According to Trusted Source, hair loss affects up to 85% of men and 40% of women. FUT hair transplant surgeries are minimally invasive procedures to cover bald spots caused by hair loss.
Two types of hair transplantation are currently in use:
Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE)
Follicular Unit Transplantation (FUT)
A surgeon performs a FUT hair transplant by removing a strip of skin from the back or side of your head and extracting individual hair follicles. These follicles are then implanted in the areas of your scalp that are balding. The surgery is most effective for concealing a receding hairline caused by male pattern baldness.
What is the procedure for follicular unit transplantation?
A surgeon removes a piece of skin from the rear of your head’s scalp. Individual strands are extracted from the strip and re-inserted into your scalp.
Hair transplant surgeries can take anywhere from 4 to 8 hours. In general, FUT hair transplant is faster than FUE surgery. The majority of patients remain awake during the procedure thanks to a local anesthetic that numbs their scalp.
Here’s how your procedure Trusted Source will most likely look:
The surgeon will redraw your hairline, mark the area where hair will be extracted, and photograph you for your medical record. Before surgery, you may be given the option of taking a sedative. To numb your scalp, local anesthesia will be applied.
The hair at the donor site, from which your hair will be extracted, will be trimmed to about two millimeters.
The surgeon will cut a strip of skin with hair follicles to be used as a graft. Individual hair follicles will be separated from the strip and fixed for transplantation by a technician.
Sutures will be used to close your scalp.
The hair follicles will then be implanted in the balding areas of your scalp in a natural-looking pattern.
Your scalp will be treated with an antibiotic and bandages.
The majority of people see results from the surgery within 6 to 9 months. Some people must wait a year for results.
Who Requires a FUT procedure?
You must have enough hair on your head to use as a graft for both FUT and FUE transplants.
Men with androgenic alopecia (also known as male pattern baldness) are the best candidates for FUT.
Women with this condition typically have the Ludwig pattern, which results in hair loss along the hairline or thinning at the crown of the head.
If your hair loss is caused by a medical condition such as a thyroid disorder or alopecia areata, FUT surgery is unlikely to be an option.
You are also a good candidate for FUT surgery if you have the following conditions:
Diagnosis
Hair transplantation works best for men who have the Norwood pattern of hair loss.
The thickness of your hair. People with a high density of hair follicles generally have better coverage.
The color of your hair. People with hair that matches their skin tone make better candidates because there is less color contrast.
FUE hair transplant vs. FUT hair transplant
FUT and FUE hair transplant procedures are transparent. During FUT surgery, a surgeon extracts hair follicles by cutting a strip of skin from the back or side of your scalp. Rather than removing a piece of scalp skin, your surgeon will extract individual hair follicles straight from your scalp during FUE surgery.
The most significant advantage of both procedures (FUT and FUE) is permanent solutions to hair loss. However, it takes about 5 to 7 years for the transplantation area to look natural compared to 1 year with non-surgical hair replacement methods like hairpieces or wigs. Also, the donor site (where hairs are removed) is visible and may start growing hairs in some people, and this usually happens when patients have done a lot of balding.
Potential side effects and precautions for FUT
Complications following FUT are uncommon. A plentiful supply of blood to the brain allows it to heal quickly and prevents infections. According to Trusted Source, fewer than 1% of people develop an infection as a result of the surgery.
Some of the potential complications are as follows:
Hair that appears unnatural
Scarring or bumps
Hair follicle inflammation (folliculitis)
Bleeding
Swelling
Pain
Numbness
Cysts
Scarring from FUT
The scar from the FUT hair transplant is visible at the site of hair removal. The scar will decrease over time, but it will remain permanent. The amount of hair follicles used during surgery determines the size of the scar. Your hair usually hides the scar, but it may be visible if you keep your hair short.
Shock hair loss is another term for Trusted Source. It is common for transplanted hair to fall out within two months of surgery. Hair almost permanently regrows within four months.
The cost of FUT hair transplantation
FUT hair transplants cost between $4,000 and $10,000 on average. At some clinics, the cost may be even higher.
Cost can be determined by a variety of factors, including:
The amount of hair transplanted. Most clinics charge by the number of hair follicles transplanted, but some offer a flat fee.
The doctor. The cost of surgery varies depending on the clinic and the surgeon’s experience.
Location. FUT surgery may be more expensive in some cities.
Travel expenses. If you must travel for your surgery, you should budget for travel expenses as well.
Because FUT is typically considered cosmetic surgery, it is unlikely that your insurance will cover it. If you’ve lost your hair due to burns or trauma, it may be covered in some cases.
Some clinics provide payment plans that allow you to spread the FUT hair transplant cost of the surgery over several installments.
Conclusion
FUT hair transplant is a procedure that involves hair follicles are extracted from the rear or side of your head and used to cover bald patches. If performed well by a trained surgeon, the surgery is generally considered safe and can produce a natural-looking result. Because the hair surgery leaves a scar at the site of hair extraction, FUE surgery may be a better option if you usually wear your hair short.