FUT Hair Transplant
FUT (Follicular Unit Transplant) or Strip Hair Transplant Technique
The strip method of hair transplantation is another effective method used in hospitals for growing hair, also known as Follicular Unit Transplantation(FUT). Though there are a few shortcomings of this method as assessed against the FUE procedure, yet it does have certain advantages as well.
In this method of transplantation, a streak of skin is removed from the primary source (where the hair is dominant) and then the hair grafts are separated from it and transplanted on the area where the individual wants the hair to grow. The area from where the hair was originally extracted, is stitched with the help of sutures. This takes a couple of weeks to heal. We can say that the procedure is a lesser yield than the FUE hair transplant technique or the Perfect-i technique. The damage also takes a lot of healing time but it is much faster and cheaper than the Follicular Unit Extraction procedure and can be considered if you wish to go for economical hair transplantation.
Advantages of FUT Hair Transplant
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Manageable Recovery Time
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Higher Rate Of Follice Survival
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Natural Looking Results
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No Additional Scarring With Subsequent Sessions
Advantages of FUT Hair Transplant
-
Natural Looking Results
-
No Additional Scarring With Subsequent Sessions
-
Manageable Recovery Time
-
Higher Rate Of Follice Survival
Procedure of FUT Treatment
Evaluation done by our surgeons for someone looking for a hair transplant is as follows:
- The focal area from which the grafts of hair have to be acquired is first anaesthetized, and then the scalp is cut with a blade to obtain a piece of skin containing the grafts.
- The area is simultaneously stitched with the help of sutures.
- Once the follicular unit is obtained then the next step is to obtain the intact follicular grafts/units.
- The intact follicular grafts/units then are separated with the help of fibre optic microscopes so that they don’t come in direct contact with heat which is liable to harm the follicles.
- Once that is done, these follicles of hair are stored in a special salt solution at an optimum temperature so that they may be placed on the area that requires the hair transplantation.
- Areas which require hair transplantation are then marked by the doctor to carry out the final step.
- In the end the follicles are placed on the target areas. Hairs are finally grafted with forceps by a surgeon who is an expert in the field of hair transplantation.
Before Surgery
At the practice of Dr. Gaurang Krishna, we recommend patients follow some basic precautionary measures before undergoing the Follicular Unit Transplant (FUT) procedure.
Two Weeks before FUT
- First, patients should confirm their appointment with our experts after undergoing any laboratory tests.
- Let our experts at MedLinks know if you are taking any medications, including blood thinners or broad beta-blockers.
- Meet our experts to discuss any ongoing medical conditions.
- Do not shave or cut your hair in the recipient areas. Keep the length of the donor area (back and sides) normal.
One Week before FUT
- Patients should halt the consumption of Vitamin B, E or any kind of multivitamins that contain them.
- Stop consuming anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs).
- Let our experts know if you’re consuming any other prescription medicines, including heart and blood pressure medications.
- Stop smoking a week before the procedure. Cigarettes contain nicotine that constricts blood vessels while decreasing the blood flow to the scalp.
Three Days before FUT
- Stop consuming alcoholic beverages as they can result in adverse reactions and side effects.
The Day of FUT
- Wash your hair properly with shampoo. Do not use any kind of gels, sprays or other hair styling products.
- Wear loose and comfortable clothes. Clothing that needs to be pulled over the head may damage the grafts immediately after the surgery.
- Avoid wearing any cologne, perfumes or deodorants.
- Have a light breakfast. However, do not consume coffee or any caffeine beverage as it may increase bleeding and sensitivity towards medications.
- The surgery uses sedatives and medications that can make you feel drowsy. We advise you to arrange post-op transportation.
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After Surgery
While our surgeons are experts at performing the FUT procedure and delivering desirable results to patients, patients need to take some post-surgery precautions to ensure a speedy recovery.
Day of FUT
- We discharge our patients with a head bandage after the procedure. We advise them not to remove it before going to the bed.
- While sleeping, keep your head elevated. In case the donor area oozes, place a towel under your head.
- In case of bleeding, use sterile gauze to apply continuous and steady pressure on the bleeding area.
A Day after FUT
- Remove the head bandage carefully before taking a shower the next day.
- Take 3 showers and gently shampoo the scalp, in the morning, noon and night respectively. Wash your hair gently to ensure the scalp is free of blood or crust. After 2-3 days, shower twice daily.
- In case of temporary swelling, use cold compression on the forehead, 2 to 3 times a day, for almost 15 minutes.
Precautionary Measures after FUT
Although FUT offers a quick recovery time, patients can expect their newly transplanted hair to grow after 10 weeks. They get long enough to be groomed in about 6 months and fully grown in 1 year after the surgery. However, patients should take necessary precautions for ensuring the most promising results.
Here is a list of precautions that patients need to follow after the surgery:
Don’t sleep or lie on your face as it might cause swelling. Sleep with your head elevated to 30 degrees, at least for 3 days
Don’t consume alcohol or alcoholic beverages for at least 3 days after the surgery.
