Is Follicular Unit Extraction Right for You?
Posted on Tue, Jun 19, 2012 @ 06:00 AM
If you’ve finally decided to take a stand against the forward march of your genetic hair loss, then you may be turning to fellow hair loss sufferers or the internet for advice. And as you do this, you may be hearing about two of the most advanced and most commonly practiced surgical hair restoration techniques.
These procedures are called follicular unit transplantation and follicular unit extraction. Follicular unit transplantation, or FUT, is the longer established of the two options. This technique has been available for many years and is one of the most common and popular forms of elective outpatient surgery. FUT involves numbing the scalp area with a local anesthetic and then removing a small strip of skin from an area of healthy hair growth. The strip is then divided into miniscule pieces, or grafts, which are transplanted to an area in need of new follicles.
Follicular Unit Extraction: How Does it Work?
By comparison, follicular unit extraction is a newer procedure that relies on an advanced technique to isolate healthy follicles for transplant. Instead of a cutting approach, a surgeon performing follicular unit extraction removes each follicular unit individually from the scalp using a precision instrument called the Safe System. Once removed, these units of two or three follicles each are examined using high powered stereo microscopes. The healthiest follicles are transplanted to a recipient area with no pain, no risk, very short healing times, and excellent results. Follicular unit extraction is considered ideal for those who would like to avoid an incision or a potential scar at the donor site. The procedure leaves no scar at all, so the hair can be worn short and the scalp heals within a few days after only minor itching. If follicular unit extraction seems right for you, contact your hair restoration surgeon for further detail.
DiStefano Hair Restoration Center is committed to helping men and women take charge of their appearance and self-esteem through hair restoration options. For more than 16 years, DiStefano has been at the forefront of the hair transplantation industry, and has performed more than 5,000 successful hair transplant procedures.