FUT or Strip technique has been the traditional method of donor harvest for some time, and is still the best option in majority of hair loss patients, especially for men with advanced grades of balding. It can give easily give 2000-4000 grafts depending upon donor site density. Each graft will contain 2-4 hair. Strip procedures, are a team effort. After harvest of the strip by Dr. Parag he will close the donor area carefully using the trichophytic closure technique so as to avoid visible scar at back of the head. The other team members will cut the grafts under magnification and will implant them in the recipient area. Dr. Parag will plan hairline for you in consultation with your suggestions and personally implant hairs at the front.

A Typical FUT Transplant

Donor scar after FUT – Practically invisible

You will arrive at the centre at 8 am after having tea at 6 am and nothing taken orally after that. You will be asked to change into the OR clothes. Dr. Parag will plan hairline for you. This is done according to mutually agreed plan He will then trim the hair only in the area from where strip needs to be harvested. The dimensions of the strip depend upon the donor site density and laxity of scalp skin. Generally the width is between 1 – 1.5 cm but the length can b vary from 20-30 cms.

The strip is harvested from from the permanent zone so all the hair implanted will be permanent. Even large strip procedures with 2500 FU plus grafts, can be repeated over again if the donor area is suitable. The second session can be planned after a gap of 6-8 months. The entire procedure is done under local anesthesia. The donor area is sutured to leave a thin, almost invisible scar that the surrounding hair will conceal and would be virtually impossible to detect it even if one were to look for it while combing. The sutures will dissolve on their own.

Follicular unit under magnification

Grafts in PRP solution

Advantages of follicular unit transplant

• Since FUT unit grafts are trimmed under a magnification chances of damage to the roots is minimal. This ensures that grafts grow well after they are transplanted.
• We can do “mega sessions” of between 1500 to 2500 grafts.
• More number of grafts can be put in single session compared to FUE thus giving reasonably good density.
• The follicular units survival is better that when mini/micro( FUE) grafts are used.