Hair Transplant Procedures Compared

Hair Transplant Procedures Compared

In terms of the quality of results, hair transplant surgeries are by far the best option, but they’re also the most expensive. For those in the early stages of male pattern baldness, the better option may be Propecia, or other medications that inhibit hair loss be controlling the production of key hormones, but after a point, these treatments cease to be effective. It’s also true that results vary between patients in terms of hair loss medications, and while sometimes these medications can induce new hair to grow, they’ll likely never restore a full head of hair to its original glory.

On the other hand, there are three different surgical procedures for hair loss that remove hair from the back of the head where it’s least likely to fall out, and then graft it onto the top of your head where baldness is most likely to occur.

While each of these procedures have their merits and limitations, all of them can produce excellent results for hair loss, and the basic concept behind each is the same, it’s simply the process which differs.

Follicular Unit Transplantation (FUT)

FUT or strip replacement involves removing a small strip of tissue from the back of the scalp where the donor follicles will be harvested. They are individually extracted and then transplanted to the donor area. The process tends to be more painful than other methods due to swelling of the area of extraction. The method produces minimal scarring that is easily covered by a couple millimeters of hair. The scar is generally no larger than a couple millimeters

Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE)

Follicular Unit Extraction is the process by which individual hair follicles are extracted from the back of the scalp and then transplanted into the donor area, where hair loss is most prominent. In this instance there is no tissue removed whatsoever. Since follicles are removed individually, as opposed to in strips, it’s typical that in some instances hair density will be less than it once was. However modern advances in the process are working to reduce this issue.

FUE with the ARTAS Robotic System

The ARTAS system is a robotic device that identifies the best possible candidates for follicle extraction. The follicles are identified for density and for exit angle from the scalp to make the process as painless and effective as possible. Typically during an FUE procedure, the hairs are selected at random by the doctor. ARTAS is capable of determining the quality of individual hairs using a video system and analysis algorithm.

“Determining which procedure will be the most effective is something you can discuss with your doctor,” said one hair transplant specialist from Palo Alto. “But the future of FUE surgery is getting better and brighter.”

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