Clients benefit from the fact that a Strip Hair Transplant (also known as Follicular Unit Transplant, or FUT) is able to yield the kind of density that results in extensive and natural-looking coverage. The FUT procedure begins with a surgeon harvesting hair follicles from a donor area typically located on the back or sides of the patient’s head. Once removed from the donor site, the hair follicle grafts are prepared for transplantation by the surgeon and are then artfully placed in the predetermined recipient areas in a manner consistent with a natural hairline.
Using the FUT technique, a surgeon is able to transplant up to 3,000 grafts from the donor site. With one to three follicles on each graft, this technique often yields between 3,000 and 5,000 transplanted follicles during a single session. Like most hair transplant procedures, a Strip Hair Transplant is performed while the patient is under local anesthesia and typically requires about four hours from beginning to end. Of course, the time required to complete the procedure will depend upon the number of grafts being transplanted, and it is important to note that it is indeed possible to undergo multiple sessions of this technique to achieve a denser head of hair.
Due to the fact that donor tissue is taken from the back or side of the head in the form of a strip (hence the name), this procedure does leave the patient with a horizontal scar. The donor site is selected based on a number of factors, one of which is based on ensuring that the resulting scar is easily covered by the patient’s existing hair and will therefore not be visible following the completion of the procedure. A follow-up visit usually takes place one week after the initial session to remove the sutures, and results can be expected within a six-month timeframe.
