Are FUT scars detectable?

[MAGNUMpi]

Hi Everyone,

For all of you out there that have done this procedure would you say your scars are at all noticeable after the first year or so?

1. Can you or your wife/girlfriend feel them with your/her fingers (little ridge etc.)?

2. Does your hair sit well over them or is there a crease in the way the hair falls?

3. Do you have to tell your barber about the scars and have him/her work around them to make it look natural back there?

4. What in your opinion are the downsides to FUT?

 

Im trying to figure out if I want to stick with my idea of FUE or go with a "possible higher yield" FUT. Im not sure if I'm ready for a permanent scar on my body unless it is truly undetectable.

 

Thanks All,

Magnum

[Spanker]

1. Sometimes

2. Depends on how short your hair is.

3. Depends on how short you want it. (I am going to tell them scissors only so it shouldn't be an issue.)

4. Obviously, permanent scarring, but IMO, that beats permanent balding. I never wont wear my hair shave anymore so it isn't that big of an issue for me. Another upside besides possible higher yields (I personally believe the vast majority of people will get a better yield with strip, but you can also a lot more grafts. Most people are FUE'd out at 5-6k grafts, but we are seeing a lot of people getting 8-9k and more with strip, before the start FUE.)

 

They both have their place.

[Shampoo]

Of course each patient is going to be different and each doctor's results different. I had a small FUT procedure about 12 years ago (maybe 1500 grafts) and the scar has never been even the slightest issue. Hair has always sat perfect over it, no bump, no ridge. No way anyone could notice or feel it . Very hard to find even when trying. None of my hairdressers over the years ever knew until I told them. After some looking they could usually find it. Downside to FUT in my opinion would probably be a longer "healing period". I think FUT is much cheaper and more grafts survive.

[aaron1234]

Hi Everyone,

For all of you out there that have done this procedure would you say your scars are at all noticeable after the first year or so?

1. Can you or your wife/girlfriend feel them with your/her fingers (little ridge etc.)?

2. Does your hair sit well over them or is there a crease in the way the hair falls?

3. Do you have to tell your barber about the scars and have him/her work around them to make it look natural back there?

4. What in your opinion are the downsides to FUT?

 

Depends, depends, depends.

 

Depends on how you heal (your physiology). Depends on your hair length. Depends whether you go to a good doctor or a quack. Depends on if you ever want to shave again.

 

Personally, my scar stretched a bit and it is still pink. This may bother some guys but since my hair is longer its virtually a none issue. My stylist knows about my transplants and she does a wonderful job.

[MAGNUMpi]

Thanks Guys!

Spanker- do you know if its possible to do FUE first then strip if needed to get higher yield?

Shampoo-how long is the healing period for FUT normally?

Thanks again,

Magnum

[spreadlocks]

Hello MagnumPi. From my personal experience with Dr. Feller, My scar was undetectable from a couple of weeks in. Within 4 weeks I was shaving it to grade #4 and from about 7 or 8 weeks in I was shaving it to grade #3. Nobody has ever noticed it and my GF said it's undetectable. In fact my barber said he has never seen hairs grow out of a scar like mine (Tricho closure)

 

These are the sides of my hair shaved to number 3 at 4 months with flash on and off.

 

 

[chrisdav]

For all of you out there that have done this procedure would you say your scars are at all noticeable after the first year or so?

 

With the latest method of Trichophylic closure, the scarring is minimal and like the edge of a pack of cards.

 

Don't be put off by pictures of strip scars by bad clinics years ago as strip has evolved tremendously since inception in the 1950's.

 

1. Can you or your wife/girlfriend feel them with your/her fingers (little ridge etc.)?

 

Well I don't have a girlfriend/partner but my sister has examined the back of my head and she had found it extremely difficult to find.

 

2. Does your hair sit well over them or is there a crease in the way the hair falls?

 

Perfectly

 

3. Do you have to tell your barber about the scars and have him/her work around them to make it look natural back there?

 

No I have never and has never commented but I do not cut my hair very short.

 

4. What in your opinion are the downsides to FUT?

 

There isn't really any downside of fut if performed correctly by a top surgeon in my opinion( possibly that you can take your hair one or two grades lower on fue but not to a zero) but don't rush into anything and keep researching both procedures.

 

I have attached this comparison from SMG for fue and fut which may help.

 

Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE)

Edited July 4, 2012 by chrisdav

[Jotronic]

For all of you out there that have done this procedure would you say your scars are at all noticeable after the first year or so?

