Two common techniques used in UK hair transplant surgery for hair loss treatment are FUE and FUT. But what do they stand for and what’s the difference between FUE and FUT?
Here we take a look at these two methods of hair transplants and how to choose which one to use for your hair restoration procedure.
Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE)
Follicular Unit Extraction is abbreviated to FUE and is used in hair transplants where individual follicles (‘follicular units’) are extracted (harvested) and embedded into the treatment area on the scalp.
This does not strictly mean that individual hairs are moved – a single follicle can grow several hairs – but it is a very precise way to fill in specific shapes and small areas.
A talented hair transplant surgeon can therefore use FUE to create well-defined shapes, for example on transplant sites such as eyebrows.
FUE is less invasive than some other methods, which can allow the donor area to heal more quickly and generally improve the comfort of the whole experience.
Follicular Unit Transplantation (FUT)
Follicular Unit Transplantation, or FUT, is sometimes known as strip transplantation. The main difference is not how the follicles are embedded into the destination site, but how they are removed from the donor site.
Instead of extracting individual follicles as with FUE, a strip of skin is removed, and the follicles are then separated from it ready for transplant.
This method can yield a higher number of transplantable follicles, which makes it a common method of hair transplants where a larger area needs to be filled in more thickly.
Although FUT is more invasive to the donor site, scarring is minimal using modern techniques like trichophytic donor closure and simply by letting the surrounding hair grow over it.
How to choose between FUE and FUT hair transplants
There are a number of factors that affect the choice between FUE and FUT hair transplants.
FUE hair transplants are preferable if you want to avoid any risk of linear scarring and minimally invasive procedures. Although, with modern FUT techniques, this is minimised anyway.
Because FUE transplants are less invasive with a faster recovery, they can also allow you to return home and to work. You can return to your normal lifestyle and activity levels more quickly, which may be preferable.
FUT hair transplants have their own benefits. They can be carried out much faster as the follicles (which can number into the thousands) do not need to be extracted from the donor site one by one.
The decreased time spent in the clinic also means FUT transplants can be completed at a lower cost. So if budget is a concern, this method might be a good option for you. This can be a major factor in deciding between FUE and FUT. You may be interested in our monthly finance options if cost is a concern.
At UK Hair Transplant Clinics, all of our qualified and highly trained team of hair transplant experts will help you find the solution that’s right for you. If you want to find out more about our FUE and FUT hair transplant procedures, you can contact us via our live chat on our website or by email at info@ukhairtransplantclinics.co.uk. Or you can book a free consultation with one of our hair loss experts.
