Patients living in Connecticut (CT) have several surgical options for treating their hair loss:
What Are the Types of Hair Transplant Procedures?
A patient undergoing hair restoration in CT may choose from three types of hair transplant procedures: NSH (Non-Strip Harvest), Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE), and Follicular Unit Transplant (FUT). Each of these involve removing hair from the “donor” area on the sides and back of the scalp — where patients possess an excess of permanent hair — and moving it to the thin or bald regions also known as the “recipient” areas. Hair transplants are out-patient procedures that last between four and eight hours.
The various methods differ mainly in the way that the doctor harvests the hair. The hair can be harvested as a small sliver or strip (FUT), as small segments (NSH), or individually “one-by-one” (FUE). After the grafts are removed, they are further refined under microscopes and dissected into individual follicles or “follicular units.” After preparing the grafts, the doctor will numb the recipient area and create small slits or sites for each individual graft. They will then carefully place each graft individually into each recipient slit. This method of creating follicular units and placing them individually into each slit creates the most natural results.
Which Harvesting Method is Best for Me?
FUE is truly for patients who need only small transplants or aren’t candidates for FUT. During an FUE harvest, the doctor uses a small dermal punch tool to individual cut around follicular units and extract them one-by-one from the donor area. When done properly by an experienced and licensed Connecticut hair transplant doctor, the scarring consists of small “dots” and is well hidden even with short hair.
FUT is considered the gold standard of hair transplants. Also called the strip procedure, it is the most popular and common type of hair transplant. During FUT, the surgeon will carefully remove a small sliver or strip of hair from the donor site. The patient is completely numbed with local anesthesia before the harvest and feels nothing during strip removal. After the strip is removed, the area is meticulously closed using sutures or staples. A fine incision-line scar will remain in the donor region. These scars are typically 1mm in width and are easily hidden, even with short hair. FUT allows for the greatest amount of grafts in one sitting, provides the best growth and results, and also allows for more surgery up the road.
What Is the NSH Method?
The NSH method is a new procedure that occupies a middle ground between FUT and FUE. Instead of removing individual follicles or a longer, unified strip of skin, the doctor will remove several small pieces or mini-strips from different parts of the donor area. The patient will thus have smaller, dash scars opposed to one longer linear scar (FUT) or thousands of small dot scars (FUE).
Considering a hair transplant in CT? Know your options. Consult with a Connecticut hair restoration doctor and learn what harvesting method is right for now.