1. Can you or your wife/girlfriend feel them with your/her fingers (little ridge etc.)?

2. Does your hair sit well over them or is there a crease in the way the hair falls?

3. Do you have to tell your barber about the scars and have him/her work around them to make it look natural back there?

4. What in your opinion are the downsides to FUT?

 

Im trying to figure out if I want to stick with my idea of FUE or go with a "possible higher yield" FUT. Im not sure if I'm ready for a permanent scar on my body unless it is truly undetectable.

 

I don't think any scar is truly "undetectable" else it would not be a scar regardless of whether it is FUT or FUE. There will always be that one something that will make it detectable but that also depends on how far one is willing to go to detect it to begin with. If you have to go pretty far to do so then you're looking for something beyond everyday detectability.

 

The #1 thing I ask head shavers about is what they plan on doing once they have a procedure. Overwhelmingly the answer has something to do with growing their hair longer because they won't have to continue shaving to deal with hair loss. I routinely hear about how shaving is more acceptable and fashionable right now. Actually, I've been hearing this for the past ten years. It is of course and that is a wonderful thing and looks great on guys that have the right head shape but the vast majority of head shavers are bald or balding and shaving is the only style (or non-style) to deal with it because there are no other options. I rarely see guys that have full or near full heads of hair and shave it off.

 

Now shorter(ER) hair cuts, but not quite shaved, is a different animal and this is where FUT still works given that you have average healing characteristics and you have a good doc with at least average donor density. I've had well over 10,000 grafts, 9460 of which were with Dr. Wong through four surgeries and I can have my hair shorter or at least as short as most men would ever want their own hair.

 

#3 Guard...

 

 

 

 

Is it perfect? No, but it works for me and it certainly isn't an issue that anyone around me would ever notice. Ever.

[Jotronic]

If you cut it so short that you see about the same about of skin as you do hair then it is shaved, not "shorter":) And no one has ever said #1 guard works after strip.

[chrisdav]

For the sake of a grade or two shaved down I am not sure honestly why someone would risk a potential lower yield for the increased price.

 

The best, most consistent and most efficient hair transplantation results have be shown by gold standard strip surgery in my opinion.

[aaron1234]

And with FUT scars we are not talking about a scar on your face for the whole world to see. These linear scars are hidden if you simply keep your hair long enough. Not a big deal for me but maybe for someone desirous of a military crewcut.

[MAGNUMpi]

Thanks guys for all the helpful advice.

[richie48]

Hey Tom selleck hahaha

 

I posted some good quality close up pics a few years ago , please take a look at the link below , it may help you with your desision .

 

I have always had longer surfer scruffy type hair styles , so for me it was an easy choice to make , I wanted more hair with the most yeald , and knew I would grow it out to cover any linear scar .

 

Take a look

 

http://www.hairrestorationnetwork.com/eve/144292-dr-feller-uk-patient-richie48-new-close-up-scar-pics-trichophytic-closure-scaled-pics.html

 

good luck

Richie

[Ukresponder]

Hi Magnum,

 

See my post here on this topic. I am now 7 months post 2nd surgery, and I have to say that the scar's chracateristsics are perfetc, i.e. ZERO ittching, no irritation no loss of nerve sensation, no ridge nothing,

 

Bear in mind it has to do with the number of grafts i.e how wide the strip is. For exampe my first proceedure was around 2300 and the scar was good but noticeably more irritation to this one which was under 2000.

 

Yes it deepnds on:

 

surgeon sjill - tricho closure

individual healing characteristics to trauma

size of strip

scalp laxity

 

and the rest.......

 

 

here is the link have a look at the scar healing post op

 

http://www.hairrestorationnetwork.com/eve/166679-fut-scars-detectable.html

[biscuit]

Just be aware that a scar that is 7 months old is not the finished product. Scar tissue continues to form for at least the first 12 months. It will thicken and harden somewhat after the 7 month mark, maybe a little, maybe more depending on your healing characteristics.

 

The color of the scar changes over time. It goes from pink->tan->white for most caucasian skin types. Optimum match time with surrounding skin is around 4-8 months.

 

Not saying you can't get a small scar, just that the scar looks best from 4 months to 12 months. Same holds true for FUE scarring.

Edited July 8, 2012 by biscuit
typo :)

[Ukresponder]

Hey Ritchie,

 

Great updates and pics, Im needing a similar crown fix great to see the results you have had

 

Uk R