FUT hair treatment entails a patient receiving a follicular unit transplant, in an attempt to overcome significant balding of the scalp. It is estimated that around two-thirds of men will face some degree of hair loss in his lifetime, and about half of women will be impacted by hair loss too. Balding can be a sensitive topic for many people, as our hair is one of the first things others notice about us when we meet them. Those who are feeling insecure about their hair thinning and are unable to battle their baldness on their own, may find that FUT hair transplants gives them their sense of self back.
Q: What is the process of FUT transplants?
A: Follicular unit transplants (or otherwise known as strip FUT), is when a doctor removes healthy hair follicles along with a strip of scalp skin, and then grafts it into the balding area. This strip of “donor” hair and skin is usually taken from the posterior scalp zone. The size of these linear horizontal donor strips depends on the severity of the balding in the patient. The more balding, the more number of grafts are needed.
Q: What happens after a donor strip is harvested?
A: Once a donor strip is gathered, the wound is typically closed using dissolvable sutures, external staples, and/or normal sutures. The harvested strip is cut into groupings of around four hairs in preparation for transplantation. The quality of preservation the doctor is able to keep for these donor hairs is key to giving the patient a more natural, realistic look after the procedure.
Q: Who can benefit the most from FUT transplants?
A: Patients who like to wear their hair in longer styles can benefit the most from FUT transplants. Due to the linear harvesting of the hair follicles and scalp, a scar may be left behind. However, patients with long strands of native hair can easily camouflage these scars.
Q: Do FUT transplants last a lifetime?
A: The results after a FUT procedure should last the rest of the patient’s life. There may be hair thinning as a person gets older, but this is often due to the natural progression of life as we age. If a patient goes through hormonal changes, the hair that is vulnerable to balding may be impacted but transplanted hair should remain unchanged.
Q: What does the recovery process look like?
A: Recovery time can vary based on the person and the degree of balding. In general, the surgical wounds will close and heal in about a week and a half. The site where hair was transplanted may have little crusting associated with the hair grafts. But, these crusts should clear within a week.
Patients may be encouraged to wash their hair a couple times a day for the first few days to gently remove these crusts. After that, a patient can wash their hair as often as they normally would prior to the procedure. Exercise should be avoided for about a month, if it causes tension of the harvested area of the scalp.
Resources:
Wikipedia, Hair Treatment