Hair transplant surgery is great for both men and women. We offer two different types of hair transplant surgery: follicular unit transplantation (FUT) and follicular unit extraction (FUE). Hair transplant surgery is for patients who have thinning hair, a receding hairline or balding. Hair transplants are not only for the hair on your head, but can also be done for eyebrow and beard transplantation.
Hair transplants are performed on a wide age range of patients depending on their stage of hair loss. Some patients require more than one hair transplant surgery, depending on how many grafts are needed to reach their final goal. The best way to know if you are a good candidate would be to come in for a hair transplant consultation.
Follicular Unit Transplantation (FUT)
Most people refer to this method as the “strip method”. With the FUT method, a strip of hair is extracted from the lower back of the head to obtain grafts from. The FUT method is a better option for those that like to where their hair a little longer because it hides the linear scar on the back of the head.
Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE)
With the NeoGraft FUE method, each hair follicle is removed one by one from the donor area and then transplanted to the bald or thinning area (s) on the head. Many patients will choose this method if they do not want a visible scar, wear their hair short, or have thinner hair. Instead of having an linear scar, you will have small 1 millimeter punch marks on the back of your head only visible when the hair is completely shaved.
Recovery Time
Recovery time for both methods is extremely fast. Patients can usually resume their normal activities within two to three days with minimal restrictions. The newly transplanted grafts typically fall out around week two or three. This is referred to as the shedding process and is completely normal. After the shedding process is complete, you will start to see new growth within three to four months. Most patients see full results approximately 12-14 months after your surgery date.
Medications
Minoxidil and Rogaine are two over-the-counter medications that treat male and female pattern baldness. Drs. Thompson and Henstrom often recommend Propecia (Finasteride) to patients that are showing signs of baldness or thinning hair. All of these medications will help the patient hang on to the hair that they have and can also be used following hair transplant surgery.
For more information about hair transplant surgery at Utah Facial Plastics, call 801-776-2220.