Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) VS. Strip Harvesting

Many of my patients have been reading about the supposed superiority of Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) versus Strip Harvesting during hair transplant surgery. Be aware that it is very important to separate the marketing from the actual science. Both techniques involve cutting the skin. There is no such thing as a scarless technique for hair transplants.

Both techniques produce the same sized graft. Both techniques leave scar/s which may, or may not, be visible to the naked eye. The difference being that FUE produces small, circular, dot type scars that may also have a white coloured appearance. Strips produce linear scars that may have hair growing back through them and be very difficult to see with the naked eye. Short haircuts are usually possible with either of the techniques but shaving the entire head will probably show scars with either of the techniques.