FUT Method

What Is A FUT Hair Transplant?

In Follicular Unit Transplantation (also sometimes also known as the “strip method”) a long, thin piece of tissue is removed from the back of the scalp. Individual follicular units are then removed from the strip using stereo-microscopic dissection.

Once the follicles have been harvested, the wound is closed leaving behind a single, very fine linear scar.

Advantages Of Fut Hair Transplants

Manageable Recovery Time

The recovery time of a FUT procedure is very manageable, usually lasting between 10-12 days. Some patients have experienced higher levels of discomfort with FUT compared to other procedures due to potential swelling where the strip of scalp was removed. In these instances, pain medication is prescribed.

Higher Rate Of Follice Survival

With FUT, hair is harvested from the mid donor zone where most the hair is permanent. For this reason, patients with limited hair availability in the donor area are often recommended for FUT treatment. With FUT, follicles are carefully harvested, keeping the protective tissue intact so grafts are robust and higher-quality

Natural Looking Results

The procedure leaves you with a very thin, linear scar that is no more than 1mm in diameter or less in size. This makes it very easily concealed with the surrounding hair so it is virtually undetectable.

With a FUT hair transplant, a patient’s hair is transplanted in small, naturally occurring groups of 1 – 4 hairs. This allows you to enjoy a fuller, natural looking hair without revealing your hair transplant procedure.

No Additional Scarring With Subsequent Sessions

Regardless of the number of procedures a patient undergoes, you are left with only one scar. By contrast, the FUE procedure leaves a small, round scar behind with each follicle unit that is harvested.

Candidates For FUT Transplant

When a patient’s primary goal is to achieve maximum fullness from the hair restoration, FUT is recommended. For patients experiencing significant balding around the crown area of the head, FUT can be a better solution than FUE for better coverage and fullness.

Who Needs A FUT Procedure?

Both FUT and FUE transplants require you to have enough hair on your head to use as a graft.

Men with androgenic alopecia (commonly called male pattern baldness) make the best candidates for FUT. In men, this condition commonly appears in the Norwood pattern or an M-shaped hairline with hair loss at the temples. Women with this condition usually experience the Ludwig pattern, which causes hair loss along the hair part or thinning at the top of the head.

If a medical condition like a thyroid disorder or alopecia areata is causing your hair loss, FUT surgery likely won’t be an option.

The following conditions also make you a good candidate Trusted Source for FUT surgery:

• Age: FUT is generally performed on people over the age of 25. Hair loss patterns are less predictable in younger people.
• Diagnosis: Men with the Norwood pattern of hair loss tend to respond best to hair transplantation.
• Hair thickness: People with a high hair follicle density generally receive better coverage.
• Area of balding: FUT is most useful for treating hair loss at the front of the head.
• Hair color: People with a hair color similar to their skin color generally make better candidates since they have less color contrast.

How Does The FUT Hair Transplant Work?

During FUT, a surgeon cuts a strip of skin from your scalp, usually from the back of your head. The exact size of the strip depends on the number of follicles needed to cover bald spots. The strip usually doesn’t exceed 1 to 1.5 centimeters (0.4 to 0.6 inches) wide. Once the individual follicles are removed from the strip, they’re re-inserted into your scalp.

Hair transplant surgeries take between 4 and 8 hours. FUT surgery is generally quicker than FUE surgery. Most people stay awake during the surgery with a local anesthesia that numbs their scalp.

Here’s what your procedureTrusted Source will likely look like:

• The surgeon will re-draw your hairline, mark the area of hair extraction, and take photographs for your medical record. You may have the option of taking a sedative before surgery. Local anaesthesia will be applied to your scalp to numb it.
• The hair at the donor site, where your hair is removed from, will be trimmed to about two millimeters.
• The surgeon will cut out the strip of skin with the hair follicles that will be used as a graft. You’ll stay awake during the surgery.
• A technician will remove individual hair follicles from the strip and prepare them for transplantation.
• The surgeon will close your scalp with sutures.
• The hair follicles will then be inserted into the balding parts of your scalp in a pattern that looks natural.
• An antibiotic and bandages will be applied to your scalp.

Most people see results from the surgery in 6 to 9 months. Some people have to wait a year to see results.

How Successful Is A FUT Hair Transplant?

The success rate of any method, including FUT, depends upon the expertise of the physician. An experienced medical professional can provide FUT transplants with success rates are as high as 95-98%. Keep in mind that it is normal for transplanted follicles to fall out before regrowing permanent follicles—this is part of your hair’s natural lifecycle and transplant process.

