If you are experiencing hair loss and are considering getting a hair transplant, you may be aware of several different methods. The two most common hair transplant methods are FUT hair treatment and FUE hair treatment. These treatments sound similar; however, are not exactly the same. Before you choose one over the other, it is important to understand the difference between the two.
Both FUT hair treatment and FUE hair treatment are similar in that they offer natural looking, long term results. Furthermore, the implantation process is the same. The hair follicles will be carefully placed in the areas that have thinning or balding hair. The biggest difference between the two hair transplant methods is the way in which the follicles are extracted.
The Hair Follicle Extraction Process
With FUE hair treatment procedures, each hair is extracted individually using a manual or automatic tool. The technology is minimally invasive, but it can take take anywhere from four to eight hours or more.
In the FUT hair treatment process, all of the donor hair is removed at the same time in a procedure that takes 15 to 40 minutes. The hair is essentially a strip that has cut from the back of the head and then prepped to be implanted in the new area.
How the Hair Follicles Are Prepped
The hair follicle grafts are carefully prepared by your hair transplant specialists and technicians using a special microscope. The grafts are prepared in a way that they remain in the right conditions to be transplanted into the balding area.
In both the FUE and FUT hair treatment procedures, small micro-incisions will be made in the balding areas. These incisions will be made in a way that matches your own natural hair growth patterns and are done under a local anesthesia.
The grafts are implanted one by one, and according to the number of hairs in each follicle. Your hair transplant specialist will take into consideration the density and coverage of your hair.
Scarring Concerns
FUE hair treatment procedures do not require any stitches and the extraction site leave no scars; therefore, there are no visible scars. This treatment is ideal for anyone who wears their hair short or is concerned about scarring. FUT hair treatment procedures do result in a small scar on the back of the head. Usually the scar can be concealed with hair that is at least one half of an inch or more.
The Cost of FUE vs. FUT
In general FUE hair treatment is more costly than FUT. This is due to the time an FUE procedure will take. To determine how much your hair transplant will cost, you should speak with a hair transplant specialist.
What hair transplant procedure you choose is largely up to your needs, objectives, and budget. A hair transplant specialist can help you to make the right decision by factoring in the size of the thinning area, your age, the quality and quantity of your donor hair, and the type of hair loss you are experiencing.