Follicular Unit Grafting

Dr. Boden with patient

The days of “plugs and corn rows” are gone, and the age of single follicular unit transplantation has arrived. Using these naturally occurring hair grafts along with new and improved instrumentation, the accomplished hair transplantation surgeon can create a natural hair appearance appropriate for each individual patient.

FUT Hair Transplant entails harvesting a long, narrow strip of hair from the back of the scalp. The incision is then expertly closed using a trichophytic closure technique. The fine-line scar is easily covered by the surrounding hair, even when the hair is cut short.

Single hair grafts have the finest and softest appearance. They provide the critical soft frontal hairline that transitions to thicker hair. Reconstructing a new hairline requires surgical as well as artistic skill. It is critically important to get it right the first time, and thus, it requires considerable forethought, planning, and customization to each individual.

 

During FUT strip harvesting, all hair grafts are dissected and sorted under microscope.

Follicular units are naturally occurring distinct groupings of usually one to four terminal hairs. The use of individual follicular unit grafts, in contrast to older techniques using larger micrografts (2-3 follicles) or mini grafts (containing 4-6 or more follicles), helps ensure that the cosmetic result of the transplant is completely natural-appearing. Dr. Boden utilizes the singular follicular unit technique exclusively and works with highly trained technicians who specialize in this procedure.

Follicular unit transplantation improves patient satisfaction because many grafts may be safely transplanted per session. Meticulously placing individual grafts very close together (“dense packing”) allows Dr. Boden to successfully and naturally restore your hair in the best way possible. The evolution of microscopic dissection and follicular unit transplantation has allowed this procedure to be practical for other parts of the body, including eyebrows, eyelashes, mustaches and beards. It has also become much more viable as an alternative for female pattern hair loss, which is usually more diffuse.

The side effects of hair transplantation surgery are relatively minor and may include mild discomfort after the procedure, temporary swelling, and the appearance of redness over the transplanted area. Serious problems such as bleeding, scarring, and infection are rare. Modern hair transplantation surgery is comfortable and predictable, and most patients are extremely pleased with the results.

Since hair loss may be a life-long process, it is important to anticipate the possibility of ongoing loss and to plan your hair transplant procedure appropriately. Dr. Boden will consider the likelihood of further hair loss and will discuss with you how to plan your hair restoration procedure so that you will have the optimum results now and in the future.