taken from the back of the scalp and replanted in the areas of thinning or balding.
Grafts have either one, two or three hairs in them, kept in their natural groupings. The degree of balding or thinning a person is experiencing determines how many grafts will be needed. As the hairs are taken in their natural groupings, the result of a hair transplant surgery is undetectable and looks completely natural.
The two main approaches to hair transplant surgery are Follicular Unit Transplant (FUT) and Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE).
The Difference Between FUT and FUE
The main difference between FUT and FUE hair transplants is that in FUT, the doctor removes a strip of donor skin from which to extract individual follicular units to be transferred to the areas of hair loss, whereas in FUE individual follicular units are excised directly from the scalp.
Hair transplant surgery take between 4 and 8 hours. FUT surgery is generally quicker than FUE surgery. Most people stay awake during the surgery with a local anaesthesia that numbs their scalp.
Hair Transplant Methods
Follicular Unit Transplant (FUT)
Follicular Unit Transplantation (FUT) is by far the most popular method of hair transplantation.
Follicular Unit Transplantation (FUT) is by far the most popular method of hair transplantation.
We take a strip of hair-bearing skin from the back of the scalp (the strip method). The area is then stitched closed with a special type of closure that allows the hair to grow back through the thin scar and make it virtually undetectable in almost all cases after a couple of months.
The grafts of naturally occurring groups of hairs are then carefully cut from the strip of skin and replanted in the area/s of thinning or balding.
Pros & Cons
- May be a better for those experiencing significant balding who need a large number of grafts as can take a larger volume of hair over a smaller footprint, well-away from the balding margin.
- Shorter operation time.
- Cheaper surgical option.
- Can be used in combination with FUE to maximise graft numbers from smaller space to improve longevity of surgery over-time.
Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE)
Follicular Unit Excision (FUE), is an alternative method of follicular unit hair transplantation.
FUE has gained popularity in recent years, particularly for men who wish to wear their hair very short and might seek to avoid any evidence of a scar at the rear of their head from surgery.
FUE has often been referred to as scar-less surgery. It should be noted that this is incorrect. With FUE you are left with many mini punch hole scars as opposed to FUT where you are left with one fine linear scar concealed at the back of the scalp.
FUT is still the most common method of hair transplantation used to treat balding and hair thinning.
Pros & Cons
- Quicker healing time.
- Less pain after surgery.
- Doesn’t create a linear scar (but does create tiny circular scars).
- Hair from other body parts can be used.
- Can be used in combination with FUT to maximise graft numbers over-time and improve aesthetic styling.
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