What are Follicular Units?

[Falconny]

Could someone please explain what a follicular unit really is? I had a look on Wikipedia and no information there! I understand hair grows in naturally occurring 1's 2's 3's and 4 hairs, but what defines this?

 

Are 4 naturally growing hairs in a follicular unit not just 4 single hairs? What is the method a Doctor uses to identify a FU?

 

Are the FU's chemically / Biologically bonded together?

 

Sorry for the question, I just cannot get my head around it, does anyone have a link to a site with diagrams as this may help me understand?

 

Thanks

[Falconny]

Could someone please explain what a follicular unit really is? I had a look on Wikipedia and no information there! I understand hair grows in naturally occurring 1's 2's 3's and 4 hairs, but what defines this?

 

Are 4 naturally growing hairs in a follicular unit not just 4 single hairs? What is the method a Doctor uses to identify a FU?

 

Are the FU's chemically / Biologically bonded together?

 

Sorry for the question, I just cannot get my head around it, does anyone have a link to a site with diagrams as this may help me understand?

 

Thanks

[Bill - Seemiller]

Billonny,

 

Follicular units are hairs naturally occuring in close proximity typically in 1, 2, 3, or 4 hair groupings.

 

Hairs at a very close proximity (such as those in the below picture) would be considered follicular units.

 

 

Typically there is an obvious gap between these units or groupings of hairs which is easily distinguishable by physicians and well trained technicians especially when using microscopes to dissect them.

 

Below is a picture after follicular units have been trimmed under microscopes.

 

 

I hope this helps further answer your question.

 

Best wishes,

 

Bill

[Bill - Seemiller]

Second Picture

[Falconny]

Cheers,

 

I think I have almost got the idea here!

I read that the average head would have in the region of 110,000 hairs, but how is that broken down into FU's? Do an even number of 1,2,3,4's grow evenly over the entire scalp. I do realise that most hairlines are made up of 1's and that a doctor may split 2,3,4's achieve this. When a doctor removes the donor strip will he typically find a mix of FU's? Is it possible that they may only be 1' and 2's and the Dr. may have to fabricate a 3 and a 4 by bundling them together?

 

Also are all FU's placed into the same size incision in the recipient area?

 

Again, sorry if we are going over old ground here, but so much information all over the net, it's getting confusing.

 

Thanks