Michigan FUT (Follicular Unit Transplantation) in Ann Arbor
Your hair is essential to your identity. Many of our patients have seen how hair loss impacts their father, grandfathers, and uncles and they want to avoid this fate for themselves. Hair loss may be in your genetics, but with FUT hair transplants, it doesn’t have to be a part of your hairline.
FUT (follicular unit transplantation) is an effective hair restoration option for patients that desire a full, thick head of hair. Dr. Pramit Malhotra is a hair transplantation specialist who has helped countless men and women regain their hair; however, he uses the newer FUE technique. Dr. Malhotra’s techniques aim to give you the most natural-looking results possible.
If you are interested in learning more about FUT versus FUE hair restoration in Ann Arbor, MI, we encourage you to schedule a consultation with Dr. Malhotra by contacting us today.
What Is Follicular Unit Transplantation?
FUT is a popular but less common method for hair transplantation that removes a strip of hair-bearing tissue from the back of the head. Individual hair follicles, called grafts, are carefully divided from this strip of skin and transplanted into areas experiencing thinning, usually near the top and front of the scalp. Some people call this method of hair transplantation the “strip method” due to the small strip of tissue that is removed.
What are the Benefits of the FUT Method?
One of the most notable advantages of FUT transplantation is the ability to create significant hair density. The extracted tissue strip can yield thousands of individual hair grafts, often significantly more than can be obtained using FUE hair restoration (follicular unit extraction) or other methods where grafts are removed individually. Using FUT, more than 3,000 grafts can be transferred in a single surgery. Dr. Malhotra will sometimes refer his patients to a colleague if the patient needs more than 3000 grafts in a single setting. Dr. Malhotra exclusively utilizes the FUE technique.
One drawback is that FUT will leave a linear scar on the back of the head, whereas FUE leaves minimal tiny sub 1 millimeter scars.
Am I a Good Candidate for FUT Hair Transplantation in Ann Arbor?
FUT is an effective option for many patients experiencing hair loss. Your candidacy for this procedure will be determined by many factors, including:
- Age: FUT is typically performed on patients over the age of 25. Hair loss in younger patients is less predictable.
- Gender: FUT can be used for both male and female hair restoration.
- Hair Loss Pattern: FUT works best for hair loss that is concentrated in specific areas, like male pattern baldness.
- Preferred Hairstyle: FUT is best for patients that prefer a longer hairstyle, especially in the back of the head where the strip of hair-bearing tissue is removed, otherwise the scar could be visible.
If you’re considering hair restoration, we encourage you to contact our office for a consultation. Meeting with us offers the best way to determine your options. If FUT isn’t your best choice for Michigan hair restoration, we can explore other methods with you, including FUE hair transplantation.
Schedule A Consultation
Our Michigan plastic surgery specialists understand that the difference is in the details when it comes to achieving your desired results. Visit Dr. Malhotra and Dr. Ballard at Ann Arbor Plastic Surgery, schedule your consultation today.
What Happens During FUT Hair Transplant Surgery?
If you do decide that FUT is your best option, we can refer you to one of our trusted colleagues.
Here’s what to expect:
Preparing for Surgery
All hair transplantation methods require careful pre-planning to ensure adequate grafts are obtained from easily concealed areas. For FUT, hair-bearing skin and tissue are removed from the lower back of the scalp. This area is shaved down to stubble length to prepare it for extraction.
The hair and scalp are cleaned using a special antibiotic wash, which decreases the risk of infection after your procedure. To ensure a natural-looking hairline, the surgeon will use a wax marking pen to map out grafting areas, providing maximum coverage with allotted grafts.
Applying a Local Anesthetic
When the area is prepped and ready to go, the surgeon will apply a local anesthetic to numb the harvest site.
Removing the Tissue Strip
The surgeon creates a long incision using a scalpel and removes the tissue strip. This strip of extracted tissue is usually less than 1.5 cm in width. The surgeon will then close the incision using stitches or staples.
Dissecting the Tissue
The strip of tissue is examined while one of their technicians carefully harvests hair follicles for grafting. Technicians count each graft to make sure we extract enough healthy hair follicles to achieve the desired hairline and cover the treatment area.
Implanting the Grafts
After the grafts are ready, the surgeon will use a local anesthetic to prepare the scalp for hair transplantation. This process is highly complex, as each graft must be placed at a specific depth and angle to ensure that grafts look natural.
The surgeon works carefully to create results that will blend seamlessly into the surrounding hair. Hair transplantation is a slow and meticulous process, so plan on spending an entire day with us for this process.
Frequently Asked Questions About Ann Arbor FUT Hair Transplant Surgery
For patients requiring many hair grafts, FUT is often one of the most cost-effective options for hair transplantation. Large session FUT procedures are often about $5 dollars a graft.
Patients who receive FUT often prefer to leave their hair in a longer style, especially in the areas surrounding the extraction site. Slightly longer hair helps to hide any scarring.
FUT’s linear scar is often seen as a drawback. FUT creates a single, linear scar located at the lower back of the scalp, but its location means that it is quickly covered by growing hair, often hidden in a matter of weeks.
Ready to See Your Full Head of Hair?
Do you have thinning hair or hair loss? Do you want to restore your hair and your confidence? Learn about your options for hair restoration in Michigan by calling Ann Arbor Plastic Surgery at (734) 436-2186.