A hair transplant is a procedure in which a dermatological surgeon moves hair to a bald area of the head. The surgeon usually moves hair from the back or side of the head to the front or top of the head. Hair transplants typically occur in a medical office under local anesthesia.

Hair transplants are labour intensive procedures which can take up to 6-9 hours long, and to keep it simple and short, here’s a brief summary of the different techniques for hair transplants (FUE vs FUT).

How FUT or "Strip Surgery" works

The FUT (Follicular Unit Transplant) procedure involves cutting a strip of the patient’s scalp off, before proceeding with slicing to get to the individual hair grafts before transplant. The bare area is usually then sewn up together so that no bald patch can be seen.

• The donor area is identified
• The area meant for harvesting the grafts are marked out on the patient
• Incisions are made following the hair angle to avoid transections of the grafts
• The strip is slivered and sliced to form ‘grafts’ of various configurations – 1, 2, 3 or 4 hairs
• The harvested strip wound is closed with a technique of stitching called "trichophytic suturing"

How FUE (Follicular Unit Extraction/Excision) works

The FUE (Follicular Unit Extraction/Excision) is a labor intensive, detailed procedure which involves punching out hair grafts singularly, to minimize scars and to avoid bald patches on the back of the head. This allows quicker healing, is less invasive than the FUT and requires precision and skill to execute.

• The donor area is identified
• The hair is shaved to approximately 1mm length at the donor area
• Individual hair follicular units or "grafts" are extracted using a rotating punch – manual or motorised – at a density that is appropriate for the procedure.
• These "grafts" get looked at under the microscope to check for their suitability for implantation. Some will get rejected or trimmed further
• The grafts are then manually implanted in the recipient area using forceps or an implanter tool.