FUT Potential Side Effects And Precautions

Complications after FUT are rare. A large supply of blood to the head allows it to heal quickly and helps prevent infections. Less than one percentTrusted Source of people develop an infection from the surgery.

Some potential complications include:

• Unnatural looking hair
• Bumps or scarring
• Inflammation of hair follicles (folliculitis)
• Bleeding
• Swelling
• Pain
• Numbness
• Cysts

FUT Scarring

FUT surgery leaves a scar at the site of hair removal. The scar will fade over time but is permanent. The size of the scar depends on how many hair follicles were used during surgery. The scar is generally hidden by your hair, but it may be visible if you keep your hair short.

Shock Hair Loss

Donor hair effluvium Trusted Source is commonly referred to as shock hair loss. It’s a common occurrence where transplanted hair falls out within two months after surgery. The hair almost always grows back within four months.

The Progress Of The Hair Transplant Surgery Using The Strip Technique

Local anesthesia is used for the hair transplant procedure.

Trichologist-transplantologist and assistants prepare the donor area.

In the area of ​​the donor zone, is made an allocation of skin area. Further, the transplant surgeon performs suturing of the wound with a cosmetic suture with absorbable sutures that do not require removal.

The place of flap extraction of the flap is closed with a special cosmetic seam, which over time becomes almost invisible, even with a short haircut. After the operation, on the hindhead there is a scar in the form of a strip, which after a few months becomes invisible under the hair from 1 cm long.

The flap is divided into follicular joints and grafts implantation. Specialists process donor material using stereo microscopes, from which grafts containing from 1 to 4–5 hairs are isolated. At the last stage of hair transplantation, the micro-holes are filled with grafts: at the same time, assistants using special micro-tools put the grafts into the micro-holes.

After hair transplantation, there are no visible traces on the back of the head – the seam is hidden under the hair.

After Transplantation

After the procedure, you will receive detailed recommendations on how to behave after the procedure. On the first evening after surgery, it is advisable that the patient rest. For sleep, a position should be chosen in which the area of ​​the transplanted hair should not touch anything. Accidental injuries should be avoided. In the postoperative period, some patients may experience pain.

Resorption of the suture thread in the occipital part of the head occurs on the 14th day by itself. Hair loss from transplanted hair bulbs also begins during this period, which is a common occurrence. Exercise is allowed only on 10 – 14 days after surgery to avoid increased blood circulation in the head, as well as stretching the seam. Hair growth from transplanted grafts starts from 2 months and can be accompanied by skin irritation, which passes without leaving a trace as the hair grows. The seam becomes almost invisible from the 8th month until the hair completely germinates. The first hair that grows from transplanted grafts is curlier and less combable than usual. However, after several haircuts, the hair structure is restored and becomes the same as in the areas of the head. One year after the procedure, all these differences disappear.

What To Expect

With FUT, a strip of tissue is removed from the donor area. The hairs are then harvested from the follicles and placed wherever your hair needs thickening.

After the donor strip has been removed, the incision is carefully sutured closed. Once the area heals, you will be left with only a very fine linear scar that is virtually undetectable after the surrounding hair grows out.

Contact Our Practice at Istanbul Today

Our clinic is located in the top medical tourism city in Turkey, Istanbul. To learn more about the procedure or to schedule a consultation, contact our surgical facility online or dial (90) 544 165 05 04 (TR).

FAQ FUE in Istanbul Turkey

What are the advantages of Follicular Unit Transplant (FUT) over other hair transplant methods?

One of the biggest advantages of FUT is that a large number of follicle units can be transplanted during one session. The FUT method also has a very high follicle survival rate, making it a great option for patients with limited hair availability in the donor area or those experiencing male or female pattern baldness.

Does the procedure hurt?

Some patients have noted higher levels of discomfort with FUT compared to the FUE procedure due to the potential for swelling where the strip of scalp was removed. However, the recovery time after your FUT procedure is very manageable and pain medication can be prescribed to reduce discomfort if needed.

Why is it called “the strip method”?

FUT is also known as the “strip method” hair transplant because follicles are gathered from your head by carefully removing a strip of scalp and suturing the edges closed. The number of grafts transplanted will equal the number of follicular units that are present in the donor strip before it is harvested.

How long does the procedure take?

The procedure typically takes anywhere from 5 to 8 hours.

How will my donor area look post-procedure?

The FUT procedure typically results in a very narrow linear scar in the back of the head (usually around 1mm in diameter or less in size). The scar is very thin, and can easily be concealed with the surrounding hair so it is virtually undetectable.

Are my results permanent?

Yes. The transplanted hairs are your own and 100% natural. Once transplanted, these hairs will continue to grow.