We have finally reached an era in hair restoration where beautiful results are possible. We are no longer moving large clumps or plugs of hair, but rather we are focused on the artistic placement of the hair follicle.

A follicular unit hair transplant (FUT) is considered the “gold standard” of hair restoration options. In this procedure, a strip of skin is excised as a long ellipse from the donor site and sutured closed into a fine line. The hair follicles are hand dissected using sterile technique on a side table using magnification. The single hairs are sorted from the larger units and are then planted into pockets in the recipient site. The procedure is performed under local anesthesia and allows our team to produce truly beautiful results.

Dr. Benjamin Paul is our lead FUT surgeon at HairCareMD. He is a double board certified facial plastic and head and neck surgeon who did over 6 years of training in head and neck surgery. He has been performing FUT since 2014 and has done thousands of procedures. He is the single most experienced facial plastic surgeon performing hair transplant in NYC. As a plastic surgeon, he is uniquely skilled in placing not only superficial sutures but a scaffold of deep dissolving sutures to ensure your incision lines heals as beautifully and inconspicuously as possible. Dr. Paul is meticulous in his closure.

• The two main forms of hair transplant are FUT, follicular unit transfer, and FUE, follicular unit extraction. Both techniques isolate the individual hair follicle and differ in the method of harvest.
• In FUT, a surgical strip is used and the individual hair follicles are hand dissected on a side table.
• In FUE, hairs are removed with a micro-punch rather than a scalpel. FUE is not always suitable for patients who have tight curly hair, white hair, or women.
• Hair plugs are an outdated form of hair transplant where clumps of hair follicles are transferred. The results are unnatural, and we do not perform this procedure.

• What happens during the first visit consultation?
  • During your first visit, you will meet with the physician to discuss your concerns and your goals. Your hair will be examined. The underlying cause and pattern of your hair loss will be identified. The options for treatment will be reviewed. You will be presented with individualized surgical and non-surgical options.
• How do I prepare for a FUT hair transplant?
  • If you are a candidate for an FUT hair transplant, the team will provide you with thorough instructions before your procedure.
  • For most patients, no medical clearance is required as the procedure is performed under local anesthesia. If you are required to obtain a medical clearance, we will let you know in advance and support you with this process.
• The procedure – what to expect on the day of FUT hair transplant surgery
  • The morning of the procedure, you will meet with the physician and discuss your plan for the procedure. The markings for the recipient site will be drawn.
  • For FUT, the hair to be extracted is shaved. The hair above and below the harvest zone is kept long. This ensures that the sutures are hiding within your hair after closure.
  • You will be face-down for the harvest. Local anesthesia is gently injected. There are patients who ask for a deeper level of anesthesia, and we are happy to be able to provide this upon advanced request. The harvest takes about 45 minutes. You will have sutures placed by the physician. We place both superficial and deep sutures, which is classic of facial plastic surgery. This prevents a widened scar. We NEVER use staples as this can damage nearby hair.
  • For the rest of the day, you will be on your back.
  • Next, “sites” or pockets are made by the physician. This sets the artistry of the result and is a key reason to choose our office. Artistry varies significantly between clinicians. The sites do not just determine the distribution and spread of the hair follicles, but also sets the exit angulation, which is fundamental to creating a gorgeous result that blends in naturally.
  • The final step of a hair transplant is placement of the hairs into the sites. This process will be performed with two skilled team members working simultaneously. Your physician will be guiding the team and adjusting the design aesthetic as needed.
  • At the conclusion of the hair transplant, most patients have a wrap placed on their head.
  • The instructions for after care will be reviewed prior to discharge.
• What is the recovery from FUT hair transplant surgery
  • Patients have minimal discomfort and are able to work from home the next day.
  • The wrap on the head is removed at home the next day. If you feel uneasy removing your wrap, you will be given an option to have on of our skilled team members visit your home or hotel to remove the wrap.
  • Most patients can wear a baseball cap the next day.
  • Using a modification in technique which you will be taught, patients are encouraged to gently wash the hair two days after the procedure.
  • Activity that produces sweating or rubbing on the grafts is avoided for two weeks.
  • Most can return to workplace after once week, though some can return even sooner.
• What is the follow up after an FUT hair transplant
  • Patients return to the office a week and a half after the procedure for a check in. Sutures are removed at this time. If you are travelling, we can place dissolving sutures that do not need to be removed. We do NOT use staples in the closure.
  • We next see patients 6-12 months after the procedure, or sooner if any questions or concerns arise.
• When can I expect to see results
• The hairs that are moved in an FUT will grow for 3 weeks to 3 months then shed. At 3-6 months, the follicle has “taken” and is resting under the skin in the recipient site. At 6-18 months, the transplanted hairs grow. They will then grow for life. Classically, patients see 80% of the result at 8 months.

To this day, FUT is considered the gold standard of hair restoration. FUT is a fabulous technique to harvest a lot of hair at one time as all the hairs in the strip will be used in the transplant. It is also a technique that maximizes viability of the hairs that are transferred. FUT is excellent for curly hair, white hair, fragile hair, old hair in both men and women.

• You should not do an FUT if you are unwilling to have a suture line (fine line scar) in your donor site, likely the back of your head.
• Patients who are on blood thinners, have no donor laxity, and heal by forming keloids (raised scars) may not be candidates for FUT.
• During your consultation, you will be evaluated to ensure you are a candidate for FUT.