Before you take the plunge and spend thousands of hard-earned pounds on a FUE hair transplant, it’s a good idea to make sure you’re choosing the correct kind of hair transplant procedure for you; there are two main types of hair transplantation, and which one you should opt for will depend on your hair type, your budget, and your own personal preferences.
The two types of hair transplant procedure
The two main types of hair transplant procedure are FUE (Follicular Unit Extraction) hair transplantation, and FUT (Follicular Unit Transplantation) hair transplantation.
FUE involves using fine blades to harvest ‘donor hair’ from another area of the body – often the back and sides of the head – and each individual hair is grafted into tiny cuts made on the top of the scalp. FUT involves taking a thin strip of skin from the back of the head, where hair still grows, and dividing this into pieces with each between 1 and 4 hairs on it. These thin strips of skin are then grafted onto the scalp
It’s also worth mentioning ATP (Advanced Trico Pigmentation); this can’t really be classified as a hair transplant procedure, as it is essentially a procedure to have visual stubble tattooed onto your scalp with a special ink. This obviously isn’t right for everyone, but if you’re only looking to fill out an otherwise shaved head of hair, it’s definitely a cost-effective option.
FUT vs FUE hair transplant
For most men, the primary decision will be between FUT and FUE hair transplants. FUE is the slightly more expensive option, as it involves grafting hairs one-by-one, but it also leaves less scarring which makes it better suited for shorter hairstyles. It’s also generally a quicker procedure, involving less recovery time, so it’s easier to get back to work with no questions asked. FUT is a little cheaper, but it can leave a small scar, so it’s often more advisable to consider FUT for men with slightly longer hairstyles. It’ll also take a little longer to heal.
Ultimately, the decision about whether to opt for FUE or FUT hair transplantation comes down to hairstyle, budget and recovery time. If you’re going to keep your hair short, FUE is probably best if you can afford it. If your budget’s a little tighter, then you may want to consider FUT, but only if the slightly longer downtime won’t keep you up at night.