Don’t comb or brush hair in the implanted area for 7 days after the procedure.
Avoid visiting dirty or dusty environment for at least a week after the procedure.
Shampoo very gently for the first week after the procedure. Since grafts are permanent, one can resume to normal hair care and shampooing after 10 days.
Restrain yourself from smoking for at least 2 weeks after the surgery.
Avoid consuming any kind of medications like that affect blood flow.
Don’t have a haircut for at least 3 weeks after the surgery.
Don’t expose the implanted area to direct sunlight for a month after the surgery. Cover your head with a hat or a cap to avoid direct exposure to strong sunlight.
Don’t color or dye your hair for at least 4 weeks after the surgery.
Consult our experts for prescription medicine in case of pain.
About Us
We are a unit of the TrichoDerm Medical Group and are spread over an area of 15000 sq. feet. Located at the heart of New Delhi in Safdarjung Enclave (South Delhi), we leverage a state-of-the-art Operating Room which consists of modern hi-tech equipment, including cold LED lights, stereo-microscopes, electrically adjustable operating table and high resolution cameras. MedLinks has a dedicated floor for best-in-class Hair Transplant in Delhi and a cheerful recovery room for our patients and their family to relax. The MedSpa floor at our center comprises of four treatment rooms with ample space, a minor procedure suite and an extravagant waiting area.
Graft Dissection
Stereo microscopic graft dissection is an important aspect of the FUT procedure. It allows the surgeon to remove follicular units from the donor strip without causing any damage to the donor area. To maximize growth, our experts at MedLinks keep the follicular units intact. This maximizes hair growth in the donor area after the procedure.
The scalp of an average person contains about 100 follicular units per square cm of donor tissue. Thus, to graft 2000 hair, our surgeons use a strip that is a centimetre wide and about 20 cm in length. To achieve seamlessness in the whole procedure, we perform graft dissection simultaneously with other steps of the hair restoration process.
Advantages of Stereo Microscopic Graft Dissections
- This allows the surgeon to evaluate the graft with utmost precision and minimizes the damage rate during the dissection process.
- Facilitates the surgeon with graft magnification. It helps them to extract the maximum number of grafts for the implantation process.
- Maximizes graft survival rate by minimizing the risk of transection during the dissection process.
Holding Solution
In Follicular Unit Transplant (FUT), the extracted grafts are placed in a liquid solution, known as a holding solution that protects them from desiccation or drying out. The solution contains special vitamins and nutrients that preserve the grafts before the transplantation process is initiated.
At MedLinks, our experts extract follicular unit grafts from the donor area with appropriate-size punches and preserve them in a holding solution by the time the recipient area is prepared. While these grafts are placed in the solution, they are sorted into 1-4 hair graft units and again placed back in the solution for temporary storage.
Donor Area
Follicular Unit Transplantation (FUT) involves the removal of a thin sliver of tissue (strip incision) from the donor area, which may potentially lead to scarring. With the advent of time, numerous techniques including tumescent anesthesia, undermining, buried sutures, absorbable sutures, staples and trichophytic closures have been developed to minimize the scarring at the donor area during the strip excision procedure.
At MedLinks, we believe that minimizing these scars is a critical part of a successful FUT procedure. Strip incision allows our surgeons to efficiently complete large hair transplant sessions while minimizing the risk of follicle damage. Our surgeons are experts at performing the FUT procedure in a manner that results in only a fine donor scar, which allows patients to keep their hair comparatively shorter after the procedure. This also increases the amount of hair that can be harvested in follow-up procedures.
Furthermore, donor incision healing is dependent on 4 aspects-
- Placement of the incision at the right location
- Using accurate donor strip dimension
- Strip removal without damaging the tissue
- Properly closing the incision with surgical techniques
Frequently Asked Questions
Patients who do not intend to wear their hair in a short style are perfect candidates for FUT as the unavoidable linear scar in the posterior aspect of the scalp will be masked or hidden by longer stands of your native hair.
The number of grafts required depends on the spot of the scalp that requires to be covered as well as the preferred hair density. The imprecise number of grafts will be decided at the initial consultation appointment.
The results from a FUT hair transplant method should last a lifetime as FUT uses your hair from the enduring zone. There may be some natural thinning of the donor's permanent zone as you get older but, since this is your transplanted hair, it will likely be susceptible to this same procedure. Hormonal changes affect hair that is prone to balding but this should not influence the transplanted hair.
Overall, the outcomes of transplanted hair should look realistic in appearance to the point that others will not be able to distinguish if a transplant was performed.
The final decision to have FUT or FUE depends on your hair restoration goals. If you are interested in restoring your hairline or covering a large balding area on the top and crown in only one session, a FUT hair transplant is something to consider. FUT is an excellent choice for providing a large number of grafts to cover bigger areas of the scalp in only one session.
Looking for guidance?
Book a consultation today and clear all your doubts with MedLinks!
Looking for guidance?
Book a consultation today and clear all your doubts with MedLinks!
