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If you’ve been troubled by thinning hair, you may have considered a hair replacement procedure. Today’s advanced science has given us many different options for effective hair replacement, but sometimes the choices can get confusing. Today, we’ll talk about the difference between two state-of-the-art hair transplant procedures that both give you permanent, natural-looking hair replacement: FUE and FUT hair transplants.

There are a lot of similarities between the two options. Both are hair transplant procedures that use grafts of hair follicles and place them into areas where the hair is thinning. Both produce permanent results that look like your natural hair. They both use high-precision techniques to delicately remove and insert tiny hair grafts in a way that looks completely natural and fills in thinning areas. Both FUT and FUE are effective hair transplant procedures that work for different people. So how can you decide which is right for you? The first step is knowing the facts about each hair transplant option.

FUT, or Follicular Unit Transplant, is a surgical option that is also called a strip transplant because it involves removing a very thin strip of hair from the area on the back of the scalp, where the hair is thicker. When the strip of hair is removed, the area is stitched together and leaves a linear scar that is hidden by the thicker hair in that area. The follicles in that strip of hair are then carefully separated into grafts of one or more hair follicles. Your Hair Replacement Institute surgeon then re-creates a natural hairline by strategically inserting single-follicle grafts, then the area behind the hairline is filled in with a natural-looking pattern of grafts that contain two or three hair follicles. 

With FUE, or Follicular Unit Excision (or Follicular Unit Extraction), grafts aren’t harvested in a row. Instead, they are taken one follicle at a time from different areas around the scalp with thicker hair and placed strategically to re-create the hairline and fill in thinning areas. Because the grafts are taken this way, there is no linear scar that might look pronounced on someone who prefers very short, buzz-style haircuts. Our NeoGraft FUE hair transplant system at the Hair Restoration Institute is minimally invasive and uses no stitches, so you’ll have no noticeable scar and can return to your regular activities quickly.

Each person’s hair replacement needs are different because many factors determine which procedure is right for that individual. These include hair growth patterns, hair loss patterns, style considerations, and other factors. 

Advantages of the FUT option include:

• You don’t need to shave for the procedure – in fact, hair is generally kept longer in the back to cover the linear scar.
• In general, FUT procedures take less time than an FUE procedure. This varies with the individual because some people need more grafts than others.
• FUT can provide more grafts than FUE for people who need a larger number of grafts for natural-looking hair replacement. 
• FUT is generally less expensive than FUE.

The advantages of FUE include:

• There is no visible linear scar left from an FUE procedure.
• You can wear your hair extremely short because no scars are visible.
• FUE can be a good option for people who only need a few hair grafts for a lightly thinning area.

Every hair transplant procedure involves skill and artistry to properly arrange hair grafts to create a natural-looking head of hair. Both FUE and FUT hair transplants are permanent, minimally invasive, and provide great results. Your Hair Restoration Institute medical professional will meet with you to discuss your needs and desired results to determine the best hair replacement plan for you.

Are you concerned about thinning hair? Our experienced professionals at the Hair Restoration Institute can help. We offer live consultations at our DFW location and virtual consultations at our MN location. Make an appointment today to get started with a free, private consultation. You can find us at 8030 Old Cedar Ave S #202 in Bloomington. MN or at 1201 West Lancaster Avenue in Fort Worth, Texas, or call 612-588-HAIR (4247) in Minnesota or 817-854-HAIR (4247) in Dallas/Fort Worth for a complimentary consultation.