Should I get FUE or FUT ?

[olmert]

I am leaning toward going to Dr. Humayen in Pakistan. He is recommended here and charges 70 cents per graft FUT, and $2.20 per graft FUE. The flight/hotel will cost an additional $2,000 .

 

I can't decide which one to get.

 

I am 40. I am Norwood IV, but the doctors who have seen me say within 5 to 10 years, I will be Norwood VI, and they are treating me such. (The hair that makes me a Norwood IV instead of VI is very thin and looks like it is about to go.) Also, I have very dark black hair and very pale skin, so balding shows worse.

 

I have slightly below average donor density at 75 grafts per square centimeter, and 8,000 donor hairs. I have never had a transplant. A couple of doctors I have consulted with believe I will be bald enough to eventually make use of all 8,000 donors. I have average laxity.

 

One doctor proposed doing a 2,500 FUT, and then another 2,500 FUT in a year or two. And possibly a third one in a few years more. One doctor (recommended on this site) believed that with a good surgeon, if I got three FUT's, there will be a 10% chance of the scar somewhat showing after the third surgery.

 

Another doctor proposed doing a 4,000 FUT graft, and then leaving it alone for a few years and deciding later.

 

With Dr. Humayen, the extra cost for FUE is not so much. A 2,500 FUE transplant with flight will cost $7,500. A 2,500 FUT transplant with flight will cost $3,750 . (The price difference is $3,750, though if I do it three surgeries in my life, the difference is $11,250. ) If I could get away with doing two FUT's of 4000 grafts each, instead of three FUT's, then I will save an extra $2,000 for flight/hotel . (I know I will get yelled at for talking price, but I am pretty sure I am going to Dr. Humayen whether FUT or FUE. The analysis may be whether the linear scar is better than the lifetime savings of $11,250 to $13,250. I am not poor, though. I can afford the extra money, so maybe the analysis is over how bad the FUT scar might be.)

 

Even if I get FUE, I will most likely wear my hair long enough to cover any typical FUT scar. I have heard claims both ways on whether FUE with a good surgeon gives a yield that is very much lower.

 

I am not working, so do not mind down time or "ugly duckling" time.

 

I am so confused and tired about this decision. I've been struggling with it.

Edited April 6, 2012 by olmert

[BadBeat]

It would help to see some pictures of your current hair loss but most people are probably going to recommend FUT for you because you say you're a Norwood IV but heading for VI. I've never heard of that doctor but maybe others have. I've also never seen pricing that low -- ever. I mean, he's not even close to the average price for the recommended doctors. The average price for FUT is probably around $4-5 per graft and for FUE it would be $5-8. I know you're probably looking for a deal but that alone would really worry me!

 

Would love to see some pictures though....

[BadBeat]

Just reread your post and saw that he is one of the recommended doctors. Maybe because he's based in Pakistan his pricing is lower. Also, you mentioned that you'll likely wear your hair long enough to easily cover a strip scar. I would say go FUT 100% if that is the case, especially because you're going to end up needing 5000+ in the long run. You'll be able to get more from the donor area using FUT.

[olmert]

Here are some pics.

 

 

You'll be able to get more from the donor area using FUT.

 

Aren't there people who think you can get just as much from the donor area with FUE? Isn't it a debatable issue?

 

 

The prices of the doctors recommended on this site, living in the third world, are much cheaper than the first world doctors.

 

Dr. Humayen is 70 cents FUT, and $2.33 FUE

Dr. Radha Palakurthi is $1 FUT, and $2 FUE

Dr. Pathomvanich $2.76 FUE

Dr. Madhu is $1 FUT

Edited April 6, 2012 by olmert

[HARIRI]

Go to Dr. Redha for FUE, She impresses me much more than Humayen. I think she is the best among the ones you listed when it comes to FUE. This may help http://www.hairrestorationnetwork.com/eve/165156-potential-recommendation-dr-radha-rani-palkurthi-andhra-pradesh-india.html, also you can find more on her website.

 

My FUT choice would be Dr. Path from Bangkok, The problem is that there is another female doctor operating HT on his behalf, just make sure Dr. Path himself operates the surgery himself. Dont buy out any discounts for making it perfomed by other than him. For your information, Dr. Path won the 2010 Golden Follicle Award. With your type of balding I would listen to SPEX and go FUT.

 

Dr. Path and Dr. Redha would be my choice only.

Edited April 6, 2012 by HARIRI

[England]

I too think that FUT would probably be best for you given your advanced loss. You will probably need over 5,000 grafts and at this level I think FUT starts to become a better option.

 

Good luck.

[Sparky]

Listen to all of the opinions, and then spend more time thinking about it. Take some time to weigh up the pros and cons of each, there's no rush.

[scar5]

Do it right - Go FUT!

 

FUE causes more scaring than FUT.

 

yada, yada, yada....

 

 

This whole "Warning, FUE causes MORE scarring than FUE than strip, so do strip!!"

is really rubbish and I expect someone of Spex's calibre in this community to do better. (I know! Alright!)

 

The scarring, measured in volume of scar tissue maybe more with FUE, but if it is tiny pixelated dots, artfully created, it blends extremely well the donor, moreover, it thins the donor so that the contrast between donor and recipient areas is less.

 

Most here will tell you that strip is better because of the numbers available, and that is worth considering. (The FUE causes more scarring argument is BS!).

 

But more and more posters are showing bigger and bigger FUE results of late.As many as strip, no, but more, steadily more.

 

The thing that catches my eye is 1) your age, 2) Your conviction not to wear your hair short, 3) and I'm asking myself, what is his med situation? 4) Finally, I'm like why three small strips?? Why doesn't he go to one of the big strippers if he is going that way (lol) and get a real mega-'bang-for-buck' 4500-5500 graft job first up, kill all that miniaturizing hair in one great reign of terror bombing and let the new hair take over and the big volume-trick, or illusion of volume thing do its stuff.

 

That or settle for three FUEs spread out a year apart. But being 40 and determined not to have short hair, (I'm gonna risk it here) is a different kettle of fish than being 25 and saying it!

 

so dare I say, strip maybe OK for you. You get big fast results!!

 

But if there is a genuine itch to rock the buzz thing or a real concern that the grafts from your strips won't cover your crown enough on your 48-50 year old head, then FUE maybe great. But to be honest, I don't hear you saying that.

 

But whatever, three little strips?? Makes no sense unless you want to create a National Park in your crown for the dying breed of miniature hair in your NW5 zone.

 

meds!

 

No doubt FUE is more tricky and the variables and scope for compromise in the recipient area is higher. FUE can do as well as strip here, but not as often, if that makes sense.

 

The whole FUE is ONLY for little touch-ups or after-your-strip-is- exhausted is getting to be mute. But clinics established this way will keep saying it.