Follicular Unit Transplantation (FUT) is the most popular and well-established hair restoration surgery ever developed. In an FUT, or “strip method,” procedure, Dr. Gray removes a strip of donor follicles from a DHT-resistant area of the scalp. The strip is then carefully dissected into single, double or triple follicular units for transplantation. Tiny incisions are then made in the recipient area where androgenetic alopecia has caused hair loss. The newly transplanted hair follicles continue to grow in their new sites just as they did before the procedure.
This procedure is identical to the FUE surgery in the way the follicles are placed in the recipient area; the follicular harvesting method is what makes the procedures different. Follicular Unit Transplant at the Hair Transplant & Restoration Center is unique because patients work directly with Dr. Gray to plan the procedure, and because Hair Follicle Regeneration treatment is included.
Dr. Gray is one of very few hair transplant surgeons who are proactive about recovery before you even leave our office. At the end of the procedure, Dr. Gray administers a very long-acting local anesthetic, used in operating rooms, to help patients recover from surgery and decrease their dependence on narcotics. For our purposes, the pain relief lasts well beyond the end of the procedure; we have patients who drive themselves three hours home after surgery because of Dr. Gray's planning.
Hair Transplant to Resolve Androgenetic Alopecia
FUT hair transplants are effective because healthy follicles are moved to the area of the scalp where they are needed. Miniaturizing follicles are affected by the hormone DHT, and the most vulnerable follicles are found in the crown mid-scalp and along the front hairline. For a FUT procedure, Dr. Gray harvests donor hair from the part of the head where follicles are most likely to be resistant to DHT, and when moved to areas of baldness, these follicles continue to grow just like they did at the original site. Throughout the procedure, Dr. Gray uses Hair Follicle Regeneration to protect the fragile transplanted follicles.
The Strip Method of Hair Transplantation
Follicular Unit Transplantation is called the strip method because the surgeon removes a strip of donor hair from the safe zone where follicles are resistant to DHT. The placement of follicular unit grafts is essentially the same in both FUE and FUT procedures. Your final results will be determined by the quality and quantity of grafts obtained during the harvesting procedure and the density in which they are transplanted. Since both options involve their own unique benefits and drawbacks, Dr. Gray will help you decide which is right for you.
What to Expect at HT&RC
Dr. Gray is uniquely qualified, from 30 years in the OR as an anesthesiologist, to ensure your comfort throughout your FUT procedure. Always concerned about your comfort, he uses great care in administering the local anesthetic to result in the least amount of discomfort during injection. While you are under anesthesia, Dr. Gray will remove a small strip of tissue from the donor area. The strip is then dissected into many tiny follicular units -- grafts of 1, 2, or 3 individual hairs. The grafts are then transplanted via tiny incisions, called recipient sites, to create the new hairline based on your personalized hair restoration plan. Dr. Gray creates the recipient incision sites to mimic the precise pattern and angle of your growing hair. He executes this strategy with an artistic eye and expert precision to achieve an unbelievably natural-looking hairline that reflects natural hair growth.
Hair transplant procedure:
- Local anesthesia is used on the scalp to provide the patient with the most comfortable experience possible.
- A donor strip is skillfully taken from the area of the head that is most resistant to balding.
- Under a microscope, the individual follicular units are removed from the strip.
- Tiny incisions in the scalp are made for recipient sites of the hair follicles using a fine needle-point instrument.
- Individual follicular units are placed into the recipient sites in the areas of hair loss.
- Hair Follicle Regeneration is applied to promote healing and stimulate hair growth.
- A very long acting local anesthetic is injected for prolonged pain relief after the procedure.
While strip harvesting provides natural results because of the size and precision of the surgery, the natural-looking aspect of follicular unit transplantation is, in part, determined by the artistic ability of the doctor performing the transplant. During your consultation, Dr. Gray and his staff will take photographs and study your hair pattern to determine where the individual follicular units need to be placed in order to achieve the most natural-looking results.
Be Part of a Comprehensive Plan
At the Hair Transplant & Restoration Center, the conversation doesn’t begin and end with transplantation. You’ll work with Dr. Gray to develop a custom and comprehensive hair loss treatment plan. He may recommend other clinically proven solutions in addition to an FUT procedure to prevent future thinning or to improve your results. The inclusion of Hair Follicle Regeneration in your transplant is just one example of how Dr. Gray combines solutions to give you the best possible hair restoration experience. Contact us today to schedule a consultation in Macon, GA.
