For genetic, physiological, and environmental reasons, it is not always possible to maintain a thick and lush layer of hair on the head. Unfortunately, it is more common for the opposite to be true. Whether because your father and grandfather are bald and it runs in the family, or because your life is too fast-paced and stressful, the fact is that baldness could not be avoided.
Sometimes this inevitability can only be countered with a hair transplant. When you have tried every method and it is impossible to stop hair loss, there are medical procedures capable of implanting hair to cover the bald spots. If you want to learn about the different methods, you can do so in what are the techniques for hair transplants and how hair is added, as in this article we will discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each of these procedures.
Common Pros and Cons
First, let’s talk about the favorable factors that influence all hair transplant techniques:
- You are your own hair donor. This is a great advantage as it virtually eliminates rejection.
- The process is very quick. The minimum is 1 day, and the maximum depends on you and the area you want to cover with micrografts. The larger the area, the more sessions needed.
- General anesthesia is not required. Only local anesthesia is used.
- You can avoid the discomfort of using a wig or toupee to look younger.
And as a negative factor that influences all hair transplant techniques:
- The high cost of the surgery: one of the most significant disadvantages when making the decision is the cost of hair micrografts. This factor is so crucial that everything initially depends on it. This is the first obstacle everyone encounters when contacting a clinic for information about the surgery.
Once the cost obstacle is overcome, it is time to discuss the pros and cons of each technique used for hair transplants.
Strip Hair Transplant or FUSS
The FUSS technique (Follicular Unit Strip Surgery), FUT, or strip, is a remedy for hair loss that uses the hair transplant as an alternative to baldness and alopecia.
Advantages
- This type of transplant is 50% cheaper than FUE. If the strip operation costs 5,000 dollars, the FUE technique will cost approximately 8,000 $.
- The transplant is cheaper because the process is much faster. An experienced surgeon can cover a much larger area with grafts than with the other technique.
- egasessions can be done. This procedure has the advantage of covering large areas affected by generalized alopecia, as long as there are donor areas available. Up to 10,000 hairs can be implanted in one day, something unattainable with the FUE technique.
- The follicle survival rate is higher since more tissue is extracted in the procedure.
- Hair density in the recipient area is achieved much faster.
- It is not necessary to shave your head.
Disadvantages
- arger scar. What is an advantage for the survival of a greater number of follicles is also a disadvantage. The extraction is done by taking more tissue from the donor area, which leaves a mark.
- There are stitches and more care is needed after the procedure. Obtaining more tissue causes a larger wound. More discomfort in the first few days, and the need for antibiotics and painkillers for the pain.
- A 1 month rest is necessary with this method. Some hair clinics recommend a longer recovery period.
FUE Hair Transplant Technique
The FUE technique is a simple procedure in which the graft is done by obtaining the hair follicles one by one. This method differs from the strip transplant as it does not extract a complete line of scalp from the donor area. The technique involves extracting each follicle, which can contain one or more hairs, with a professional instrument with a diameter between 0.7 and 0.9mm.
Advantages
- The hair transplant is scar-free. Since the extraction is done one by one, the marks are imperceptible to the human eye. This is the main virtue of the FUE technique for many people, as it allows them to wear very short hair in the future without visible scars.
- Much smoother postoperative period. There are no stitches as with the Fuss or strip technique, so after the treatment, you can continue with your normal life. You won’t have the pain and tightness. With the Strip technique, there are cuts and stitches which cause these issues.
- No rest period is required. Physical activities can be resumed the next day, although if you are very athletic, it is advisable to consult with the hair surgeon.
- Accuracy in the number of grafts performed. The follicular units are extracted one by one, resulting in an exact count. You always know the number of grafted follicles, the final price of the transplant, and how much area is being covered. This level of accuracy is not possible with the other technique until the procedure is completed.
- Multiple interventions in a few days. Since there are no stitches in the donor area, follicle extraction can continue as long as the patient desires.
Disadvantages
- It is more expensive because each hair follicle is taken individually. When comparing prices, you see how it increases significantly.
- Each graft takes more time to perform, which prolongs the total time and the number of follicles that can be extracted and implanted each day. This is one of the reasons why the FUE technique costs more.
- For generalized alopecia and baldness, total repopulation is difficult because it requires a lot of time.
- Hair follicles have a lower survival rate as they contain less extracted tissue to protect them.
- In the case of large extractions, the donor area loses density. Some of the adjacent follicles to the manipulated ones do not grow back.
- For interventions of more than 1000 follicular units, it is necessary to shave the head.
Opinion
When considering a hair transplant, you should not dismiss either of these two methods beforehand. Each has its advantages and disadvantages, and choosing one for the hair graft will depend largely on the results you want to achieve.
If you are a person who tends to develop scars easily, with any wound always leaving a mark, the Strip technique will scar worse. This method is usually recommended for covering large bald spots and for people who do not mind having an elongated scar on the nape.
On the other hand, the FUE technique is usually used for smaller bald areas and in cases where the person likes to wear very short hair. It does not leave a scar, so this is not a drawback.
In any case, before undergoing a hair graft, you should consider all the information, talk and consult all doubts with your doctor and even more than one clinic. It is very important to understand all the pros and cons before making a decision beyond the mere price of hair transplants.
To summarize, the advantages of one technique are the disadvantages of the other and vice versa. What one person may consider a pro, another may see as a con. This depends on personal conditions and lifestyle.
Despite the lack of significant health risks, any type of medical or cosmetic intervention should always be considered with the utmost caution. Analyze the pros and cons so that you can take them into account when making your decision and choosing the hair transplant technique.
You can continue to inform yourself in the other sections.