FUE before Strip

[morehair4me]

If you get a strip from an area where you already got FUE, does the strip yield less grafts? In other words does getting FUE first risk future strip procedures? If so, should you get strip prior to doing FUE?

[ultimate]

Strip First and then FUE - Always, specially if you are NW4 plus.

[TC17]

Yes, the strip would yield less grafts, but the ultimate number of grafts would remain the same regardless if you go with strip or FUE first.

 

If the strip had 100 grafts per sq cm, and you take 20 out via FUE, the strip would only yield 80 grafts per sq cm. But, when you combine the 20 from FUE with the 80 from strip, you'd get the same number of grafts.

[morehair4me]

Thanks TC17, that makes sense and I am glad to hear you ultimately get the same number of grafts.

 

In that case, it sounds like it does not matter if you do FUE or strip first.

[morehair4me]

Originally posted by ultimate:

Strip First and then FUE - Always, specially if you are NW4 plus.

 

Ultimate, why should you do strip before FUE? Is the reason so you can have FUE grafts placed into the scar from the strip?

 

If someone is not concerned with the scar then I am assuming it does not matter which one is done first. Unless there is another reason for doing strip before FUE that I am not aware of.

[ultimate]

As TC17 mentioned the ultimate number of grafts would remain the same regardsless which is first.

However, the reason why you should do strip first has other reasons.

 

When you do FUE first and then strip - that particular donor zone gets depleted (thinned out). Remember when you get FUE the doctors 'pick and choose' grafts from the donor zone meaning you donor area would not have the same density around.

 

Ask yourself, why would you get Strip later after FUE? simple reason - you would you need more hair. So, if you need a second/third procedure after FUE then whats the point in doing FUE first knowing you might need strip after.

FUE is suitable for Mild hair loss sufferers or touching up sessions such as hairline.

 

With strip your removing a layer of skin and some people can get even four surgeries and thus leaving FUE for *Reserve*, since hairloss is unpredictable.

 

Another thing, with FUE yields tend to be lower than strip. Again, why would you want to have less yield initially when its so important to get maximum yield.

 

Some people get FUE first because they are against scar. Before i had my surgery last month, i was too. However, looking at my scar now i dont think its that much of a big deal which is why i would do strip on my second surgery until my elasticity tightens. Then i would do FUE at the end to close scar after i have a decent head of hair.

 

One of the other thing to consider is there are not many competant FUE doctoes yet. Only a handfull at the moment. That said, there are some potential skillfull FUE doctors in the 'pipeline'.

 

So you see see that its wise to do strip first while waiting for more competant FUE docotors (and technology)in the coming years.

[TC17]

My post assumes that no surrounding grafts have been damaged from the first FUE session and that the survival rate of grafts taken is relatively high. Right now, on average, strip is easier, more predictable, and capable of producing better results than FUE.

 

That being said, FUE technology is continuing to evolve and is starting to rival strip in growth rate. Assuming you're young and minimally balding, I think starting off with FUE is a wise decision in spite of the fact that you might ultimately get less total grafts because you give yourself far greater flexibility for the future.

[TC17]

One final thing to consider. If you go the strip route first, you're committing yourself to a lifetime of a strip scar. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but for many people it is. If you go FUE first, and the FUE is performed properly, you're committing yourself to a lifetime of very small, oftentimes unnoticeable FUE scars.

 

You can always do strip down the road if you need more grafts, but you can't get rid of that strip scar. If you don't need a lot of grafts right now, I see no reason other than cost to go strip at this point.

[morehair4me]

Originally posted by ultimate:

As TC17 mentioned the ultimate number of grafts would remain the same regardsless which is first.

However, the reason why you should do strip first has other reasons.

 

When you do FUE first and then strip - that particular donor zone gets depleted (thinned out). Remember when you get FUE the doctors 'pick and choose' grafts from the donor zone meaning you donor area would not have the same density around.

 

Ask yourself, why would you get Strip later after FUE? simple reason - you would you need more hair. So, if you need a second/third procedure after FUE then whats the point in doing FUE first knowing you might need strip after.

FUE is suitable for Mild hair loss sufferers or touching up sessions such as hairline.

 

With strip your removing a layer of skin and some people can get even four surgeries and thus leaving FUE for *Reserve*, since hairloss is unpredictable.

 

Another thing, with FUE yields tend to be lower than strip. Again, why would you want to have less yield initially when its so important to get maximum yield.

 

Some people get FUE first because they are against scar. Before i had my surgery last month, i was too. However, looking at my scar now i dont think its that much of a big deal which is why i would do strip on my second surgery until my elasticity tightens. Then i would do FUE at the end to close scar after i have a decent head of hair.

 

One of the other thing to consider is there are not many competant FUE doctoes yet. Only a handfull at the moment. That said, there are some potential skillfull FUE doctors in the 'pipeline'.

 

So you see see that its wise to do strip first while waiting for more competant FUE docotors (and technology)in the coming years.

 

Thanks ultimate. I guess where I was coming from is that, while I still need to consult with doctors, I don't think I will need a huge session. I am diffuse thinner and wanted to focus on the hairline and the front section as it is most obvious there but I still pretty much have coverage everywhere. Because of that I was assuming I would have FUE which I thought would be best for smaller sessions. However, I know I will probably have more surgeries as I get older as I am currently 32. I was assuming the next time it would be a larger session which would be strip but maybe not.

[morehair4me]

Originally posted by TC17:

One final thing to consider. If you go the strip route first, you're committing yourself to a lifetime of a strip scar. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but for many people it is. If you go FUE first, and the FUE is performed properly, you're committing yourself to a lifetime of very small, oftentimes unnoticeable FUE scars.

 

You can always do strip down the road if you need more grafts, but you can't get rid of that strip scar. If you don't need a lot of grafts right now, I see no reason other than cost to go strip at this point.

 

 

What are your thoughts on the moth eaten appearance from FUE? Is that a concern even if you go to a top doctor?

[Tsakalos]

i think the moth eaten fue will still look natural with 2 cm hair length while wide scars or huge gaps from strips that not only look horrble but cant even be repaired since transpplanting in there probably will not grow

[Julius]

ultimate number of grafts would remain the same regardless

 

But if one had fue grafts taken from the strip donor area the yield would be different of those grafts, as strip has better survivability. So ultimately you should get more hair via strip then fue. Is that right?