FUT or FUE: Choosing the Right Hair Transplant Option

6 Feb, 2024

A hair transplant has become a hope for several people who dream of a full head of hair. Two types of hair transplantation techniques, FUT and FUE, have proven equally effective in hair loss treatment. Now, the question is which one to choose. When considering a hair transplant, weighing the pros and cons of FUE vs. FUE hair transplant techniques is essential. FUT or strip method is typically a less costly option for hair restoration, and leaves a visible, long linear scar. On the other hand, FUE can offer several benefits, such as a quick recovery, micro-dot undetectable scarring, and precise graft placement. Consulting with a hair transplant specialist can be beneficial to determine which approach aligns best with your requirements and preferences in the FUE vs FUT pros and cons comparison.

What are the Types of Hair Transplants?

There are two main types of hair transplant techniques:

  1. FUT (Follicular Unit Transplantation)
  2. FUE (Follicular Unit Extraction)

Both methods are known to be safe and effective in restoring thicker, natural-looking hair.

FUE Hair Transplant

What is a FUE Hair Transplant?

With FUE hair transplantation, each follicular unit is individually extracted from the scalp one-by-one in a well-defined pattern, minimizing noticeable thinning in the donor area. Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) involves harvesting hair through tiny circular incisions on the scalp.

There are two main types of FUE hair transplants:

  1. Manual FUE
  2. Robotic or motorised FUE

In a Manual FUE hair transplant, a physician uses a handheld device to extract individual hair follicles.

On the other hand, a Robotic FUE procedure uses a motorized hair transplant extraction device guided by the physician. This advanced medical technology ensures unparalleled precision and accuracy but remains surgeon dependent for best results.

What is the Average Cost of FUE?

In India, the cost starts from around Rs 50,000 and can go up to Rs 300,000 per day. The total cost of an FUE hair transplant depends on the skill of the hair transplant surgeon, number of grafts, donor area quality, grade of baldness and protocol standards.

What is the Success Rate of FUE?

FUE transplants can achieve better success rates comparable to the traditional FUT method, boasting graft survival rates of 90%. The procedure's success rate can be impressive at close to 100% when using motorised FUE technology. The success rate depends on the performance of the physician's proficiency, expertise, and experience.

FUT Hair Transplant

What is a FUT Hair Transplant?

Follicular Unit Transplantation, also called the "strip method," involves extracting a slender piece of tissue from the rear of the scalp. The individual follicular units are subsequently dissected from the strip using stereo-microscopic techniques.

What is the Average Cost of FUT?

In India, the FUT hair transplant technique costs around Rs 20,000 and can go up to Rs 250,000 per day, depending on the case size. Typically, FUT is cheaper compared to FUE procedure.

What is the Success Rate of FUT?

The success rate of hair transplants relies on the expertise of hair transplant surgeons. A seasoned medical practitioner can achieve high success rates for FUT transplants but in general, the graft survival ratio is around 50% only.

FUT vs FUE: Which Hair Transplant Method is Best?

Both methods are effective and efficient in promoting hair regrowth, but the success rates of FUE hair transplants is better than FUT. FUE is also an undetectable hair transplant while FUT leaves a long linear scar.