FOLLICULAR UNIT TRANSPLANTATION (FUT) IS A HAIR RESTORATION TECHNIQUE WHERE A PATIENT'S HAIR IS TRANSPLANTED IN NATURALLY OCCURRING GROUPS OF 1 TO 4 HAIRS, CALLED FOLLICULAR UNITS.FOLLICULAR UNITS ALSO CONTAIN SEBACEOUS (OIL) GLANDS, NERVES, A SMALL MUSCLE, AND OCCASIONAL FINE VELLUS HAIRS. IN FOLLICULAR UNIT TRANSPLANTATION THESE SMALL UNITS ALLOW THE SURGEON TO SAFELY TRANSPLANT THOUSANDS OF GRAFTS IN A SINGLE SESSION, WHICH MAXIMIZES THE COSMETIC IMPACT OF THE PROCEDURE
TRANSPLANTING INTACT HAIR LIVE HAIR FOLLICLE UNIT FROM PERMANENT HAIR ZONE( DONOR AREA) TO BALD AREA( RECIPIENT AREA) IS KNOWN AS FUT.
Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE)
THIS METHOD IS BEST FOR ADDRESSING SMALL TO MEDIUM SIZE AREAS.
IN THIS METHOD SINGLE FOLLICULAR UNITS EXTRACTED FROM THE BACK PORTION OF THE SCALP (DONOR AREA) AND THEY ARE TRANSPLANTED ON TO BALD AREA (RECIPIENT AREA). THESE FOLLICLES SHOULD BE EXTRACTED FROM THE PERMANENT HAIR BEARING ZONE ONLY. FOLLICLES WHICH ARE EXTRACTED VERY NEAR TO THE CROWN OR NAPE OF NECK MAY GO INTO BALDNESS IF THE DONOR AREA IS STILL SUSCEPTIBLE FOR BALDING.
AS THIS IS A BLIND TECHNIQUE, IT INVOLVES LOT OF WASTAGE THAT MAY VARY FROM 5-30% DEPENDING UPON THE CASE AND DONOR HAIR CHARACTERISTICS. THESE FOLLICLES ARE EXTRACTED USING A PUNCH. THERE ARE SEVERAL TYPES OF PUNCHES FOR EXTRACTING FU S BUT THE SIZES OF PUNCHES ARE VERY IMPORTANT. GENERALLY SIZES LESS THAN 1MM ARE PREFERRED.
THIS IS A COSTLY AFFAIR AS IT TAKES LONGER TIME.
FUE DOESN'T LEAVE A LINEAR SCAR LIKE FUT,BUT IT LEAVES TINY SCARE AT THE DONOR SITE, IN SOME PATIENTS THIS MIGHT GIVE MOTTLED APPEARANCE WHEN CLOSELY SHAVED. SO IT IS CAN NOT TO BE CALLED AS A SCARLESS PROCEDURE.
